BACK TO GALLERIES
Sizing up playoff outsiders at Watkins Glen
By Zack Albert, NASCAR.com | Published: July 31, 2018 8
Chris Trotman | Getty Images
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Chris Trotman | Getty Images
Watkins Glen International, the last road course of the regular season for the Monster Energy Series, presents a unique challenge for drivers on either side of the playoff bubble. For those outside the provisional postseason grid, strategy, road-race skill and perhaps a bit of fortunate timing could all factor in for the Go Bowling at The Glen (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM). With five races left to settle the playoff field, here are seven postseason outsiders and underdogs with dreams of road-course glory.
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PAUL MENARD
Team: Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 Ford
Points position: 17th
The case for: Menard has some road-racing chops, having visited Victory Lane in the Xfinity Series at Road America in 2015.
The case against: Menard has experience, but has yet to crack the top 10 in 14 career premier-series starts at The Glen.
Team: Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 Ford
Points position: 17th
The case for: Menard has some road-racing chops, having visited Victory Lane in the Xfinity Series at Road America in 2015.
The case against: Menard has experience, but has yet to crack the top 10 in 14 career premier-series starts at The Glen.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
DANIEL SUAREZ
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota
Points position: 20th
The case for: A career-best second-place finish last weekend at Pocono gives Suarez some swagger. His previous career best? A convincing third place at Watkins Glen last year.
The case against: The confidence gain from a one-race bounty may not constitute a trend. Suarez had gone nine races without a top 10 before his Pocono pounce.
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota
Points position: 20th
The case for: A career-best second-place finish last weekend at Pocono gives Suarez some swagger. His previous career best? A convincing third place at Watkins Glen last year.
The case against: The confidence gain from a one-race bounty may not constitute a trend. Suarez had gone nine races without a top 10 before his Pocono pounce.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
WILLIAM BYRON
Team: Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet
Points position: 21st
The case for: Same as Suarez, there may be momentum in Byron's corner from Pocono, where he placed a career-best sixth.
The case against: Byron is short on road course experience; Sunday's race will mark his first premier-series start at Watkins Glen, where he was 10th in Xfinity Series competition last season.
Team: Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet
Points position: 21st
The case for: Same as Suarez, there may be momentum in Byron's corner from Pocono, where he placed a career-best sixth.
The case against: Byron is short on road course experience; Sunday's race will mark his first premier-series start at Watkins Glen, where he was 10th in Xfinity Series competition last season.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
AJ ALLMENDINGER
Team: JTG Daugherty Racing No. 47 Chevrolet
Points position: 23rd
The case for: Allmendinger's rich road-racing pedigree put his name atop the short list of potential surprise winners. His only premier-series victory came at The Glen in 2014.
The case against: Reliability issues have ruined many a promising run for Allmendinger through the years at Sonoma, the series' other regular-season road course. If they follow him to Watkins Glen, it's curtains for AJ.
Team: JTG Daugherty Racing No. 47 Chevrolet
Points position: 23rd
The case for: Allmendinger's rich road-racing pedigree put his name atop the short list of potential surprise winners. His only premier-series victory came at The Glen in 2014.
The case against: Reliability issues have ruined many a promising run for Allmendinger through the years at Sonoma, the series' other regular-season road course. If they follow him to Watkins Glen, it's curtains for AJ.
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CHRIS BUESCHER
Team: JTG Daugherty Racing No. 37 Chevrolet
Points position: 24th
The case for: As with Menard, Buescher has some road racing success on his career resume. His first Xfinity Series win came in 2014 on Mid-Ohio's twisty, technical layout.
The case against: Performance has been tough to wrangle this year for the No. 37 bunch. Outside of a pair of fifth-place finishes this year at Daytona, Buescher's best effort has been 11th at Talladega. However, he did notch a 12th-place finish at Sonoma.
Team: JTG Daugherty Racing No. 37 Chevrolet
Points position: 24th
The case for: As with Menard, Buescher has some road racing success on his career resume. His first Xfinity Series win came in 2014 on Mid-Ohio's twisty, technical layout.
The case against: Performance has been tough to wrangle this year for the No. 37 bunch. Outside of a pair of fifth-place finishes this year at Daytona, Buescher's best effort has been 11th at Talladega. However, he did notch a 12th-place finish at Sonoma.
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KASEY KAHNE
Team: Leavine Family Racing No. 95 Chevrolet
Points position: 27th
The case for: Another former road-course winner in the field, Kahne prevailed in 2009 at Sonoma, where he has two career poles.
The case against: Any road-racing acuity from Sonoma has not translated to Watkins Glen, where Kahne is 0-for-14 with an average finish of 20.7 and no top 10s.
Team: Leavine Family Racing No. 95 Chevrolet
Points position: 27th
The case for: Another former road-course winner in the field, Kahne prevailed in 2009 at Sonoma, where he has two career poles.
The case against: Any road-racing acuity from Sonoma has not translated to Watkins Glen, where Kahne is 0-for-14 with an average finish of 20.7 and no top 10s.
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MICHAEL McDOWELL
Team: Front Row Motorsports No. 34 Ford
Points position: 28th
The case for: Go back into McDowell's racing background and there's plenty of open-wheel and sports-car experience on road courses, skill that fed his drive to a feel-good Xfinity victory at Road America two years ago.
The case against: Contending Sunday will require a sizable competitive leap up the speed chart. McDowell is still looking for his first top-10 finish in the Monster Energy Series at Watkins Glen; he came closest last year in 12th.
Team: Front Row Motorsports No. 34 Ford
Points position: 28th
The case for: Go back into McDowell's racing background and there's plenty of open-wheel and sports-car experience on road courses, skill that fed his drive to a feel-good Xfinity victory at Road America two years ago.
The case against: Contending Sunday will require a sizable competitive leap up the speed chart. McDowell is still looking for his first top-10 finish in the Monster Energy Series at Watkins Glen; he came closest last year in 12th.