On Sunday, the celebrities of the NASCAR Cup Collection head to the two.45-mile Watkins Glen Worldwide highway course for the working of the Go Bowling at The Glen (2 p.m. ET, USA Community, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports activities App).
Here’s what it is advisable to know forward of the twenty fourth race of the Cup Collection season.
Favourite: Shane van Gisbergen (+120, per DraftKings)
The New Zealander has gained the final three highway/road races at Mexico Metropolis, Chicago and Sonoma from the pole, so it ought to come as no shock to seek out him on the prime of the percentages board.
He comes into the weekend with a chip on his shoulder after getting passed for the win on the final lap by Chris Buescher within the 2024 race at Watkins Glen. Given his road-racing background and his dominance on these layouts this season, the trail to Victory Lane goes by means of van Gisbergen on Sunday.
Underdog: Ryan Preece (+4500, per DraftKings)
Preece is probably not the primary driver who involves thoughts on highway programs, however he has been constant all season lengthy. Preece was in rivalry in Mexico Metropolis earlier than fading to fifteenth and completed seventh at Chicago and twelfth at Sonoma.
He was ninth at Watkins Glen final season and enters the weekend with back-to-back top-fives at Indianapolis (fourth) and Iowa (fifth). Do not be shocked to see Preece towards the entrance once more on Sunday as he seems to be to remain within the playoff race.
Can anybody cease van Gisbergen?
It’s no secret that van Gisbergen is in a league of his personal on highway programs. With that mentioned, Christopher Bell was victorious at Circuit of The Americas earlier this season and is one among a number of drivers who can halt his momentum.
Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson every personal a pair of wins at Watkins Glen, road-course aces AJ Allmendinger and Michael McDowell can by no means be counted out and 19-year-old phenom Connor Zilisch lately defeated van Gisbergen within the Xfinity race at Sonoma on July 12. Van Gisbergen is the clear favourite, however that doesn’t at all times assure something in a sport as aggressive as NASCAR.
Playoff image coming into focus with three races left
Solely Watkins Glen, Richmond (Aug. 16) and Daytona (Aug. 23) stay to find out the 16-driver playoff discipline. Three spots are still up for grabs on factors with Tyler Reddick (+122), Alex Bowman (+63) and Buescher (+23) at present locking down these positions.
With a good battle for the final spot on factors between RFK Racing teammates Buescher and Preece and previous champions Kyle Busch (-73) and Brad Keselowski (-121) going through must-win territory, be ready for an thrilling three weeks.
Will Watkins Glen ship one other traditional end?
There have been several thrilling finishes at Watkins Glen all through its historical past. Whereas Buescher’s last-lap heroics final season have been the newest on that record, that was definitely not the one time followers have been handled to an entertaining conclusion.
The one most followers will recall is the epic 2012 last-lap battle between Keselowski and Marcos Ambrose, with Ambrose prevailing after the 2 made contact a number of instances and slid off target throughout an edge-of-your-seat ultimate lap. With a lot at stake and the playoffs on the horizon, may historical past repeat itself once more?
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