WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (WENY) -- Race weekend is officially underway here at Watkins Glen International, a little bit later in the year than we're used to. That hasn't stopped plenty of campers from coming in and getting set up early and setting up for the races later on this weekend. 

This morning, WGI opened up its gates to folks camping for this year's NASCAR race weekend. Excitement is growing as the hours pass by with racegoers gearing up for the action on the track -- but also for the enjoyment that comes with attending a NASCAR race.

"We made a lot of good friends here from all over everywhere, not necessarily just local people. And we're looking forward to seeing all of them again this year," said Don, a race fan from Goveurneur, NY, "Well, and when we were younger, we liked going getting driver autographs and all that stuff," added Bonnie, also from Goveurneur.

Families and friends will gather as the weekend carries on -- soon the entire campground area will be filled to the brim with race fans eager to cheer on their favorite drivers and teams.

"We're up here with about 35, 40 people all from our home area. So it's just a big party, and then the race is a bonus," said Keith Chergwin, a fan of 51 years traveling in from Western Massachusetts, "We started going to the modified races at Riverside Park and Agawam, Mass and my brother raced, we all raced. We've been going to NASCAR our whole lives."

This year's race differs slightly from previous years, as WGI hosts a playoff race for the first time this year, where a win guarantees a spot in the next round.

Race fans are still filing into the track as the time draws near to the weekend. We've got three races this weekend, of course. On Friday, the ARCA Menards Series. Saturday, the Xfinity Series. And, of course, on Sunday, the all important playoff race in the Cup Series.