It’s going to be hard to top the action from last weekend’s race at the Brickyard. But Watkins Glen will sure try to do so. NASCAR is going through a crucial point in the season. Drivers are pushing their cars to the limits trying to get one of 16 coveted playoff sports. And 13 of them are locked up by winners. The other three? Well, the #4 of Kevin Harvick is +117 above the bubble, #6 Brad Keselowski +115, and #23 Bubba Wallace owns the last spot +28 over the closest driver #99 Daniel Suarez.
With two races to go, Watkins Glen is the last chance for drivers to not have to pray for a hail-mary victory. The regular season ends at Daytona. And as that race has proven time and time again, anybody can win it. Just ask #47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
As usual, I’ll deliver five drivers that will be an interesting watch here at Watkins Glen. Not always the driver who can win, but drivers that can make things interesting. So without further delay, let’s get right to it.
#6 Brad Keselowski
Embed from Getty ImagesKeselowski had a solid day at the Indy Road Course last weekend. He was able to get some stage points in the second and put together a top-20 finish. The weeks prior, he’s had speed but watched his teammate #17 Chris Buescher win back-to-back races. A bittersweet moment as he owns the team, but would much rather hit victory lane himself. So long as there aren’t two different winners in the next two races, Keselowski is safe from the bubble. But with Daytona being the mixed bag it is, it wouldn’t hurt for #6 to ensure he hits victory lane before that can happen. Keselowski at Watkins Glen has a 13.8 average finish in 12 races run, with four top-five finishes.
#8 Kyle Busch
Embed from Getty ImagesIt’s been tough sledding for Rowdy the past couple of races. After finishing 3rd at Richmond, he wrecked at Michigan, then finished 36th at the Indy Road Course. Before Richmond, he wrecked at New Hampshire and finished 21st at Pocono. So let’s just say, Kyle Busch is due for a good day. With three wins on the year, the #8 team is locked into the playoffs as one of the front-runners. But some momentum would be nice. There’s another road course with the Charlotte Roval in the playoffs and I’m sure they’d like to figure out how to get that done. Busch in 17 races at Watkins Glen has two victories, with five more top-five finishes. He’s got an average finish of 10.5. So he’s got a good resume at the spot. Don’t count out Rowdy.
#9 Chase Elliott & #48 Alex Bowman
Embed from Getty ImagesBoth of these Hendrick Motorsports drivers have had a rough season. Chase Elliott missed six races due to a broken leg and served a one-race suspension after a violent hit to Denny Hamlin. Alex Bowman missed a month’s worth of action with a broken back. Neither car has really had speed all season long up until recently. And they both had season-best finishes with Elliott placing 2nd at Indy and Bowman in 5th. Now with two races to go, Elliot and Bowman sit -80 and -82 out of the playoff picture. Points are no longer a viable option. They missed that window.
Elliott has the upper hand between the two. He’s an excellent road course driver, and at this track specifically the 2020 Cup Series Champion has two victories at Watkins Glen. He also has another two finishes inside the top five. He’s so good here, his average finish is 5.3. After being runner-up at the Indy Road Course, you better take Elliott seriously for this track.
Bowman on the other hand, as a fan, I admit this isn’t his forte. Sure, he impressed at Indy last weekend. He ran extremely well this year and last year at COTA. But he’s led a career total of five laps at road courses, and none of them are at Watkins Glen. At this track, he’s run six races, and his highest place is 14th. So why mention him at all? Bowman has a history of doing things we don’t expect. Or being in the right place at the right time. I think we were all stunned when he qualified 9th at Indy and finished 5th. Maybe this recent stretch of success at Road Courses isn’t a fluke and Hendrick Motorsports has built cars friendly to them. Either way, Bowman has found speed, as has Elliott. Don’t count them out here.
He’s right. If you want to donate in Roscoes honor that’s amazing. @bestfriends is amazing for homeless animals just like Roscoe was when I met him ? https://t.co/g9BgiXR2xF
— Alex Bowman (@Alex_Bowman) August 17, 2023
I also want to make a brief mention of a tragic loss in the #48 camp. Alex Bowman’s beloved dog Roscoe passed away the other night. Bowman’s love for his dogs is vibrant and radiates throughout his team. And his love for animals is unmatched as seen through his partnership with Best Friends which helps rescue animals find homes. My thoughts are with Bowman, his dog Finn, and the ABR team that spent the most time with Roscoe. And as a Bowman fan, I’ll happily join the cause of #WinItForRoscoe.
#16 A.J. Allmendinger
Embed from Getty ImagesSo, A.J. Allmendinger didn’t have the race I thought he would last weekend. Mostly because he and #12 Ryan Blaney got into it so badly that Blaney spun the #16 and knocked him out of a good finish pretty early. So I’ll re-use him here. Dinger is a road course warrior, and his points situation is basically shot. It’s a win and in for him. Luckily for him, Watkins Glen is also a track that’s been very kind. In 11 races Dinger has a victory, three top-five finishes, and four top-10s. Per usual, Dinger owns the road course. With an average finish of 9.2, you gotta expect him to be a factor.
#19 Martin Truex Jr
Embed from Getty ImagesIf Martin Truex Jr is involved in a race, there’s a solid chance he’ll be a contender for it. Watkins Glen is no different for the 2018 Cup Series Champion. In 16 races Truex has one victory and six other top-five finishes. His average finish on the course is a commendable 10.9. There’s nothing that the #19 team can’t do with Truex behind the wheel. This race will depend on how he qualifies, and making sure his pit crew doesn’t do anything stupid. Which can be a tough ask sometimes. But Truex has no worries on the playoff front with three wins, including one at the road course race at Sonoma. The #19 is always a factor and this weekend is no different.
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