Watkins Glen International Tag

By David Morgan, Associate Editor The much maligned aerodynamic packages that were rolled out for the NASCAR Cup Series last year are getting a facelift heading into 2020 — at least on the short tracks and road courses. Last season, the aero packages were split between a 750 horsepower package that ran on oval tracks one-mile or shorter and road courses, along with a 550 horsepower package that ran the remainder of the schedule. The massive eight-inch spoiler and other aerodynamic devices had a negative effect on the racing atRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent BRISTOL, Tenn. – Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch has gifted military veterans with opportunities of a lifetime. Since the Daytona 500 earlier this year, the 2004 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion has partnered with the Veteran Tickets Foundation (Vet Tix) to send both active and retired military veterans, 100 veterans total, to NASCAR races throughout the season. 2,500 veterans minimum have attended races so far. Busch praised the program and its’ success. “It’s been fabulous. It’s a gift that keeps on giving with vettix.org helping manageRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Both Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones, two drivers in subject of silly season rumors all season, continue their string of top-five runs this summer after Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen. Despite all talks involve on Kyle Busch being erased off both William Byron and Bubba Wallace’s Christmas list due to separate incidents and Martin Truex, Jr.’s second attempt of chasing down race winner Chase Elliott coming up short. The other two Joe Gibbs Racing teammates had a quiet afternoon at Watkins Glen International in NewRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service Jimmie Johnson weathers collision, sees Playoff position improve WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Nineteenth wasn’t what Jimmie Johnson wanted in his first race with Cliff Daniels as his crew chief, but solid runs in the first two stages of Sunday’s GoBowling at The Glen were enough to lift the seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion into a tie for 16th in the series standings, the last spot eligible for the postseason Playoffs. Johnson started the race eighth and finished sixth in the first stage.Read More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent Leavine Family Racing’s Matt DiBenedetto shined once again as he scored a top-10 finish at Watkins Glen International. The driver of the No. 95 Procore Toyota Camry broke into the top-10 on the final restart of the Go Bowling at the Glen on lap 66. DiBenedetto picked off several positions on the chaotic restart. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver passed Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski as the field jockeyed for position. DiBenedetto then battled Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, and Ryan Blaney for position.Read More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – It was a striking case of déjà vu. In a replay of Last year’s GoBowling at the Glen, Martin Truex Jr. chased pole winner Chase Elliott lap after lap around the 2.45-mile road course, using everything in his arsenal to try to deprive Elliott of his second straight victory at the track. Nothing worked for Truex, who crossed the finish line in the wake of the winning No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, .454 seconds in arrears. Elliott logged his secondRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Chase Elliott isn’t racing differently on road courses. He’s just racing better. And on Saturday, Elliott returned to Watkins Glen International with a vengeance, taking a giant step toward another victory at track that gave him his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win last year. Elliott covered the 2.45-mile layout in 69.287 seconds (127.297 mph) to edge Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron for the top starting spot in Sunday’s Go Bowling at the Glen (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN,Read More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Opportunity knocked for Austin Cindric after a mechanical failure knocked Kyle Busch out of Saturday’s Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International. And after Cindric and road course ace AJ Allmendinger traded knocks on the final two laps of the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, Cindric—on fresher tires—emerged the winner for the first time in his career. Following post-race inspection, Allmendinger’s No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet was disqualified for a rear height violation, dropping Allmendinger to last place in the running order.Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor After a trip to Pocono last weekend that saw Denny Hamlin score his third win of the season, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stays in the Northeast as they go road course racing this weekend in Sunday’s Go Bowling 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 long back straightaway, theRead More

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The first of four upcoming road course events for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Saturday’s Zippo 200 at The Glen (3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) is always a must-see event pitting series championship contenders against Cup regulars and quite often against road course ringers just competing for the chance to win at the historic track. Team Penske’s Joey Logano has won three of the last four races, but won’t be competing this weekend. Instead his MonsterRead More