RADIO
Shane Van Gisbergen Dominates Watkins Glen for First Win of 2026
Shane Van Gisbergen put on a dominant performance in this year's Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International as he won the race without much competition. Van Gisbergen began the race from the pole position in first and led every lap in the first stage until his first pit stop on lap 18. Despite losing positions from pitting, Van Gisbergen made enough of a gap to the rest of the field to finish the first stage in eighth, scoring three stage points at the end of the first stage. In the second stage, Van Gisbergen regained the lead and dominated the stage until pitting for a second time during the lap 40 caution. He then spent the rest of the stage regaining the lead from Michael McDowell, which he successfully did on lap 47. Van Gisbergen went on to win the second stage and earn 10 more stage points. In the final stage, Van Gisbergen left the field behind and led every lap until his final pit stop on lap 76. This left him in 22nd as others pitted before him, and then Van Gisbergen had to make up a 28-second gap behind the lead. Van Gisbergen spent the rest of the race making up the gap and passing others on the way until he caught up with the leader, Ty Gibbs, on lap 93 and never looked back, as he went on to earn his first win of the 2026 season and his second at Watkins Glen. With his Watkins Glen victory, SVG now moves to 16th in the regular season standings after 12 races this year.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Michael McDowell Finishes Second for Best Run of the Year At Watkins Glen
Michael McDowell was one of the top contenders for the win at the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. McDowell started the race from second and ran there during the whole first stage until his first pit stop on lap 17. Due to how far away from the pack McDowell was at the time of pitting, he did not fall too far behind and was able to finish the first stage in 10th and gain one stage point. In the second stage, McDowell ran in the top three behind Shane Van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch through most of the stage, but took a different pit strategy on lap 40 during a caution. Unlike Van Gisbergen and Zilisch, McDowell stayed off of pit road and inherited the lead when the race went back to green. Due to being on older tires, McDowell steadily lost positions at the end of the stage and fell back to 12th, losing out on further stage points. McDowell pitted between stages and then used the tire advantage he gained in the third stage to make it up to second behind Van Gisbergen until his final pit stop on lap 75. From there, McDowell charged through the field to make it back to second, where he finished the race. This would be McDowell's second top-5 finish of the season, as well as his first at Watkins Glen. After 12 races this season, McDowell is now 21st in the regular-season standings and 58 points behind the cutoff position for the final spot in this year's Chase.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Ty Gibbs Scores New Career-Best Finish of Third at Watkins Glen
Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing placed third in the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. Starting from the 10th position, Ty Gibbs was one of the more consistent drivers to run towards the front of the pack. The No. 54 Toyota driver ran inside the top 10 through most of the first stage until heading to pit road before the end of the stage on lap 17. As a result, he fell back to 17th, his eventual finishing position for the first stage, which gave him no stage points. In the second stage, Gibbs cycled back to the front of the pack thanks to moves on the track and great pit stops. This allowed Gibbs to make it up to third by the end of the second stage and score eight stage points. In the final stage, Gibbs made a pit stop strategy by pitting early on lap 61 and then tried to make it through the rest of the race by saving fuel. This strategy gave Gibbs the lead once Shane Van Gisbergen went to pit road on lap 76. While Gibbs held on to the lead and was holding off Connor Zilisch and A.J. Allmendinger, Gibbs soon had to deal with Van Gisbergen as he rallied from 22nd to the front. Gibbs lost the lead to SVG with seven laps to go, and then he also lost second place to Michael McDowell, leaving Gibbs to finish the race in third. This was a new career-best finish for Gibbs at Watkins Glen in the Cup Series, and he now moves to sixth in the regular-season standings after 12 races this year.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Tyler Reddick Continues His Strong Season With Fifth-Place Run at Watkins Glen
Tyler Reddick continued his strong season with a fifth-place finish at the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. Reddick started the race from 15th and, despite gaining a couple of positions, went to pit road early in the first stage for tires and fuel. As a result, Reddick ended the first stage in 19th place and did not score any stage points. Reddick used this to his advantage, moving towards the front as other drivers pitted between stages. In the second stage, Reddick ran inside the top 10 through most of the stage, but progressively gained positions until he made it up to second by the end of the stage. Reddick was unable to get past Shane Van Gisbergen, but he still left the second stage with nine stage points. In the final stage, Reddick ran in second and was chasing Van Gisbergen through most of the stage until pitting on lap 71. From there, Reddick would run without issue until the end of the race, where he finished in fifth. This would be Reddick's first top-5 finish of his Cup career at Watkins Glen and eighth overall of the 2026 season. With 12 races now completed, Reddick remains the Cup Series regular-season standings points leader by 129 points over Denny Hamlin.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Austin Dillon Earns his First Top-10 Finish of 2026 at Watkins Glen
Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing finished in sixth position for the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. Dillon began the race from the 25th position, and in the first stage, he did not make much movement through the field. He did make one pit stop on lap 15 and then moved up to 22nd by the end of the first stage. Dillon failed to score stage points, but as others went to pit road between stages, he was able to start the second stage ahead of them. This strategy proved to pay off as he maintained track position towards the front through most of the second stage. The No. 3 Chevrolet driver went on to finish the second stage in fourth and gained seven stage points. In the final stage, Dillon ran as high as third, but did not have a fast enough car to run alongside the leaders at the front. Instead, he fought for a top-5 position through the rest of the stage, but fell short of finishing there. Still, Dillon scored his first top-10 finish of the 2026 season in sixth, which was also his first career top-10 finish at Watkins Glen. After 12 races this season, Dillon now moves to 22nd in the regular-season standings and is 63 points behind 16th position, the cutoff position to make The Chase.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Connor Zilisch Will Start Fifth in his First Watkins Glen Cup Series Race
Connor Zilisch will start in fifth place for this week's Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. This will be Zilisch's first Cup Series start at the site after he previously was unable to race in last year's event due to injury. In three O'Reilly Series starts at Watkins Glen, Zilisch has three wins, including one from earlier this weekend. Through 11 Cup Series races in his rookie season, Zilisch has a best finish of 14th, which he obtained at COTA, the only other road course event completed this season. In practice for this week's race, Zilisch ranked eighth in both five and 10 consecutive lap averages. Although he does not have much upside due to his starting position, Zilisch is a driver who should not be overlooked due to his success at this track in the lower series and extensive road racing background.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Tyler Reddick Is A Top DFS Option for Watkins Glen Lineups
23XI Racing's Tyler Reddick is starting 15th in the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. This is the fourth time in Reddick's Cup career that he will start a race at the site outside of the top 10. In five previous races at Watkins Glen, Reddick has four top-10 finishes with an average finish of 12.2. In 11 races so far this season, the No. 45 Toyota driver has five wins, eight top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 5.7, all of which are best of all drivers. In practice for this week's race, Reddick ranked sixth in five consecutive lap averages and second in 10 consecutive lap averages. Considering his starting position, equipment, and overall track history, Reddick is a great DFS option with solid upside for Watkins Glen lineups.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Christopher Bell Is Likely to Bounce Back This Week at Watkins Glen
Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing will start eighth for this week's Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. This will be the fourth time that Bell will start inside the top 10 at a Watkins Glen Cup race. In five previous races at the site, Bell has four top-10 finishes, and he never placed lower than 14th in a single Cup race there. Through 11 races so far this season, Bell has four top-10 finishes and an average finish of 17.5. In practice for this week's race, Bell ranked third in five consecutive lap averages. Even if his results have been mixed this season, Bell is one of the top drivers in the field at Watkins Glen with a faster car than most displayed through pre-race events. Expect the No. 20 Toyota driver to bounce back with a top-5 result this week.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Is William Byron Playable in DFS Lineups at Watkins Glen?
Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron will start in the 13th position after qualifying for this week's race at Watkins Glen International, the Go Bowling at the Glen. Notably, Byron is the only driver from Hendrick to qualify inside the top 20 in this week's race. In seven Cup races at Watkins Glen, Byron has one win, four top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 13.7. With 11 races completed this year, Byron has six top-10 finishes with an average finish of 14.2. In practice, Byron ranked 29th in five consecutive lap averages and third in overall lap averages. Byron's overall track history and top-notch equipment from Hendrick Motorsports make him a top-10 contender, making him a playable option in all DFS formats this week.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Kyle Larson May have A Positive Day at Watkins Glen
Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports will start 23rd after qualifying for the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. The last time that Larson qualified inside the top 20 for a Cup race at the Glen was in 2023. In 11 starts at Watkins Glen in his career, Larson has two wins and five top-10 finishes. The No. 5 Chevrolet driver has yet to score a top-10 at the site since his last win in 2022. Through 11 Cup races this year, Larson ranks eighth in the regular-season standings with six top-10 finishes, including COTA, where he placed sixth. In practice for this week's Cup race, Larson was 21st in five consecutive lap averages and 12th in 10 consecutive lap averages. Although Larson has not scored a top-10 since 2022 at Watkins Glen, he does start back far enough to be rosterable in all DFS formats with equipment that should gain a couple of positions and compete for a top-15 finish.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Chase Briscoe May Compete for A Top-10 Finish at Watkins Glen
Joe Gibbs Racing's Chase Briscoe will start ninth for the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International after qualifying. It will be the second time in his Cup career that Briscoe will start in the top 10 in a Watkins Glen Cup race after last year's race at the site. In five prior Cup starts at Watkins Glen, Briscoe has three top-10 finishes with an average finish of 16.0. In 11 Cup races so far this season, Briscoe has four top-10 finishes and an average finish of 18.7. In practice for this week's race, Briscoe ranked 11th in five consecutive lap averages and sixth in 10 consecutive lap averages. Despite having little upside from his starting position towards the top half of the pack, Briscoe is still worth consideration for DFS this week. The track history and practice speeds for Briscoe point to a top-10 finish on Sunday.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
A.J. Allmendinger May have Another Solid Outing at Watkins Glen
A.J. Allmendinger is starting in the 12th position for the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. This will be the second consecutive race for Allmendinger to start outside of the top 10 at the Glen, marking the first instance of back-to-back starts outside of the top 10 since his first two in 2008 and 2009. In 14 Cup races at Watkins Glen, Allmendinger has one win, eight top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 10.9, which ranks fourth-best of active drivers. With 11 races completed this season, Allmendinger has an average finish of 20.6, with only one top-10 finish being at COTA, the only other road course track this season. In practice, Allmendinger ranked sixth in overall lap averages, but did not run five consecutive laps. Watkins Glen is one of Allmendinger's best tracks statistically, and he specializes in road course racing. Fantasy players should consider Allmendinger for all DFS formats as a driver capable of placing in the top 10.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Should Fantasy Managers Roster Ty Gibbs at Watkins Glen?
Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing will start in the 10th position for this week's race at Watkins Glen International, the Go Bowling at the Glen. It will be the first time since 2023 that Gibbs will have a top-10 starting position at the Glen in the Cup Series. In four prior races at Watkins Glen in the Cup Series, Gibbs has one top-5 finish and an average finish of 21.5. Through 11 Cup races this season, Gibbs is enjoying the best start to his career with one win, seven top-10 finishes, an average finish of 14.8, and he is currently seventh in the regular-season standings. In practice for this week's race, Gibbs ranked 25th in five consecutive lap averages. The No. 54 Toyota driver has a mixed history of finishes at Watkins Glen, and despite his proficiency at road courses and his overall performance this year, he cannot be recommended as nothing more than a tournament option due to his lower-end upside from his starting position.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Is Ross Chastain Worth Rostering for Watkins Glen Lineups?
Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing scored a starting position of fourth in qualifying for the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. It will be the third consecutive race at Watkins Glen for Chastain to have a top-5 starting position in his Cup career. In seven previous races at the New York road course, Chastain has two top-10 finishes, which he obtained in his last two starts at the site. With 11 races finished this year, Chastain has two top-10 finishes with an average finish of 19.5. In practice for this week's race, Chastain ranked 23rd in five consecutive lap averages. Despite having some solid recent results at the Glen in the past, Chastain is a driver whose performance has been off this year on most tracks. While his low upside from his high starting position may relegate him to just being playable in tournaments, there are more favorable DFS options with more upside and better track history than Chastain this week.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Could Austin Cindric be A Sneaky Tournament Play for Watkins Glen?
Team Penske's Austin Cindric will start the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International from the third position after qualifying. This marks a new career-best starting position for the No. 2 Ford driver in the Cup Series at Watkins Glen. In four prior Cup starts at the Glen, Cindric has one top-10 finish with an average finish of 13.8, but has never finished worse than 16th. After 11 Cup races so far this season, Cindric has three top-10 finishes with an average finish of 19.0. In practice for this week's race, Cindric ranked fourth in five consecutive lap averages and fifth in 10 consecutive lap averages. Although he does not carry much upside since he starts close to the front, Cindric is a decent option for tournament games this week. Cindric's practice speeds do indicate that he will compete for a top-5 finish in this week's race.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
