Bubble Watch: Watkins Glen marks next-to-last race to decide playoff picture

Only two races remain in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series regular season. This Sunday, three playoff spots are still up for grabs when the green flag drops for the Go Bowling at The Glen (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). With the wild card of Daytona looming next weekend, Watkins Glen serves as the next-to-last opportunity for drivers on the bubble to control their destiny. Take a look at drivers just above and below the postseason elimination line before the action kicks off in upstate New York. RELATED: Cup standings | Clinching scenarios at Watkins Glen ✅ DRIVERS ABOVE ELIMINATION LINE KEVIN HARVICK Points above: 145 Trending: Indianapolis Road Course Snapped Hot Streak Watkins Glen outlook -- Mostly Warm: Watkins Glen is arguably Harvick's best road course. Barring a new winner on Sunday, he will make the playoffs on points but what gets real dicey for the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing team is that only two points separate Harvick and Brad Keselowski. If two new winners emerge at Watkins Glen and Daytona, then the 16th and final playoff spot will come to down to a points duel on the superspeedway.  BRAD KESELOWSKI Points above: 143 Trending: Hit or Miss Watkins Glen outlook -- Mostly Cold: Despite being well over 100 points above the elimination line, Keselowski still has work to do to lock himself into the postseason. If he doesn't win on Sunday and a first-time 2023 winners emerge in the last two races, Keselowski will need to jump Harvick in points to clinch a spot. Recently, the RFK Racing co-owner hasn't been great on the New York road course with four finishes of 15th or worse in the last five races.  BUBBA WALLACE Points above: 28 Trending: Cold Watkins Glen outlook -- Cold: McDowell's win last weekend put Wallace in a bind, and he'll likely need his best performance at a road course in his career on Sunday to keep a healthy margin above the elimination line. Unfortunately for Wallace, he's never finished better than 23rd in four career starts at The Glen. ☣️ ON THE BUBBLE  DANIEL SUÁREZ Points below: 28 Trending: Warming Up Watkins Glen outlook -- Hit or Miss: A pit-road blunder last Sunday cost the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing team a better chance at the win at Indy, but Suárez will be among the favorites as well at Watkins Glen. He finished fifth in last year's race.  TY GIBBS Points below: 49 Trending: OK Watkins Glen outlook -- Cold Start: Gibbs recovered to log a 12th-place finish at Indy after being spun by Shane van Gisbergen early in the race. However, that incident cost him valuable stage points, and the rookie likely needs a win to clinch a playoff spot. He only has one Cup start at Watkins Glen where he finished 26th (2022).  🚩 MUST-WIN SITUATION CHASE ELLIOTT Points below: 80 Trending: Hit or Miss Watkins Glen outlook -- Red Hot: Elliott had his best run of 2023 last weekend at Indy but it wasn't enough for a win. Now, only a victory will get him into the playoffs and Watkins Glen could be his golden ticket. He owns two career wins at the road course, including his first career Cup Series win in 2018. He's also on a four consecutive race streak of top-four finishes.  MORE: NASCAR's all-time winners on road courses ALEX BOWMAN Points below: 80 Trending: Indianapolis Road Course Snapped Cold Streak Watkins Glen outlook -- Cold: Bowman scored his first top-10 finish at Indy since returning from injury. But a win is the only way the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team makes the postseason, and Bowman has yet to score a top-10 finish or lead a lap at Watkins Glen in six starts.  AJ ALLMENDINGER Points below: 87 Trending: Cold Watkins Glen outlook -- Mostly Warm: If anyone can flip the playoff picture on Sunday, it's Allmendinger. His first career Cup win came at Watkins Glen in 2014 and he's scored seven top 10s in the last nine starts at the track, including a runner-up result last year.  AUSTIN CINDRIC Points below: 105 Trending: Cold Watkins Glen outlook -- OK Start: While Cindric has a decorated background in road-course racing, it has yet to develop in the Cup Series. He finished 13th at Watkins Glen in his rookie season last year.