Monster Energy Cup Category

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor On Sunday, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series took to Watkins Glen International, a seven-turn, 2.45-mile road course located in upstate New York for the final road course race of the 2017 season. Always an entertaining race, this year’s I Love New York 355 at The Glen was another in a long line of fun races to watch. So, what were some of the top storylines leaving Watkins Glen on Sunday? Can Martin Truex, Jr. Be Stopped? After winning four races and only finishing 11thRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – At a track where his father raced, and a track where he was a “garage rat” as a child, Martin Truex Jr. won Sunday’s I Love New York 355 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race by slowing down over the closing laps. Truex let Brad Keselowski pass him for the lead on Lap 77 of 90. On instructions from crew chief Cole Pearn, Truex also let Ryan Blaney past his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota on Lap 83. All theRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer Ryan Blaney’s quest to earn the Wood Brothers their 100th win was ended by fuel mileage, leaving him eighth. Blaney looked as if he could win in the late stages of the I LOVE New York 355 at Watkins Glen International. Blaney assumed the lead briefly as Brad Keselowski peeled off to pit with four laps to go. Already in fuel-saving mode, Blaney was left with a lead of several seconds over Martin Truex, Jr. However, it was not meant to be as his No.Read More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer The I LOVE New York 355 at Watkins Glen International was a bright day for most of the 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year (ROTY) contenders in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Of the four of the ROTY contenders, only Corey LaJoie has no experience at the 2.45-mile road course. Daniel Suarez was the best rookie, for the third week in a row, finishing third at Watkins Glen after running up front all race long in his No. 19 Stanley Tools Toyota Camry. AlthoughRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor As the clock continues to wind down on the regular season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Matt Kenseth desperately needs a win to be able to secure a spot in the playoffs, but at Watkins Glen, Kenseth would fall one spot short. Throughout the season, Kenseth has had opportunities to win races that didn’t pan out for one reason or another and Sunday’s I Love New York 355 was yet another example of the 2003 series champion being close at the end ofRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor After a trip to Pocono last weekend that saw Kyle Busch score his first win of the season, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stays in the Northeast as they go road course racing this weekend in the I Love New York 355 at The Glen. The Cup Series raced at Watkins Glen in 1957, 1964, and 1965 before returning to the track full-time in 1986, utilizing the “short course” layout initially, but after a series of violent crashes at the end of the longRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor Since returning to Watkins Glen in 1986, the 2.45 mile, 11 turn road course in upstate New York, has provided some of the most exciting racing on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule and the 1988 Budweiser at The Glen was no exception. As one of two road courses on the calendar at the time, Rusty Wallace entered the 90 lap race as the favorite as he had won the year before at Watkins Glen, as well as the two previous road course racesRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series made their second trip of the season to Pocono Raceway for Sunday’s Overton’s 400, which led to yet another new winner in 2017. To break down the top storylines of the day, NASCAR editor David Morgan is here with his five takeaways leaving the Tricky Triangle. Kyle Busch Wins…Finally It may have taken 21 races, but Kyle Busch is finally a winner in the Cup Series in 2017 after a dominating day at Pocono. Busch has had a handfulRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service LONG POND, Pa. – Barely more than three hours after the Pocono crowd greeted Kyle Busch with a chorus of boos during driver introductions, Kyle Busch made converts of the fans in the grandstands – at least a large portion of them – with a spectacular burnout after his long-awaited victory in the Overton’s 400. Benefitting from a splendid pit call by crew chief Adam Stevens, Busch charged through the field after his final stop and pulled away to beat runner-up Kevin Harvick toRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer Even a spin on the first lap of the Overton’s 400 could not keep Matt Kenseth from earning a Top 10 finish. Kenseth used pit strategy to climb back up through the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series field to finish ninth in his No. 20 ToyotaCare Toyota Camry. Kenseth’s crew chief Jason Ratcliff brought his driver to pit road late in many of the green flag pit cycles. This kept Kenseth up front throughout the day, except at the end of the first two stages.Read More