NASCAR Watkins Glen 355: What you need to know about Sunday’s Cup Series race

Distance: 90 laps, or 220.5 miles.

Where: Watkins Glen International, a 2.45-mile road course in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

When: 3 p.m. Sunday.

TV: NBCSN.

Radio: MRN.

Last year’s winner: Denny Hamlin.

Also this week: Zippo 200, Xfinity Series, Watkins Glen, 2 p.m., Saturday, NBCSN.

Who’s Hot/<QL>Who’s Not

HOT

Daniel Suarez: The rookie from Monterrey, Mexico has three consecutive top 10s for the first time in his Cup career (sixth at New Hampshire, seventh at Indy, seventh at Pocono). He has gotten better as the year has gone on, as evidenced by his improvement when the circuit has hit tracks for the second time – he finished 12 spots better in his second visit to Daytona and eight spots better at Pocono.

NOT

Jimmie Johnson: He has crashed in three of the past four races and has an average finish of 28.0 over that span. For his career, his average finish is 12.3. This season, it is 16.9, the worst he has ever had. He is 11th in total points, the worst he has ever been at this point of a season. All of which means that he will probably win the next three races.

Matt Crossman

This story was originally published August 3, 2017 at 3:48 PM with the headline "NASCAR Watkins Glen 355: What you need to know about Sunday’s Cup Series race."