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NASCAR Cup Series returns to Watkins Glen for the penultimate round of the regular season. Coming off an exciting weekend at Indianapolis, where a new winner entered the playoffs, this weekend's road course race provides another opportunity for the bubble drivers to book their playoff tickets.
Watkins Glen, located in New York, will play host to the 24th round of the 2023 NASCAR season and the penultimate road course race of the season. The Go Bowling at the Glen Cup race is scheduled to begin at 1:30 PM ET on Sunday (August 20).
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Sunday's race will see drivers fight for the win over 90 laps on the 2.45-mile undulating track. Denny Hamlin put himself on the pole with a super quick lap, making him one of the favorites to win.
However, there are plenty of drivers behind him who are much more desperate for a win and willing to do anything to get the playoff spot. In this piece, we'll take a quick look at the drivers expected to have a solid result on Sunday.
#4 Ty Gibbs
The #54 Joe Gibbs Racing driver is proving to be a super quick driver on the road courses. Ty Gibbs has translated his skills from Xfinity Series to the Cup Series where he is on pace with his veteran teammates. He has already won a race at Watkins Glen in 2021.
The NASCAR Cup Series rookie was setting the pace in the Xfinity race on Saturday and was miles clear of his nearest rival. A late race restart went wrong for him and he ended up 17th. Starting on the second row on Sunday, he will be aiming to set things right.
#3 Michael McDowell
The #34 Front Row Motorsports driver has put himself in the group of top-tier road course drivers in the current grid after his win at Indianapolis. His solid results at such tracks always went unnoticed in the past, as he had never won a road course race.
Last year, he finished sixth in the next-gen car at Watkins Glen. Coming off the victory at IMS, McDowell will be looking to repeat the feat at the Glen, starting beside Gibbs on the second row.
#2 Denny Hamlin
After an uncharacteristic weekend at Indianapolis where he was off the pace, Denny Hamlin has found his mojo back. He took his third pole on road courses this season with a super quick lap around the 2.45-mile track. Despite his scintillating pace, he has not won on a road course this season.
Hamlin has already tasted victory at the Glen in 2016 and will be looking forward to making his second trip to the victory lane this weekend.
#1 Chase Elliott
The #9 Hendrick Motorsports driver is a clear favorite to win at Watkins Glen, as he has been so dominant on the track in the past. Chase Elliott got his first Cup Series victory at the Glen in 2018 and also won the race the following year.
The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion has mastered the undulating track in New York, where out of his six starts, his worst finish is 13th, and the rest of them inside the top four.
Elliott has a tough hill to climb on Sunday after the qualifying disaster as he lines up 15th for the race.
