Article Author:
Reuters
It's hard to imagine a clearer storyline for a single NASCAR race than Sunday's Go Bowling at the Glen (3pm ET on USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Kevin Harvick will be looking for his third consecutive Cup win after he beat a 65-race drought at Michigan International Raceway on August 7.
The international arena at Watkins Glen International includes former F1 drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Daniil Kvyat, who will make his F1 starting in 2020 his 10th minute of the grid. occupied 1.
Chase Elliott, at the Road America and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Courses, beats predatory predator Tyler Tyler, who has won the last two road course events. Attempts to regain the title of "King of the Road Course" from Reddick.
Elliott has achieved seven of his 17 career wins at his road course and is set to win his season title on Sunday as a Cup regular in his series. is almost certain.
But the focus of Sunday's minutes is the ongoing story of Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. battling for the final spot in the Cup playoffs with two races left in the regular season.
Last Sunday at Richmond Raceway, Blaney extended his lead over Truex to his 26-point lead on the stage, capitalizing on his 11-1 advantage in points.
Blaney and Truex are second in the points standings and his fourth, but neither has won a win this season, and his other 15 are the best. Because the driver has won the playoffs on both sides of his bubble.
On paper, Truex appears to have a decided edge over his Blaney at the Glen. Truex has his 1 win, 7 top 5s and 10 top 10s in his 15 starts at Watkins Glen. Blaney finished in the top five once (2019 was his fifth) and top ten in his five visits to his 2.450-mile seven-turn circuit in New York's Finger Lakes region. Recorded twice.
But NASCAR's next-generation cars have changed the paradigm. In his four road course races this season, Truex has a best finish of 7th at the Circuit of the Americas, with no other result better than 13th.
“Looking at our season, the road course has been the biggest challenge for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota overall. Without a car to drive, it's hard to make up for it.”
Both Truex and Blaney won one of the last two regular season races. can establish a claim to the final play-off spot, but so can drivers who are not currently behind them in the standings.
"It's a shame we didn't win this season," Truex said.
Elliott and Reddick both contributed to wins this season, but Reddick claims the edge on the road course. Elliott is quick to acknowledge that point.
"He's won the most road courses [races] this season, so he's probably the obvious choice," said Blaney as his favorite in the regular-season title fight. Elliott, who is ahead by 116 points, said. "I just look at the facts. He's won twice in the past and he's pretty good."
Sometimes called a "superspeedway," Elliott isn't expecting the kind of chaotic drivers he recently experienced at Indianapolis.
"Going into Turn 1 (Watkins Glen), not everyone is dumb," said Elliott.
– AJ Allmendinger looking to extend his road course dominance at the Glen
Without NASCAR Cup Series intruders, favorite at Saturday's Sunoco Go Rewards 200
Reigning NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron, Ross Chastain and Cole Custer all compete in NASCAR Xfinity Series races. (3:00 PM ET on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Still, his 2.45-mile road course at Watkins Glen International could be special territory for his AJ Allmendinger, still the leader of the Xfinity Series.
The driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet has completed three of his four road course races in the series so far this season (Portland Circuit, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course).
Allmendinger, who drove for his JTG Daugherty Racing in 2014, picked up the first of his two Cup wins in his series at the Glen. Xfinity In his three starts at the track in his series, he finished second on all three of his occasions (although following runner-up results in 2019, he was disqualified).
- Reed Spencer, NASCAR NewsWire, Special Contact for Field Level Media