NASCAR Cup Series News & Notes – Watkins Glen International

NASCAR Cup Series

Next Race: Go Bowling at The Glen
The Place: Watkins Glen International
Track Length: 2.45 Mile Asphalt Road Course
The Date: Sunday, August 10
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
The Purse: $9,797,935
TV: USA Network, 1:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 220.5 miles (90 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 90)

Where To Watch NASCAR This Weekend:

Friday, August 8

NCTS Practice & Kennametal Pole Qualifying (FS2 at 11:30 a.m. ET)
ARCA Race: General Tire 200 at The Glen (FS2, MRN at 2 p.m. ET)
NCTS Race: Mission 176 at The Glen (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM at 5 p.m. ET)

Saturday, August 9

NXS Practice & Kennametal Pole Qualifying (CW App at 9:30 a.m. ET)
NASCAR Cup Series Practice & Busch Light Pole Qualifying (truTV, MRN, SiriusXM at Noon ET)
NXS Race: Mission 200 at The Glen (CW, MRN, SiriusXM at 3 p.m. ET)

Sunday, August 10

NASCAR Cup Series Race: Go Bowling at The Glen (USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM at 2 p.m. ET)

NASCAR Cup Series

Watkins Glen International Storylines and Insights:

• This weekend marks the 42nd running of a NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International (1957, 1964, 1965, 1986-2019, 2021-2025), second most all-time for road courses in the Cup Series behind only Riverside (48).
•  There are three races left in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season: Watkins Glen, Richmond and Daytona.
• The NASCAR Cup Series race stage end laps are Lap 20, 40 and 90.
• Only two of the last nine Watkins Glen races were won by a driver getting their first win of the season (Chase Elliott – 2018, Chris Buescher – 2024).
• Chris Buescher started 24th last year, the deepest a winner started in 41 races at Watkins Glen.
• Two of the last three Watkins Glen races saw the final lead change come in the last five laps, including a last lap pass in 2024 (Chris Buescher passing Shane van Gisbergen).
• 2024 was the first race at Watkins Glen to feature an overtime finish since 2011.
• Four drivers got their first Cup win at Watkins Glen, most recently Chase Elliott in 2018.
• Chris Buescher is the only driver to finish top-10 in all three Watkins Glen races in the Next Gen car, he won this race last year with a last lap pass of Shane van Gisbergen.
• Shane van Gisbergen is tied with Jeff Gordon (1998-99) for most consecutive road course races won from pole (3).
• Only Jeff Gordon (6 between 1997-2000) and Chase Elliott (4 – 2020) won four consecutive Cup road course races, Shane van Gisbergen won the last three.
• Shane van Gisbergen can join Dan Gurney as the only drivers to get their first five Cup wins on road courses.
• Five of the last 13 road course races were won by drivers getting their first road course win.
• Hendrick Motorsports leads all teams in poles, wins, top-fives, top-10s, laps led and average finish on road courses.
• Hendrick Motorsports drivers won five of the last 11 road course races with three different drivers winning: William Byron and Kyle Larson (twice) and Alex Bowman (once).
• Chevrolet drivers won nine of the last 11 road course races and five of the last six at Watkins Glen.
• The stage one winner finished outside the top-10 in each of the last seven road course races.
• Chase Elliott leads all drivers with 11 top-five finishes in the Next Gen car on road courses, but none of his seven road course wins came in the Next Gen car.
• Christopher Bell finished in the top-five in four of the last five road course races including two runners-up and a win at COTA this year.
• Shane van Gisbergen (8.9), Chris Buescher (9.57) and Chase Elliott (9.8) are the only three drivers to have a top-10 average finish on road courses in the Next Gen car.
• Ryan Blaney is on a 22-race streak without a top-five finish on road courses.
• Brad Keselowski is on a 19-race streak without a top-10 finish on a road course.
• Both of Kyle Busch’s top-five finishes in 2025 came on road courses.
• Kyle Busch is set to tie Terry Labonte for most Cup road course starts all-time this weekend (63).
• The driver leading the most laps won nine of the last 15 road course races.
• Kyle Larson won two of the last 11 road course races, but his average finish in the other nine races is 25th.
• Joey Logano is set to become the 13th driver in Cup Series history to make 600 consecutive starts this weekend.
• Toyota hasn’t won at Watkins Glen since 2017 (Martin Truex Jr), their longest drought at any active Cup track.
• The Stage 1 winner at Watkins Glen finished 20th or worse in each of the last four races there, the stage two winner finished in the top-four in all seven races there with stage racing.
• Hendrick Motorsports drivers won five of the last six races at Watkins Glen with three different drivers: Chase Elliott (two), Kyle Larson (two) and William Byron (one).
• Chase Briscoe can become the first driver since Cale Yarborough in 1980 to win three consecutive poles multiple times during the same season.
• Chase Briscoe finished runner-up three times in 2025, all in the last four races, he only had one runner-up finish in his career entering this season.
• Ryan Preece finished in the top-five in the last two races, his longest top-five streak in Cup.
• Bubba Wallace finished top-10 in the last three races, his longest top-10 streak in Cup is four races in 2022.
• Only Kyle Larson, with 14, has more top-10 finishes in 2025 than Alex Bowman’s 13 (Christopher Bell also has 13 top-10s).
• Iowa was a Cup record eighth race of the year that Hendrick Motorsports left ranked 1-2-3 in points.
• A Hendrick Motorsports driver led the regular season point standings following each of the last 21 races (Ryan Blaney led the points following the first two race of the year).
• Hendrick Motorsports is the only team with at least one car finishing in the top-10 in all 23 races in 2025.
• Hendrick Motorsports had at least one car finish top-10 in the last 31 races, the longest streak by a team in the Next Gen car.
• Chase Elliott is the only driver without a DNF in 2025.
• This is the 12th consecutive week that Ryan Preece is 16th or 17th in the Playoff standings.
• Seven of the 17 road course regular season races in the Next Gen were won by a driver ranked 16th or worse in the Playoff standings.

NASCAR Cup Series Clinch Scenarios Following Iowa Speedway:

Already Clinched

• The following eight drivers have clinched a spot in the 16-driver postseason field: William Byron, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Shane Van Gisbergen.

Can Clinch Via Points

• If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 113 points above the second winless driver in the standings.
• Tyler Reddick: Could only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Previous Wins

• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by William Byron, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Josh Berry, Shane Van Gisbergen or Riley Herbst (or any other winless driver lower in the standings):
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Ross Chastain: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Austin Cindric: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Josh Berry: Would clinch regardless of finish
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Tyler Reddick:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch with 30 points
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch with 50 points
  • Ross Chastain: Could only clinch with help
  • Austin Cindric: Could only clinch with help
  • Josh Berry: Could only clinch with help
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by John Hunter Nemechek:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch with 30 points
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch with 51 points
  • Ross Chastain: Could only clinch with help
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Alex Bowman, Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs, AJ Allmendinger or Brad Keselowski:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch with 31 points
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch with 52 points
  • Ross Chastain: Could only clinch with help
•  The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Carson Hocevar:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch with 28 points
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch with 49 points
  • Ross Chastain: Could only clinch with help
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Michael McDowell:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch with 26 points
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch with 47 points
  • Ross Chastain: Could only clinch with help
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Erik Jones:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch with 24 points
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch with 45 points
  • Ross Chastain: Could only clinch with help
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Ricky Stenhouse Jr.:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch with 12 points
  • Ross Chastain: Would clinch with 28 points
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Zane Smith:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch with 9 points
  • Ross Chastain: Would clinch with 25 points
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Austin Dillon:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Ross Chastain: Would clinch with 14 points
  • Austin Cindric: Could only clinch with help
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Justin Haley:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Ross Chastain: Would clinch with 8 points
  • Austin Cindric: Could only clinch with help
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Todd Gilliland:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Ross Chastain: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Austin Cindric: Could only clinch with help
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Daniel Suarez:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Ross Chastain: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Austin Cindric: Would clinch with 55 points
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Ty Dillon:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Ross Chastain: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Austin Cindric: Would clinch with 41 points
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Cole Custer:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Ross Chastain: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Austin Cindric: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Josh Berry: Would clinch with 22 points
• The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Noah Gragson:
  • Bubba Wallace: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Joey Logano: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Ross Chastain: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Austin Cindric: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Josh Berry: Would clinch with 14 points

Can Clinch Via Win

• The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:
  • Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, Bubba Wallace, Chris Buescher, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Josh Berry
• The following drivers could clinch with a win:
  • Ryan Preece: Would clinch with 60 points
  • Kyle Busch: Could only clinch with help

NASCAR & Watkins Glen, Etc.

Historical and Significant Events at Watkins Glen International:

• ‘The Glen’ was constructed at its current location in 1956 but had its real beginning in 1948 when a Cornell University law student from Ohio, Cameron Argetsinger, acquired a sports car but had no place to race it. He designed a 6.6 mile circuit comprised of public roads in the Village of Watkins Glen where his family owned a cottage.
• He convinced the Chamber of Commerce of the Village of Watkins Glen and nine other agencies to hold the first post-war street race in the country. The annual race on the public roads at the tip of Lake Seneca was hugely successful from 1948-1951 drawing a large field of cars, large crowds and premier drivers.
• The race came to an abrupt halt when the 1952 running was canceled midrace after a car brushed the crowd fatally injuring a spectator and hurting several others.
• After a few years of racing at a temporary course a permanent facility was built in the town of Dix which borders Watkins Glen.
• Engineering professors from Cornell designed the 2.3 mile layout and specified the pavement. The first professional race was a NASCAR Grand National (Cup Series) race held on 8/4/1957. Buck Baker led all 44 laps in the caution-free race beating Fireball Roberts by nearly ½ mile.
• NASCAR returned in 1964 and 1965 on the annual ‘Northern Tour”.  Billy Wade won 1964, Marvin Panch 1965.
• In the 1960s and continuing to the present, Watkins Glen has hosted nearly every major United States sanctioning body and professional racing series: NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, Can-AM, Trans-AM, NASCAR Busch North and K&N, NASCAR Modified, NASCAR Trucks, IMSA and Camel GTO, CART, IndyCar, NASCAR Grand-Am, Formula 1, Formula 5000, IMSA and others.
• In 1961, the track ran the first of 19 Formula One races that ended after 1980 due to deteriorating track conditions not meeting F1 standards.
• The Summer Jam at Watkins Glen was a 1973 rock festival that once held the record as the largest audience at a pop festival. An estimated 600,000 people attended the event held at the raceway. The Allman Brothers Band, Grateful Dead and The Band performed. In 2013, a maintenance crew from Watkins Glen found abandoned cars from the event on track property.
• After 1980, the track was bankrupt and fell into disrepair. In 1983 Corning purchased the track then partnered with International Speedway Corporation (ISC) to form Watkins Glen International. The track reopened in 1984 to sports car racing and in 1986 the Cup Series returned to The Glen to a huge crowd estimated at 88,000.
• In 1992, the Inner Loop Chicane was added giving the track its 2.45 distance.
• In 1997, the International Speedway Corporation (now NASCAR) became the sole owner of the facility.
• Since 2001, the track has undergone continuous capital improvements. By the end of 2012 more than $30 million were invested in The Glen; including replacement of old wooden grandstands, the Glen Club, adding SAFER barriers, upgrades to the garage and pit road areas. In 2008, the new Media Center replaced a press box that had been used since 1971.
• In April 2012, the five new grandstands were renamed to recognize the history of Watkins Glen International: SENECA (Lake Seneca can be seen from the track); ARGETSINGER (the man responsible for establishing street and road course racing in Watkins Glen); STEWART (three-time F1 champion); RIESBECK (the Corning executive who was the driving force behind Corning’s purchase and revival of the bankrupt track); and, BODINE (the local family of racers representing the track’s recent history).
• The town of Watkins Glen can be found at the base of Seneca Lake, the largest of the Finger lakes. At a max depth of 618 ft it is the deepest of the Finger Lakes and at 38 miles long it is the second longest Finger Lakes.
• For the 2016 season the track was fully repaved it was the first complete repave since 1989.
• New in 2024, large curbing was added outside of the ruble strips in the bus stop.

Latest Track News at Watkins Glen International:

• Busch Light, Saratoga Eagle and Watkins Glen International have united in a new partnership for The Bog, Watkins Glen’s premium hospitality area. Busch Light will hold naming rights to the Bog hospitality, now known as Busch Light at the Bog, where fans can experience exclusive trackside views, access multiple motorsports Q&A sessions, enjoy upgrades on food and beverage items, and earn free souvenir gifts to enjoy the ride at the race.
• NASCAR Cup Series drivers Brad Keselowski and Ryan Preece spent the day yesterday in the Finger Lakes, taking in all the region has to offer ahead of the upcoming Go Bowling at The Glen NASCAR race weekend at Watkins Glen International. Keselowski enjoyed an afternoon at Sheriff’s Summer Camp, interacting with campers then taking a fishing excursion out on Keuka Lake, while Preece toured Bully Hill Vineyards just down the road, learning about the art of wine making and experiencing all the beauty of Finger Lakes Wine Country. Video Link
• NASCAR Cup Series driver and Buffalo Bills fan Zane Smith joined the NFL team during training camp today ahead of the upcoming Go Bowling at The Glen NASCAR race weekend at Watkins Glen International. Smith stopped by St. John Fisher College in Rochester, where the Bills hold their training camp, and spent some time with the team as they prepare for the upcoming football season. Smith also paid a visit to the Bills Youth Football Program to interact with young Bills fans, and spoke with motorsports enthusiast and Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins. Dawkins previously served as Grand Marshal for the IMSA Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen earlier this summer at Watkins Glen International. Video Link