NASCAR at Watkins Glen: How to watch, starting lineup, predictions and betting odds

NASCAR kicks off its final stretch of four regular season Cup races with two road courses in August, starting with Watkins Glen International on Sunday. The Go Bowling at The Glen starts at 3 p.m. EST on NBCSN.

A two-week break for Olympic television programming on NBC has allowed a period to regroup for teams, with some under more pressure than others to secure a first win this season and lock down a playoff spot.

Denny Hamlin continues to lead the series in points without a win. Kyle Larson is 13 points behind him in the standings, but it’s Chase Elliott who is favored to win this weekend. Elliott won the last two races at Watkins Glen in 2018 and 2019. (The 2.45-mile road course in New York was scrapped from the 2020 schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year.)

Elliott also won two of the four road course races on the schedule this season at Circuit of the Americas and Road America, and he has the most stage wins of all time at road courses (six). He has the best odds to win this weekend, per BetMGM, with +200 odds followed by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Larson (+425) and Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Martin Truex Jr. (+550), Kyle Busch (+700) and Hamlin (+1000).

However, Penske teammates are starting up front on Sunday thanks to their latest strong performance at New Hampshire before the break. NASCAR’s metric qualifying formula has put Brad Keselowski on the pole with Joey Logano in the front row. Ryan Blaney will start third with Larson in fourth. Elliott will start 11th.

NASCAR at Watkins Glen race predictions

Elliott is certainly a safe bet this weekend given his road course racing history, but it’s hard to discount Gibbs driver finishes on those types of tracks this year. At least two JGR drivers have taken a top five spot in three of the four road course races this season. Christopher Bell won at the Daytona Road Course and most recently finished second at New Hampshire’s oval (he also finished second at Road America). Kyle Busch is tied with Elliott for the most wins of active drivers at Watkins Glen with two victories each.

In the Ford camp, Joey Logano and Chase Briscoe have put up strong road course finishes this year. For Chevys, besides Elliott and Larson, Alex Bowman, Kurt Busch and Ross Chastain have looked strong on those tracks.

But ultimately, no active driver has held a candle to Elliott’s road course stats. He’s won six of the past seven road course Cup races (seven wins total) and is on his way to matching Tony Stewart’s eight road course victories to tie for second on the all-time road course wins list in the series, one win behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon. I predict he’ll keep closing the gap on Sunday.

NASCAR race at Watkins Glen how to watch

• Race: Go Bowling at The Glen
• When: Sunday, Aug. 8
• Time: 3 p.m. EST
• TV: NBCSN
• Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• Distance: 220.5 miles (90 Laps) with stages ending on laps 20, 40 and 90

NASCAR at Watkins Glen starting lineup

This story was originally published August 8, 2021 at 7:00 AM.

Alexandra Andrejev

The Charlotte Observer

NASCAR and Charlotte FC beat reporter Alex Andrejev joined The Observer in January 2020 following an internship at The Washington Post. She is a two-time APSE award winner for her NASCAR beat coverage and National Motorsports Press Association award winner. She is the host of McClatchy’s podcast “Payback” about women’s soccer. Support my work with a digital subscription