NASCAR race at Watkins Glen: A Cup playoff puzzle, TV channel. Who will win?
.JPG "Kyle Larson celebrates winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)")
Two more chances.
The NASCAR Cup Series arrives at Watkins Glen International on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. The race marks the penultimate event of a second-straight regular season defined by parity and surprise.
Fans can catch the race on USA Network starting at 2:30 p.m. ET, as well as MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
A year ago, in the second-to-last weekend of racing, the Cup field was in similar straits: Kevin Harvick had just notched back-to-back wins, Chase Elliott was closing in on the regular-season points championship, and Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. were sweating out the playoff race on points — praying that a 15th driver didn’t enter the winning column (one, of course, eventually did).
A new Cup parity puzzle has taken hold now. This one features Chris Buescher as the back-to-back winner, Truex as the guy who can clinch the regular-season points championship and six drivers realistically vying for the final three playoff slots not already accounted for by winning drivers. Those guys? Harvick (145 above the cut line), Brad Keselowski (+143), Bubba Wallace (+28), Daniel Suarez (28 below the cut line), Ty Gibbs (-49) and Chase Elliott.
Elliott, of course, isn’t within reach points-wise. But the sport’s most popular driver and last year’s summer darling is in the mix nonetheless because not only does he drive for Hendrick Motorsports — he’s fantastic at Watkins Glen.
The driver of the 9 car has won seven road course races in his Cup career, and two have come at the 2.49-mile track in rural New York. He could’ve had a third win last year, even, before he and his teammate, Kyle Larson, entangled on the final lap.
Eight active drivers have notched a Cup win at WGI: Larson, Elliott and Kyle Busch have all won twice here; Harvick, Truex, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and AJ Allmendinger have one win apiece.
Truex can clinch the regular-season title — and the accompanying 15 Playoff Points — by being ahead of the driver in second in the standings by 61 points at the conclusion of the race, or by scoring at least 56 points this weekend.
Clinching means that Truex will become only the second driver to win multiple Regular Season Championships, per NASCAR, alongside Kyle Busch.
NASCAR race at Watkins Glen
- Race: Go Bowling at The Glen
- Place: Watkins Glen International
- Date: Sunday, August 20
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Purse: $7,154,312
- TV: USA, 2:30 p.m. ET
- Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
- Distance: 220.5 miles (90 Laps)
- Stages: Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 90)
