All articles tagged with #watkins glen
Shane van Gisbergen rallied from a long deficit to win Go Bowling at The Glen, while Chase Briscoe and AJ Allmendinger delivered strong performances for solid finishes. Carson Hocevar’s streak ended with a 28th, Christopher Bell finished 21st, and Hendrick Motorsports struggled, setting a competitive tone for the All-Star Race at Dover.
Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell exchanged words on pit road after NASCAR Cup Series action at Watkins Glen, with Bell finishing 21st and Wallace 29th after a Turn 1 spin in the final stage; Wallace’s spotter said Bubba wasn’t mad at Bell.
Shane van Gisbergen, starting from pole, dominated the Watkins Glen NASCAR Cup race and cruised to a 7.2-second victory over Michael McDowell after a 29-second surge in the late run; Ty Gibbs finished third, with Chase Briscoe and Tyler Reddick rounding out the top five. SVG also led the most laps (74 of 100) and ended Stage 2 on top, while Ross Chastain won Stage 1. Connor Zilisch earned the fastest lap (1:12.541). Cody Ware was the only retirement, and 32 of 38 starters finished on the lead lap.
Michael McDowell finished second to Shane van Gisbergen in the Go Bowling at The Glen, his best finish with Spire Motorsports in 48 starts. He challenged SVG on the road course, but SVG pulled away thanks to smoother pace through the bus stop and tire management. McDowell led several laps and closed strongly to finish 7.288 seconds back, boosting him to 21st in the regular-season standings (58 points below the playoff cutline) as SVG extended his dominance on road courses.
Shane van Gisbergen rocketed from 24th to the lead in just 16 laps, overtaking Ty Gibbs with eight laps to go to win NASCAR Cup Series’ Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International—his first Cup win of the year and seventh of his career for Trackhouse Racing.
Connor Zilisch overtook Jesse Love on the final lap after Love saved fuel, beating him to the line by 0.262 seconds in the Mission 200 at The Glen to extend his perfect Watkins Glen record to three straight wins; it was Zilisch’s 13th O'Reilly Series victory, with JR Motorsports again placing at least one car in the top 10. Love called it a tough race, and post-race inspection confirmed the win.
Shane van Gisbergen heads to Watkins Glen acknowledging he won’t magically have the fastest car as Trackhouse fights a rough season; after finishing second at Circuit of the Americas he says he must improve the car and capitalize on road courses to climb in the standings, where he sits 19th and is chasing points ahead of the playoffs.
Connor Zilisch won the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Watkins Glen, marking his third consecutive road-course victory, and post-race inspection found no issues; Justin Allgaier leads the Regular Season Championship by 155 points with 11 races remaining.
Watkins Glen International marks 40 years of NASCAR Cup Series racing by naming a lineup of former drivers to honorary roles during the race weekend: Ron Fellows as Grand Marshal for Friday events, Joe Nemechek as Honorary Starter for the Truck Series race, Butch Leitzinger as Grand Marshal for Saturday's Mission 200 with Todd Bodine as Honorary Starter, and Geoff Bodine as Honorary Pace Car Driver for Sunday's Go Bowling at The Glen, as the track hosts a Friday doubleheader, Saturday Mission 200, and Sunday Cup action.
Chase Elliott earned his second win of 2026 at Texas, signaling that he and Hendrick Motorsports are finding speed with the new Chevrolet body and establishing him as a serious title threat early in the season; the race featured a series of incidents that affected contenders—Bell clipped by Gilliland, Briscoe and Logano hampered on pit road, and Gibbs damaged after contact—while Busch and Nemechek tangled at the end and NASCAR will review the clash; Alex Bowman posted back-to-back third-place finishes as he continues his return from vertigo, setting the stage for a spring road-course weekend at Watkins Glen where road-course specialists are expected to shine.
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule features notable changes, including the All-Star Race at Dover and a race at Watkins Glen in May, which are unconventional choices that aim to optimize weather and fan engagement. The schedule adjustments reflect strategic decisions to enhance the series' appeal, despite limited options for certain tracks, and highlight NASCAR's focus on timing and location to boost attendance and excitement.
Connor Zilisch, a 19-year-old NASCAR Xfinity Series driver, underwent collarbone surgery after breaking his collarbone in a fall at Watkins Glen following his sixth win of the season.
Ryan Blaney remains at the top of NASCAR power rankings after Watkins Glen, with Christopher Bell making a notable return to the list following a strong finish. Shane van Gisbergen continues his road-course dominance, while other drivers like Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson face mixed results. The rankings reflect recent performances and set the stage for the upcoming race at Richmond.
Shane van Gisbergen won his fourth consecutive road course race at Watkins Glen, marking a historic achievement in NASCAR, while Christopher Bell and Chris Buescher also performed well. Kyle Larson and Ty Gibbs faced setbacks, highlighting the varied outcomes of the race.
Trackhouse Racing's development driver Connor Zilisch, who suffered a broken collarbone in a fall at Watkins Glen, is considering when to return to racing, with a focus on his recovery and long-term development. His return will depend on medical clearance and team decisions, possibly delaying his participation in upcoming races to ensure full recovery and maximize his potential.