Posted on by Staff Report

Connor Zilisch was taken to a local hospital for treatment of a broken collarbone after falling from his car in Victory Lane, just after his win in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International.

Zilisch’s injuries forced him to miss Sunday’s Cup Series race, the Go Bowling at The Glen. Trackhouse Racing announced Saturday night that it would withdraw Zilisch’s No. 87 Chevrolet entry, wishing their driver a speedy recovery.

Zilisch was at Watkins Glen on Sunday, shown with his arm in a sling during an interview with USA Network’s crew during Stage 1. He again thanked the emergency responders, recounting his view of the incident.

“I was climbing out of the car, and obviously the window net was on the door and as soon as they started spraying water, my foot slipped and the last thing I remember was being halfway down and falling,” Zilisch said, “so glad it wasn’t any worse and that the collarbone the extent of the injuries, but I hate I couldn’t make it to the race today and give myself a shot to get a good result for Trackhouse and Red Bull.”

On Saturday, Zilisch led 60 of the 82 laps in the Mission 200, registering his sixth win of the Xfinity Series season. His celebration was abbreviated as he emerged from his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet when he suddenly fell to the ground below, losing his footing as he made a triumphant pose on the door and roof of the car.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Watkins Glen

Medical personnel at the track placed the 19-year-old driver on a backboard, and he was loaded into an ambulance for transport to the care center at the track. The CW broadcast reported that Zilisch was alert and speaking with the safety crew.

NASCAR Communications officials later announced that Zilisch was awake and alert, but that he would be transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. JR Motorsports posted later Saturday evening that Zilisch had been released.

Zilisch posted to social media Saturday night about the nature of his injuries, indicating that his collarbone was broken and sharing his appreciation for the rapid response of safety personnel.

Zilisch was slated to make his fourth career Cup Series start in Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen, the site of his first Xfinity Series victory last September.

Zilisch leads the Xfinity Series in both wins and points in his rookie year. His victory at The Glen broke a tie atop the standings with JRM teammate Justin Allgaier, the defending series champion.

RELATED: Xfinity Series standings | Xfinity Series schedule

The Xfinity Series resumes Aug. 22 at Daytona International Speedway, giving Zilisch an extra week to recover before the circuit’s next race. In terms of his readiness to return, Zilisch hedged when asked by USA Sports about his timetable. He did, however, mention a related story from teammate Shane van Gisbergen, who had a plate and screws inserted to remedy a broken collarbone after a mountain biking incident in March 2021.

“We’re still working with all the doctors to figure out what’s going to be the next steps, but I’ve got a little motivation from Shane, my teammate,” Zilisch said. “He had a plate put in and raced the weekend after, so I don’t know if I’ll be that quick but hopefully my young bones will heal fast and I’ll be able to get back in it as soon as possible.”

Zilisch missed a race earlier this year after suffering a lower back injury in a final-lap crash at Talladega Superspeedway in April. The injury forced him out of the Xfinity Series’ event at Texas Motor Speedway, where Cup Series regular Kyle Larson subbed in and drove his No. 88 Chevrolet to victory.

Posted on by Holly Cain

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — It was as hard-earned a victory as the 19-year-old Connor Zilisch has claimed in his brief NASCAR career — answering his win from pole position a year ago in his Xfinity Series debut at the historic Watkins Glen International road course with a second consecutive victory Saturday afternoon in a crash-heavy Mission 200 at The Glen.

As Zilisch climbed out of the cockpit and onto the door ledge of his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to celebrate his series-best sixth trophy of the season, he slipped and fell to the ground. Medical teams arrived immediately to tend to him and transported him on a backboard to the trackside medical center.

NASCAR confirmed Zilisch was “awake and alert” and that he was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. Later, Trackhouse Racing announced Zilisch would miss Sunday’s Cup race because of a broken collarbone.

The incident followed an action-packed day of competition on the famed 2.45-mile road course that included fierce racing at the front of the field and a 45-minute red flag for a series’ track record 16-car accident with eight laps remaining.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Watkins Glen

Ultimately, Zilisch — who led 60 of the race’s 82 laps — motored off to a 2.326-second win over Haas Factory Team’s Sam Mayer — that sixth win one shy of Christopher Bell’s rookie record set in 2018.

It was an afternoon of high drama throughout the field.

The highly anticipated competitive duel between the JRM teammates Zilisch and road-course ace Shane van Gisbergen at the front of the field was evident from the weekend’s practice and qualifying — and ultimately the race. Zilisch claimed the pole position and started alongside the 36-year-old former Australian Supercars champion on the front row; something that has become a familiar look for the road racing aces.

For much of the day, it looked like the final outcome would indeed come down to Zilisch and van Gisbergen. They raced out front for the majority of the day before making contact with 18 laps remaining.

Zilisch inherited the lead and immediately relayed to his crew, “he [van Gisbergen] spun off my nose” and told his crew again, “if I wrecked him, tell me.” He was told to “shake it off” and go racing.

Van Gisbergen, who will start from outside the front row again in Sunday’s Cup Series race at the track, did not put any blame on Zilisch and said he needed to look at a replay.

“Pretty gutted really, gutted for the JR Motorsports guys,’’ van Gisbergen said. “The car wasn’t great but we still managed to get ourselves in good position.

“I haven’t seen it yet,’’ he said when pressed on what happened. “Will watch it later and work it out.’’

WATCH: SVG wrecks hard after contact with Zilisch for the lead

On the ensuing green flag from the incident, Austin Hill’s No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevy tagged the right rear of Zilisch’s car going into the first turn, giving the veteran Hill the lead as Zilisch gathered his car wide of the racing line. A caution came out immediately for debris elsewhere on track, putting Hill and Cup Series road racing ace Michael McDowell out front for a restart.

Only eight laps after that, Zilisch raced forward from fifth place and navigated around Hill. Moments later, Hill’s car had big contact with McDowell’s, triggering the massive 16-car pileup.

McDowell, the 2021 Daytona 500 winner, took the most dramatic hit in the big accident, sliding hard into the walls on both sides of the Turns 5 and 6 section of the course. Despite the stirring incident in his first Xfinity Series start in nine years, McDowell was not injured, however, and gave a complete review of the incident, even offering a smile.

“That was unfortunate and I just hate it for everybody at Kaulig Racing,’’ McDowell said of the crash. “We had a couple shots at it and was hoping to get to Victory Lane but that was unfortunate. … But that’s racing and thankful to everybody at Kaulig. Was trying to do a good job for them there.”

Hill, who ultimately finished fourth, spoke with The CW television live broadcast during the red flag.

“The 11 [McDowell] had been struggling a little bit in front of me for a few laps,’’ Hill said of the incident. “I thought if I got a big enough run I might could get to his left side and get that position.

“I hate it for everyone involved, that was definitely not what I wanted to happen coming back from what we had going on,’’ continued Hill. “All we can do is get it behind us, put our head down and we’ve still got a shot to win this thing. Got to get my mind right for this re-start.’’

MORE: Hill, McDowell tangle, sparking massive pileup at Watkins Glen

Zilisch’s JRM teammate Sammy Smith finished third, followed by Hill and JRM’s Carson Kvapil and Justin Allgaier.

Jordan Anderson Racing’s Austin Green, Kaulig Racing’s Christian Eckes, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brandon Jones and AM Racing’s Harrison Burton rounded out the top 10.

Three races remain now before the playoffs. Zilisch and his teammate Allgaier — who each won a race stage on Saturday and remain atop the championship standings. Zilisch leads Allgaier by seven points.

With his 10th-place showing, Burton is holding on to the important 12th-place playoff transfer position. He is 30 points ahead of his cousin Jeb Burton and 38 points up on Ryan Sieg.

The Xfinity Series will take a one-week break next weekend before returning to competition in the Friday night Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 22 (7:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Ryan Truex is the defending race winner.

NOTE: Post-race inspection in the Xfinity Series garage concluded without issue, confirming Zilisch as the race winner.

Posted on by Nathan Solomon

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – A week removed from a one-race suspension that kept him sidelined at Iowa, Austin Hill found himself involved in another controversial crash in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International.

Battling for second at Lap 74, Hill ran wide through the exit of Turn 5 and contacted Michael McDowell, driving for Kaulig Racing in a one-off, into the left-side Armco barrier. He cut across the track and into the other Armco barrier with his No. 11 Chevrolet briefly getting airborne before sliding back into traffic and collecting nine additional cars, including playoff contenders Ryan Sieg, Taylor Gray, Jesse Love and Jeb Burton, and necessitating a red flag for wall repairs.

Hill’s crash two weeks ago came in the waning moments at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, when contact from Hill turned Aric Almirola entering Turn 4 after Almirola moved Hill in the previous corner. NASCAR officials penalized him by holding him on pit road for five laps for reckless driving and later suspended him a race for what they deemed an intentional crash, nullifying his 21 playoff points.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Watkins Glen

As he did after Indy, and echoed in a NASCAR.com exclusive Friday at Watkins Glen, Hill denied intentionally crashing Almirola. He held a similar tone standing on pit road following Saturday’s race in the Finger Lakes, taking blame for the Watkins Glen crash but explaining that he didn’t mean to turn McDowell.

“Just two guys going for it. Nothing malicious, as much as everybody wants to sit there and try to make it more than it is. It was just two guys racing it out,” Hill said post-race. “I was trying to get by the 88 [Connor Zilisch] as quick as I could because the 88 was driving away from us and thought that we could maybe have a shot at racing with him and racing for the win there. I had a massive run off the Carousel. I kind of thought I was trying to catch [McDowell] off guard and get to his left side.

“The grass was coming up in front of us. I had to get to the right. I was kind of hoping he was going to move to the right and kind of give me some room, and it just didn’t happen.

“But if everyone wants to blame me for it, I’ll take the blame for it. I mean, I could have lifted and lived to fight another corner, and unfortunately, that’s not what happened and it wrecked a lot of race cars. So didn’t want to come back from what we had going on the last two weeks and have this happen, but heck, it’s racing. I mean, things like this are going to happen.”

McDowell explained that Hill ran into his No. 11 the previous two laps through the Carousel and didn’t understand why the Richard Childress Racing driver was frustrated with him. He placed the blame for the pileup on Hill but was reluctant to jump to any conclusions about the intent of the incident.

“He turned me for sure. I mean, there is no way he was gonna get alongside me,” McDowell explained after being evaluated and released from the infield care center. “I got around him cleanly on those restarts, and there at the end, like I said, I’ll have to get a better view of it. But to me, he wasn’t alongside me. Just got to my rear bumper, turned me sideways.

“I’m not talking like he intentionally hooked me. He doesn’t need a penalty for that. Just, there was no way he was gonna finish the pass there, and he just made a decision not to lift and to turn me — but that’s not the same as a right-rear hook at an oval. That’s not what I’m saying, so I don’t want that to be communicated. I don’t want that to be the headline.”

Michael McDowell and Austin Hill before Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images

Richard Childress Racing and Kaulig Racing both operate out of the same campus in Welcome, North Carolina, and share a strategic alliance between the companies. Kaulig president Chris Rice didn’t jump to any conclusions on the wreck specifically in a post-race interview with NASCAR.com but explained that similar incidents need to get cleaned up moving forward.

“They’re uncalled for wrecks and it’s things that is nobody’s fault,” Rice told NASCAR.com. “I don’t know. I wasn’t driving. I wasn’t in it. Sad because we come from the same campus, and you know, it’s probably a $200,000 wreck.

“When you look at it from an owner’s side, it’s a lot of money. You gotta make decisions, and sometimes, decisions are wrong. And I can go back and watch it 50 different times and I’m gonna be on our side, right?”

Moving forward, Hill said he believed there isn’t any bad blood between him and McDowell, but both parties said they would like to talk with each other to put the incident to rest. McDowell said he isn’t one to judge mistakes from a driver and wants to have the conversation to understand Hill’s perspective of a crash that reminded him of 2014 — a wreck McDowell had in the exact same spot driving the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing entry 11 years ago.

But with three races remaining in the regular season and Daytona International Speedway up next (Aug. 22, 7:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), he’s ready to begin focusing on the impending playoffs at a track where Hill has won three times in eight starts, with the playoffs set to begin Sept. 12 at Bristol.

“We kind of showed that this 21 group — no matter all the outside noise, people talking in the garage, what have you — all that is chatter,” Hill said. “It doesn’t bring us down any at all. So we’re going to keep digging deep for these next few races, get ready for the playoffs and try to put it on them.”

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Zane Smith is angry at how the last month has gone for his No. 38 Front Row Motorsports team.

In each of the last four weeks, Smith has been collected in crashes not of his own doing. His tipping point came last week at Iowa Speedway, when Carson Hocevar lost control of his car to Smith’s left as they entered Turn 1, washing up the banking and directly into Smith’s left rear. Smith spun and backed hard into the SAFER barrier, later seemingly expressing his frustration by taking an apparent swipe of his own at Hocevar’s car.

After the Iowa race, Smith’s crew chief, Ryan Bergenty, confronted Hocevar to express his displeasure after the contact. One week later, in the Watkins Glen International garage Saturday morning, Smith left no room for error: He is not a Carson Hocevar fan.

“I personally can’t go have a conversation with him without getting a $75,000 fine,” Smith told NASCAR.com. “Yeah, he’s just a dumb [expletive]. That’s just how it is.”

MORE: Watkins Glen schedule | Cup standings

For reference, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fined $75,000 after throwing a punch at Kyle Busch following the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race. Hocevar confirmed Saturday he did not attempt to reach out to Smith, who was his teammate at Spire Motorsports in 2024.

“Why would I give a you-know-what to reach out?” Hocevar said. “He took a swing, and if he wrecks me, then that’s cool, but I don’t know. He already took a swing. And, I mean, what’s the point? His tire guy or whoever wanted to get all in our face, which I thought was hilarious. So yeah, I mean, I wrecked him, which is cool — or which is what it is, right? He had the opportunity to take it back in his own hands, and he missed.”

Hocevar’s reputation precedes him. From Smith to Stenhouse Jr. to Ryan Preece and others, Hocevar has made numerous enemies throughout the NASCAR Cup Series this season alone. The 22-year-old sophomore driver of the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet has shown no signs of changing, leaning into his personality. His personal vehicle is a Dale Earnhardt-inspired Chevrolet pickup truck. His social media posts poke fun at adversity thrown his way, most recently during a rash of cautions late in Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race when he posted on X.


Smith has run out of patience for Hocevar’s antics, if he had any to begin with.

“I think that the media feeds into him trying to play this like, ‘Intimidator’ role, but then he’ll act like he’s your buddy, and then just be an idiot on social media,” Smith said. “I was teammates with him, and everyone at that race shop, everyone in this garage, realizes he’s an idiot.”

Through the anger, Smith and his crew are trying to find positives. Spins triggered late at Sonoma, Dover and Indianapolis in the three weeks before Iowa cost the team an estimated 51 points, Bergenty said.

RELATED: Bell details apology to No. 38 team after Indy

Those incidents have been so costly because the No. 38 Ford has been running toward or inside the top 10 at the time of the crashes.

“We’re coming off a month of not good finishes at the disposal of other things,” Bergenty told NASCAR.com. “But I can argue that I felt we should have been running top 12 in the last 20% of all those races. So it’s been a really hard month emotionally, but he’s kept his head in a good place. …

“This sport will chew you up real quick. I feel like I’ve been through a lot of the chewing-up phases in my career. So I’ve just tried to, this week, spend time with the guys and explain to them how you’ve got to stay true to the process and keep doing what we’re doing because I do feel like if you just get back to the average position and finishes of the last month, we’re 60 to 70 points the other direction. It’s a kit. So the confidence of everybody’s still up, and I feel all right about it too.”

Watkins Glen was the site of a fifth-place finish for Smith last season. He’s hoping to replicate that with a different team in 2025.

“I had a great opportunity to win this race last year, which is awesome,” Smith said. “Finished inside the top five last year here. Probably one of my favorite race tracks, and just how this road course flows, I feel like. So yeah, I feel good about this year, and we’ve gotten our road course (program) dramatically better. Hopefully that applies today.”

Posted on by Nathan Solomon

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson have no hard feelings after multiple run-ins during last week’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway.

The pair of former series champions made contact during a Lap 186 restart in the Iowa Corn 350, with Elliott entering Turn 1 three-wide middle and pushing Larson, the outside car, up the track. They found each other again on a re-fire 23 laps later, before Larson got doored by fellow dirt competitor Christopher Bell exiting Turn 4 at Lap 251.

That contact ultimately set off the building fuse for Larson, who’s generally even-keeled and collected over the radio. But initially, Larson believed he had been wronged.

RELATED: Starting lineup | At-track photos: Watkins Glen

“How much [expletive] room do I have to leave people,” he said over the radio to his team at Iowa. “I’ve been trying to be good — a good teammate, I’m trying to be a good competitor and it hasn’t gotten me anywhere the last hour.”

Larson finished 28th last weekend, a race that marked a fifth finish of 13th or worse over the last eight races, dating back to mid-June in Mexico City. But after digesting each of the incidents, the 33-year-old said Iowa was no harm, no foul.

“Everybody’s making a big deal about Chase. I really wasn’t that mad at Chase, and too, after seeing the replays and stuff, I was less frustrated,” Larson explained Saturday at Watkins Glen International. “I move on from things quickly. I don’t really even think that there was a need for a conversation. I’ve ran into him way more, so no, I’m all good and moved on from it.”

“It wasn’t what I thought it was from the seat. I was less frustrated with him than I was others. It was just everything kind of compiled and I was trying to keep my cool and then I just exploded.”

On the other side of the coin, in typical Elliott fashion, the No. 9 driver wasn’t aware of Larson’s comments during the Iowa race. He admitted, however, that Larson might not have been put in the best spot during the two incidents but didn’t feel that it warranted any further conversation.

Elliott finished 14th at Iowa, keeping his streak alive of 23 consecutive top-20 finishes to open the 2025 season.

“I didn’t know there was any issue, honestly,” Elliott said on Saturday. “I just feel like we were going for the same gap at the same time. I didn’t think any of that was intentional, either way. So yeah, I haven’t felt the need [to talk]. If we need to talk, we will, I’m sure. But we haven’t had any issues.”

Heading into Sunday’s 90-lapper at Watkins Glen International (2 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), Elliott and Larson share common ground along with fellow HMS teammate William Byron. The trio remains in pursuit of the Regular Season Championship, which pays out an additional 15 playoff points to the series leader after Daytona International Speedway in two weeks.

With his Iowa victory, Byron regained the lead by 18 markers over Elliott, with Larson waiting in the wings at just minus-45. The three are also responsible for five of the last six wins at Watkins Glen, dating back to Elliott’s first career win in 2018.

Back in 2022, Elliott and Larson were locked into a fierce battle on a restart with five laps to go. Larson locked his tires entering the 90-degree Turn 1 and ran Elliott wide, forcing him to lift and settle for fourth as the No. 5 team scored its second consecutive WGI victory.

There’s certainly no ill will dating back three years, but with its August date on the Cup Series schedule, the wild card could produce major postseason implications with just three regular-season races remaining. But according to Elliott, it’ll stay business as usual for all three HMS drivers in the mix for the regular season crown.

chase elliott and kyle larson at watkins glen in 2022
Sean Gardner | Getty Images

“Generally speaking, I feel like the communication and things that go on behind closed doors are all very open and honest, and good relationships around the campus,” Elliott said, referring to the next three events. “I don’t think there’s really any need for us to change our procedures or how we go about things throughout the week. We just handle things indoors and internally and feel like that’s the best way to go about it and we’ll keep doing it.”

Elliott’s 170 laps led at Watkins Glen are second only to Kyle Busch (249) among active drivers, but he’s finished 19th or worse in each of the last two Upstate New York races — including a Stage 2 fuel miscalculation in 2023.

For Larson, his six road-course victories are tied for fourth all time, but the left- and right-hand turns haven’t treated him kindly in 2025 with an average finish of 29th — third worst among full-time drivers. He’s going to need a turnaround at The Glen to stay in contention for the Regular Season Championship.

“Some good finishes, good stage points these next few weeks would be really important. We’re definitely not out of it,” said Larson, who will head to Iowa after qualifying to race for his fourth Knoxville Nationals title. “You’ve seen big swings kind of happen in points for Next Gen racing, just how crazy the races get. Watkins Glen has been a track that we were good at the previous two years before last year, Richmond’s kind of a hit-or-miss track for us, and then Daytona, anything can happen.

“We’re definitely not out of it.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Ryan Blaney claimed his second Busch Light Pole Award of the season Saturday afternoon at Watkins Glen International. It’s the 15th of his career and the second ever on a road course.

For the first time in his NASCAR Cup Series career, he’ll lead the field to green in Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen (2 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

It was a dramatic effort for the driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford Mustang, knocking the reigning road course master in Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen from the top spot on the speed chart by a slight .33-seconds, with a lap of 122.568 mph around the historic 2.45-mile road course in scenic Upstate New York.

It was a markedly different day for the 31-year-old North Carolinian Blaney a year ago, suffering a disappointing showing when a poor qualifying effort left him in a vulnerable position and ultimately being eliminated from the race on the opening lap.

RELATED: Starting lineup | At-track photos: Watkins Glen

He acknowledged that beating the road racing ace van Gisbergen on Sunday will be another story.

“Ninety laps is going to be a little harder to beat him tomorrow, but gotta start somewhere,” the 2023 Cup Series champion said with a smile. “It’s more neat for me because we had an absolutely abysmal weekend here last year. …

“We’ve worked really hard on where we need to get better here, where I need to do a better job, how can we improve our race cars. So it was like a big dual effort. Just proud of their dedication to get better at this place and improving the car from last year, and I tried to work on a lot of things. I consider myself a pretty average road-course racer and I’ve worked really hard on trying to get better, where can I improve my driving skills and styles and compete a little bit more at these places, and it’s neat when that all comes together.

“I try to take these things one day at a time. Tomorrow is a whole different task, but it’s nice to have done our job really well today and now about focusing on trying to make 90 good laps tomorrow.’’

It is the 150th Cup Series pole for Team Penske, making the storied organization only the fourth team in series history to eclipse that mark.

Blaney and van Gisbergen – who has three road-course wins on the season – will lead the field to the green flag, followed by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chase Briscoe, van Gisbergen’s Trackhouse teammate Ross Chastain and Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch, who for much of the qualifying session looked to have had a front row start.

“That’s not bad,’’ said a smiling Busch, who won from pole position at Watkins Glen in 2008.

MORE: Practice results | Weekend schedule

“Great job by everyone on this Chevrolet,’’ he added. “Feels good to have a good solid effort like that right now.’’

Defending Watkins Glen race winner Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s Chris Buescher will roll off 12th in the No. 17 RFK Ford. He holds the 16th and final points position among the 16 drivers currently aiming for the playoffs with three regular-season races remaining. His teammate Ryan Preece sits just 23 points behind him in the standings and will start 17th.

Their team co-owner, Brad Keselowski, who also needs a victory in one of the remaining three regular-season races, will start 16th. Keselowski has back-up drivers on standby for the next three weeks as his wife Paige is due to give birth to their fourth child. Road-course ace Joey Hand is at Watkins Glen.

Championship points leader William Byron – the 2023 Watkins Glen winner – will roll off 10th. His teammate Chase Elliott, a two-time Watkins Glen winner who is 18 points behind Byron with three regular-season races remaining, will start 20th.

Posted on by Dustin Albino

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – The Coca-Cola 600 seems like an eternity ago.

That long, steamy, spring night stands as the highlight of Ross Chastain’s 2025 season, scoring his first crown jewel victory — and already fading from memory.

In the two-and-a-half months since running 600 miles at Charlotte Motor Speedway, it has been Shane van Gisbergen leading the way for Trackhouse Racing, winning all three road course races that have been completed before Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International (2 p.m. ET, USA Network, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Meanwhile, Chastain dropped six spots in the regular-season championship standings over the last 10 races with a pair of top-10 finishes.

“The high spot of the 600 is an incredible feat of what we were able to do that whole weekend,” Chastain said on Saturday at Watkins Glen. “Be fast on Saturday — I know we crashed, but I will take some speed if it is at some risk, and it just hasn’t been that way. There has been some risk, but we’ve been slow. Not much different than before the 600.”

Over that 10-race stretch, the No. 1 Chevrolet has a best effort of sixth at Michigan International Speedway. His other top 10 was a 10th-place finish at the Chicago Street Course. Half of the 10 races have had results of 24th or worse, all of which have come in the last seven races.

The overarching problem for the No. 1 team in 2025 has been showing competitive pace off the hauler. Through the first 23 races of the season leading into Watkins Glen, Chastain had an average starting position of 22.3, ranking 26th of full-time drivers. He does lead the way for Trackhouse drivers, with Shane van Gisbergen and Daniel Suárez more than a full position behind on average, however, and put the car in the second row on Saturday with a fourth-place qualifying effort.

WATKINS GLEN: Weekend race hub | Full projected results

Through May, Chastain made a living by getting respectable finishes despite woes in qualifying. Seven of his nine top-10 finishes in 2025 came in the opening 13 races of the season.

Trackhouse team owner Justin Marks knows the No. 1 team can flip the switch, however. It’s the same team that made a Championship 4 run during the inaugural season with the Next Gen chassis in 2022, and Chastain has won at least one race all four years he’s been paired with the young race team.

“I mean, the pace in the race, I think, has been pretty good,” Marks stated on Saturday. “I think we’re able to make lemonade out of lemons a lot more often than not. I think that for us, we do have to get better on Saturdays. We absolutely have to get better on Saturdays if the No. 1 team is going to have an opportunity to deep run into the playoffs, because if you qualify 28th, it’s just so hard to pull yourself out of that. So that’s where the focus is.”

Should the No. 1 car unload faster more frequently, Marks believes the No. 1 team can be a dangerous out in the playoffs.

“If we can get those Saturdays to be better, if we can get the No. 1 team off the hauler faster in practice, better qualifying, better pit selections, and better position for strategy, then we’ll see what that group is capable of,” Marks added. “My hope is that we’ll get there. There’s certainly as much fight in that team as there’s ever been.”

The primary focus for Chastain during the race is to take what the No. 1 car will allot him. He pointed out a wreck late at Dover Motor Speedway as an example where he overstepped, trying to score one additional point. The following week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Michael McDowell mistimed the entry of Turn 3 and tagged Chastain. It was the first time he had consecutive DNFs since 2018 while driving for Premium Motorsports.

Chastain is living by the adage of, “to finish first, first you must finish.”

And he’ll look to build upon last year’s stellar fourth-place finish from the pole on Sunday at The Glen.

Posted on by Press Release

THORNBURG, Va. — Tonight, Dominion Raceway’s 4/10-mile oval will come alive for the Little Speedsters Foam Fest, a high-octane NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series event headlined by the Truckin Thunder America Racer Late Models.

With gates opening at 5 p.m. ET and a kids foam party kicking off the festivities, the green flag will drop at 7 p.m. ET, setting the stage for a showdown featuring 17-year-old Chase Johnson, the current NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I national points leader, and Conner Weddell, ranked seventh nationally.

The Truckin Thunder America Racer Late Model division, a cornerstone of Dominion’s racing program, showcases affordable yet fiercely competitive racing with its 405-horsepower crate motor machines. Johnson, a third-generation racer from Mechanicsville, Virginia, has dominated the 2025 season, amassing 13 feature wins in his No. 57 “Digger.” His precision and fearless driving make him a fan favorite and a formidable force.

“It’s all about staying focused and keeping the car consistent,” Johnson said. “The competition here is tough, and every lap will be a fight to stay out front.”

Conner Weddell, a Rookie of the Year contender, is poised to challenge in his No. 8 machine. With three wins and 11 top fives, Weddell’s steady climb in the national standings adds intrigue to the America Racer field.

“Chase is setting the bar high, but we’re learning every race,” Weddell said. “Dominion’s fast pace make every move critical.”

Tonight’s race promises another chapter in their rivalry with both drivers vying for crucial points as the season nears its final stretch.

Joining the Late Models will be the Dominion Stocks and UCARs, two divisions that embody the grassroots spirit of short-track racing. The Dominion Stocks, featuring V-8 powered stock cars, will deliver door-to-door action with veteran drivers like Mike Lowe, Gary Burke & Todd Ruggles alongside newcomers like Stephen Newman or Stuart Walsh looking to take his first trip to Victory Lane piloting a car for fellow Dominion Stock driver Tommy Smith.

The Kelly Heating & Cooling UCARs, designed for affordability and accessibility, will bring out a mix of veterans and newcomers, with drivers like Michael Frayser expected to lead the charge.

“The UCARs are where you learn the ropes,” Frayser said after a recent win. “It’s raw, real racing, and Dominion’s fans love it.”

Both divisions will add to the night’s electric atmosphere, with tight racing and bold passes set to keep the grandstands buzzing. Also this year, for the first time, Dominion sees a female driver in the top three in points for the UCARS. Wendi Kelly has put a consistent season together and is poised for a podium finish.

“Im out here having fun, and I’ve really learned a lot this year,” she said.

The Little Speedsters Foam Fest isn’t just about racing; it’s a family affair. Kids 15 and under will enjoy free grandstand admission, a season-long initiative made possible by many community partners like Fun Land of Fredericksburg and supported by First Choice Garage Doors, Storms Tax Service, Obsidian Eyewear, Josh Mattera Hauling, Barry Moore with Alcova Mortgage, Pembelton Forrest Products and Gateway Home Improvements.

The first 50 kids through the gates will receive a NASCARkids.com cup, and young fans can participate in the “Color Your Helmet” contest for added fun. The foam party, a highlight for the younger crowd, requires a signed waiver at registration, with towels recommended and a strict no-running policy in the grandstands.

Dominion’s 118 Bar and Grill will keep fans fueled with food, drinks and sweet treats, while Whosyourdriver.org, the raceway’s official Safe Driving partner, will remind attendees to plan a safe ride home.

“Any track, any race, any time, always ask: Who’s your driver?” — The campaign emphasizes, reinforcing the importance of responsible choices after a night at the races.

Nestled just off exit 118 of I-95, Dominion Raceway has become a hub for NASCAR’s grassroots racing, drawing drivers and fans from across the region. The 2025 season has been a showcase of talent, community and high-speed thrills. With the national points chase heating up, every race at Dominion carries added weight for drivers like Johnson and Weddell, who are not only battling for track supremacy but also for a shot at NASCAR’s national spotlight.

The season is far from over, with a packed schedule of marquee events still to come. Fans can look forward to Date Night at the Races, a romantic evening with high-speed flair; the Craig Murto Memorial First Responders Night, honoring local heroes; the Flying VA Classic featuring SMART Modifieds; Carnival Night at the Races, blending family fun with racing action; Super Hero Night, where fans and drivers will celebrate in costume; and Track or Treat, a Halloween-themed finale. Each event will deliver the heart pounding excitement and community spirit that define Dominion Raceway.

Posted on by Staff Report

The NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series head north to Watkins Glen International for a tripleheader weekend of road-course racing. Bookmark this page and come back often for your race-week essentials — from links to qualifying order, average practice speeds, results and more.

RELATED: Full weekend schedule | TV listings

NASCAR Cup Series

Race day: Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on USA Network. The categories listed below will be filled out with links as the information becomes available.

Tires: Seven sets (five new race sets plus one set transferred from qualifying). Teams will also have one set for practice and six sets of wet-weather tires, if needed. 

Entry List
Qualifying Order
Practice Results
Practice Lap Averages
Practice Lap Times
Qualifying Results
Pit Stalls
Stage 1 Results
Stage 2 Results
Race Results

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Race day: Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on The CW. The categories listed below will be filled out with links as the information becomes available.

Tires: Six sets (three new race sets plus one set transferred from qualifying). Teams will also have two sets for practice and four sets of wet-weather tires, if needed. 

Entry List
Qualifying Order
Practice Results
Practice Lap Averages
Practice Lap Times
Qualifying Results
Pit Stalls
Stage 1 Results
Stage 2 Results
Race Results

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Race day: Friday at 5 p.m. ET on FS1. The categories listed below will be filled out with links as the information becomes available.

Tires: Five sets (three race sets plus one set transferred from qualifying). Teams will also have one set for practice and four sets of wet-weather tires, if needed. 

Entry List
Qualifying Order
Practice Results
Practice Lap Averages
Practice Lap Times
Qualifying Results
Pit Stalls
Stage 1 Results
Stage 2 Results
Race Results

Posted on by Nathan Solomon

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — As cautions bred cautions during the closing laps of Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Watkins Glen International, Corey Heim motored through late-race chaos to retake the lead and win his series-best sixth race of the 2025 season.

But it didn’t come without a veteran challenge in the closing moments of the 81-lapper, a race extended with three overtimes. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Daniel Hemric used a little strategy — and some instinct — to wheel his No. 19 Chevrolet to runner-up at the 2.45-mile facility, earning his best finish since Texas Motor Speedway in May.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Watkins Glen

In a race when Hemric thought he didn’t have his best stuff, he described the finish as ‘twofold,’ still nearly knocking off the championship favorite in the waning moments at The Glen.

“I don’t think we had the best truck, but also, I think I had enough advantage to be equal with him at the end,” Hemric explained post-race. “Right now, it’s one that got away, but hindsight being 20/20, I mean, we came a long way from where we were sitting about 10 laps into Stage 1. Sometimes you just got to count your blessings.”

Knowing Hemric was struggling in the early moments of Friday’s race, the penultimate event of the regular season, crew chief Kevin Bellicourt made a bold call. Hemric, along with two playoff hopefuls in Ben Rhodes and Gio Ruggiero, stayed out during a Lap 11 caution, a call that helped ultimately put the No. 19 in contention down the stretch. He restarted out front and finished eighth in the opening stage.

Hemric later pitted in Stage 2, and similarly, got track position later in the second segment to bank more points after a Jack Wood caution shaped up a one-lap dash to the stage break. But heading through the esses, Hemric briefly lost fuel pressure — an issue that plagued several trucks through the afternoon — and dropped back to 14th at the green-checkered flag.

Still, the original strategy put the No. 19 team in prime position for the final stage.

“These guys were having fuel issues as we got lower on fuel — not crazy low on fuel — but lower,” Hemric said. “We were having issues before we were getting as low as we thought, and we tried to just buy some insurance. So we were, I think, one of the first ones. Like me and the 17 [Ruggiero] were the first ones to pit, and ultimately, that was the deciding factor. Gives us a shot at the end.

“Just hats off to Kevin Bellicourt, man. He just made a great call [to head to] pit road right then and there, and that ultimately set us in a position where we had options for the rest of the day.”

The final stage ran caution free until 11 laps remained in regulation. But that’s when chaos reigned in the hazy Central New York air.

Hemric avoided several incidents as the laps ticked down — two of which involved teammate Connor Mosack — and saved enough fuel to pilot ahead to outside front row for the second overtime restart. Hemric missed on his opportunity to pounce, but a second consecutive caution in the bus stop set up a final chance for the veteran.

Heim again fired ahead to the lead, but he didn’t get far. Hemric stayed attached to the bumper of the No. 11 Toyota on the final lap and carried momentum into Turn 6, but diving to the inside, he couldn’t make it stick. The two darted toward Turn 7 nearly even with the checkered flag in sight, but Hemric had to file back in line and settle for second at The Glen.

“I learned something off the first [restart] and tried to apply it for the second one. I felt like it was better and I had a better chance at it,” Hemric explained. “I liked my chances and my leverage that I had into [Turn] 1. The 11 had to make a big block on me down the front straightaway and let me get to where I wanted to be in 1. I thought I had him where I wanted to be, but man, he just had a lot of potential starting in the esses, and it was all I could do not to drive into his door.

“I drove in to get close to him [in Turn 6 on the final lap], and he had a little bit of a wheel hop of brake lock and it let me get to his left side, and I thought we were gonna race it out through [Turn 7], and honestly, I just felt like I undervalued how much potential he still had left in his truck with as old as tires that he had and the amount of speed he carried on entry. He just cleared me and drove off to the checkered flag.”

corey heim takes checkered flag
Sean Gardner | Getty Images

As Heim tried to manipulate the overtime restarts, Hemric kept it as clean as possible racing for the win. The Tricon Garage driver admitted he found himself in an awkward position on the final re-fire in Turn 1 and respected that Hemric refused to use the bumper in the closing corners.

“I was in a really bad aero spot, and really got a lot of respect for him for not sticking it through there and not wiping me out because he certainly could have,” Heim said after the race. “Daniel’s always been a really clean racer and I enjoy racing around him. So props to him for that.

“To have a guy like that to race around and know that you can race hard with him and he’s not going to put yourself, put himself in a bad spot … I think that’s a really gratifying feeling as a racer and being around a guy that does it the right way, I think that’s really cool.”

Hemric, Heim and company wrap up the 2025 regular season on Friday with a trip to Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio),