H2H: Should Kyle Busch have to earn his way into Chase?

Posted on August 5, 2015 by

RELATED: Full series standings | Chase Grid

Kyle Busch was literally just a few gallons from making it into the top 30 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings last week at Pocono Raceway. And since he already has four wins this season getting into the top 30 is one of the last hurdles he needs to clear in order to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

But what if Busch, who currently sits 13 points behind David Gilliland in 30th, isn’t able to get into the top 30 by the end of Richmond, just five races from now? Would Busch deserve special consideration to be allowed into the Chase? Maggie MacKenzie and George Winkler debate the topic; feel free to leave your opinion in the comments section below.

MORE: What Busch needs to make the Chase | Busch runs dry at Pocono

Winkler: Hey Maggie, hopefully you don’t have any Ronda Rousey-style roundhouse kicks for me this week, but just in case you do, I’m going to come strong with this: Let the man in the Chase even if he doesn’t qualify in the next five races. A championship is about watching the cream rise to the top, and it would be a shame if a driver with four wins couldn’t be included in the postseason. It’d be like a 10-6 team missing the playoffs in the NFL because it’s in a tough division while a 7-9 division winner in a weaker division is allowed to go.

MacKenzie: You make some pretty valid points there George, but I’m going to have to disagree with you on some things. I promise I won’t go all Ronda Rousey on you but don’t expect me to pull a Ms. 34 seconds (aka Bethe Correia) on you, either. This is the biggest issue I have with the whole Kyle Busch-Chase debate: Rules are rules and if you start breaking them for one individual you have to break them for every single driver too. Yes “Rowdy” has made himself quite comfortable in Victory Lane with his cinematic-like comeback, but if he wants to get inside the coveted top 30 then he will have to continue his streak in these next five races. Kyle isn’t asking for our pity, so why on earth are we going to give it to him?

Winkler: I don’t want to say it’s pity, but there is precedent for NASCAR making last-minute tweaks under extraordinary circumstances. In 2013 Jeff Gordon was added as the 13th driver in what was then a 12-driver field because of the fallout from the Richmond scandal that contributed to Gordon dropping out of the field. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France stepped in and added Gordon to the Chase because in his words it was the right thing to do. I think it would be the right thing to do to include a four-win driver in the Chase so maybe a 17th driver would be an option.

MacKenzie: I definitely agree with you on the whole Gordon thing Mr. Winkler, it was the right thing to do. But in my opinion, likening the 2013 incident with Kyle’s is like, not to sound too cliché or anything, comparing apples and oranges. Kyle fell victim to injury while Gordon was on the receiving end of a huge scandal. Both were horrible, but entirely different scenarios. Whether we like it or not, injuries happen frequently in professional sports. You have Curt Schilling with his infamous bloody sock, Tiger Woods’ double stress fracture, the list goes on. Kyle took the time to rehab his leg and foot and is back, better than ever, so let’s sit back and watch him continue doing what he does best and he will get into the Chase on his own.

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Nascar

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams will now face only the loss of pit stall selection for multiple warnings, according to a bulletin issued to teams by the sanctioning body Wednesday.

The change removes the potential for multiple warnings to result in the escalation of the severity of the penalty (to a P1 level or higher), and eliminates all but one of the penalty options previously included in the 2015 NASCAR Deterrence Policy under the warnings category.

For every fourth warning issued to a team, whether during a championship (points) or non-championship (non-points) event, the loss of pit stall selection will be enforced.

If the fourth warning is issued before pit selection has occurred, the loss of pit selection will be assessed at that event. If the fourth warning occurs after pit selection has already taken place, the penalty will be enforced at the next points event. Warnings are not appealable.

The modification of the rule takes effect immediately. The NASCAR Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series travel to Watkins Glen International to compete this weekend; the Camping World Truck Series has the weekend off.

Any previous warnings issued to teams prior to Wednesday have been rescinded. According to NASCAR officials, no written warnings were issued during this past weekend’s NSCS and NCWTS events at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.

Once a team has served its penalty, it begins the next event with a clean slate and no warnings on its record.

Also, warnings will not carry over into the following season.

Previously, the loss of pit stall selection was just one possible penalty for teams that incurred two warnings during the same event, or two warnings during consecutive events.

Other penalties included: track time deductions for practice; track time deductions for qualifying; delay in order of inspection; selection for post-race inspection; specified time delay before unloading vehicle at track; temporary suspension of annual hard card credential(s); reduction or suspension of other event privileges; community service.

NASCAR began issuing written warnings earlier this year due to a significant increase in the number of times teams were required to pass through the inspection line before being cleared.

Such delays impacted practice time and qualifying. At Atlanta Motor Speedway, 13 teams failed to clear pre-qualifying inspection in time to make it on track before the conclusion of the first round of qualifying.

In April, NASCAR began issuing written warnings for cars that failed qualifying inspection or pre-race inspection twice; failure three times resulted in the loss of 15 minutes of practice time at the following championship event. Warnings are not appealable.

In an attempt to give teams more time to prepare and present their cars for inspection, NASCAR altered the qualifying day schedule at several events this season.

While P1 and higher penalties, and details of the infractions, are made public, NASCAR does not release details of infractions that result in warnings, only the information that a team or teams have received such warnings.

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Nascar

The extended weather forecast for Watkins Glen shows only a slight chance of rain for this weekend’s Cheez-It 355 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM).

But NASCAR officials are prepared to conduct Sunday’s race should inclement weather become an issue.

The same holds true for Saturday’s Zippo 200 XFINITY Series race (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM), also slated for Watkins Glen.

Steve O’Donnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer for NASCAR, told NASCAR.com Monday that should there be rain on Sunday, “the same rules will apply that we’ve had in the XFINITY Series.”

In other words, yes, they’re prepared to run the Sprint Cup race in the rain.

Three XFINITY Series races have been contested in wet conditions – in 2008 and ’09 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (Montreal) and last year at Road America (Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin).

Goodyear will have an ample supply of rain tires on hand this weekend and teams will be required to install a functional windshield wiper motor, defogger and rear window flashing light for this weekend’s races. The light must be activated during all wet weather conditions, and must be located in the upper left corner inside the rear window.

“We’ve also got Air Titans that we can deploy if there is … excess water in certain areas,” O’Donnell said.

Per the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rulebook, under “wet” conditions, cars will line up on the starting grid under a normal “dry” equipment configuration.

After a single pace lap, cars will return to pit road to their assigned pit stalls where crewmembers will install rain tires and a front windshield wiper or wipers. The rear flashing light must also be activated at this time.

No further adjustments or refueling of the car will be allowed during the stop. Cars will return to the track in their original starting positions behind the pace car to complete the pace laps.

Teams can’t change to “dry” weather tires until taking the green flag following the start of the event.

RACE CENTER EXTRA: How Watkins Glen’s unique pit road impacts teams

For “damp” conditions: If there is moisture only in certain areas of the track, the start of the race would be similar to those for “wet” conditions, however when pitting after the first pace lap, teams will have the option to install the rain tires, defogger and windshield wiper or wipers. Activation of the rear flashing light is mandatory under both “wet” and “damp” conditions prior to the race start.

Once again, the cars will re-enter the track in their original starting position to complete the remaining pace laps.

Should a team or teams opt not to change tires during the designated “damp” conditions pit stop, but pit during one of the remaining pace laps, the team or teams will start at the rear of the field in the order in which they return to the track.

Sprint Cup Series managing director director Richard Buck will make the determination of track conditions (wet, damp or dry).

Finally, if one or more laps are completed under normal dry conditions then rain arrives, NASCAR will display the yellow flag, putting the race under caution. Once pit road has been opened, teams may pit and change tires, install “wet” weather equipment and perform any additional services permitted. They also have the option of remaining on the track, should they so choose.

Tire Build for the Glen Unchanged

Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series teams will run the same Goodyear tire code at Watkins Glen. It is same build that teams have run there since 2013. XFINITY Series teams also ran the tire at Road America last year.

The “wet” weather tire, should it be needed, for both series is the same build as that which was also run at Road America in ’14.

After the Fact

Two of the 32 penalties issued Sunday at Pocono Raceway were assessed after the completion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Joey Logano (Team Penske) and Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing) both incurred pit road speeding penalties after each driver ran out of gas in the closing laps of the Windows 10 400.

Both Truex (19th) and Logano (20th) finished on the lead lap.

Posted on August 5, 2015November 16, 2017 by Staff Report

WATKINS GLEN-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York going into the CHEEZ-It 355 at The Glen (2 p.m. ET on NBCSN) on August 9.

AJ Allmendinger (No. 47 Kroger’s/Bush’s Beans Chevrolet)

· One win, two top fives, four top 10s

· Average finish of 7.833, second-best

· Average Running Position of 12.288, third-best

· Driver Rating of 100.5, third-best

· 16 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 120.332, fourth-fastest

· 363 Laps in the Top 15 (67.0), fifth-most

· 114 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Clint Bowyer (No. 15 Maxwell House Toyota)

· One top five, three top 10s

· Average finish of 15.778, ninth-best

· Average Running Position of 15.912, 11th-best

· Driver Rating of 83.3, 13th-best

· 2 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 119.569, 12th-fastest

· 427 Laps in the Top 15 (52.6), 12th-most

· 106 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Kyle Busch’s Chase Eligibility
30th	David Gilliland		331
Rank	Driver	Wins	Points	Points From 30th
31	Cole Whitt	0	331	0
32	Kyle Busch	4	318	-13
33	Brett Moffitt #	0	279	-52
34	Alex Bowman	0	264	-67
35	Michael Annett	0	248	-83
36	Matt DiBenedetto #	0	220	-111
37	Josh Wise	0	186	-145
38	Michael McDowell	0	124	-207
39	Jeb Burton #	0	120	-211
40	Alex Kennedy #	0	77	-254
* To be eligible for the Chase, the driver must be in the top 30 of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings following race number 26.

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Crispy Toyota)

· Two wins, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 11.300, fourth-best

· Average Running Position of 12.453, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 108.4, second-best

· 74 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 120.360, second-fastest

· 638 Laps in the Top 15 (70.6), fourth-most

· 183 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Kurt Busch (No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet)

· Two top fives, six top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 16.900, 10th-best

· Average Running Position of 15.864, 10th-best

· Driver Rating of 94.3, seventh-best

· 51 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 120.288, fifth-fastest

· 564 Laps in the Top 15 (62.4), eighth-most

· 190 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Carl Edwards (No. 19 STANLEY Toyota)

· Five top fives, seven top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 8.400, third-best

· Average Running Position of 12.370, fourth-best

· Driver Rating of 95.0, sixth-best

· 15 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 119.959, sixth-fastest

· 666 Laps in the Top 15 (73.7), third-most

· 203 Quality Passes, second-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 AXALTA Chevrolet)

· Four wins, six top fives, nine top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 21.600, 13th-best

· Average Running Position of 17.075, 12th-best

· Driver Rating of 85.7, 10th-best

· 42 Fastest Laps Run, series-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 119.314, 13th-fastest

· 479 Laps in the Top 15 (53.0), 11th-most

· 164 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)

· One top five, four top 10s

· Average finish of 20.000, 12th-best

· Average Running Position of 15.543, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 85.7, 11th-best

· 11 Fastest Laps Run, second-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 119.911, seventh-fastest

· 468 Laps in the Top 15 (57.6), 10th-most

· 181 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John’s/ Budweiser Chevrolet)

· One win, two top fives, seven top 10s

· Average finish of 14.500, eighth-best

· Average Running Position of 15.555, ninth-best

· Driver Rating of 89.0, ninth-best

· 11 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 119.817, ninth-fastest

· 543 Laps in the Top 15 (60.1), ninth-most

· 161 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)

· Four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 12.100, fifth-best

· Average Running Position of 10.079, second-best

· Driver Rating of 100.1, fourth-best

· 28 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 120.338, third-fastest

· 715 Laps in the Top 15 (79.1), second-most

· 208 Quality Passes, series-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Ford)

· Three top fives, three top 10s

· Average finish of 12.200, sixth-best

· Average Running Position of 14.117, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 97.5, fifth-best

· 39 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 119.878, eighth-fastest

· 290 Laps in the Top 15 (64.2), seventh-most

· 66 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Jamie McMurray (No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet)

· One top five, two top 10s

· Average finish of 19.300, 11th-best

· Average Running Position of 17.508, 13th-best

· Driver Rating of 83.7, 12th-best

· 9 Fastest Laps Run, third-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 119.734, 10th-fastest

· 465 Laps in the Top 15 (51.4), 13th-most

· 130 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Bass Pro Shops / Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

· Five wins, seven top fives, ten top 10s

· Average finish of 7.500, series-best

· Average Running Position of 5.661, series-best

· Driver Rating of 120.4, series-best

· 106 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 120.785, series-fastest

· 678 Laps in the Top 15 (93.6), series-most

· 195 Quality Passes, third-most

Martin Truex Jr (No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, five top 10s

· Average finish of 12.444, seventh-best

· Average Running Position of 12.885, sixth-best

· Driver Rating of 90.7, eighth-best

· 6 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 119.686, 11th-fastest

· 536 Laps in the Top 15 (66.0), sixth-most

· 188 Quality Passes, fifth-most

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 16 at Watkins Glen International

	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Kevin Harvick	14	0	1	2	7	0	12.6	89.0
2	Joey Logano	6	0	0	1	3	0	16.5	78.4
3	Dale Earnhardt Jr	15	0	0	2	3	2	22.4	76.2
4	Jimmie Johnson	13	1	0	4	7	1	13.9	100.1
5	Martin Truex Jr	9	0	0	3	5	0	12.4	90.7
6	Brad Keselowski	5	0	0	3	3	0	12.2	97.5
7	Matt Kenseth	15	0	0	0	5	0	15.1	79.8
8	Jamie McMurray	12	0	0	1	2	2	19	83.7
9	Kurt Busch	14	1	0	2	6	3	18.6	94.3
10	Jeff Gordon	22	3	4	6	9	3	16.6	85.7
11	Denny Hamlin	9	0	0	1	4	3	20	85.7
12	Paul Menard	11	0	0	0	0	1	23.6	64.7
13	Ryan Newman	13	0	0	1	3	1	17.6	76.5
14	Clint Bowyer	9	0	0	1	3	0	15.8	83.3
15	Kasey Kahne	11	0	0	0	0	0	19.3	73.9
16	Carl Edwards	10	1	0	5	7	0	8.4	95.0

* – Based on last 10 races at Watkins Glen International (2005 – 2014).

Watkins Glen International Data

Season Race #: 22 of 36 (08-09-15)

Track Size: 2.45-miles

Number of Turns: 7

Race Length: 90 laps / 220.5 miles

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Watkins Glen

Tony Stewart……………………….. 120.4

Kyle Busch…………………………. 108.4

AJ Allmendinger…………………… 100.5

Jimmie Johnson…………………… 100.1

Brad Keselowski……………………. 97.5

Carl Edwards………………………… 95.0

Kurt Busch……………………………. 94.3

Martin Truex Jr………………………. 90.7

Kevin Harvick………………………… 89.0

Jeff Gordon………………………….. 85.7

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (10 total) among active drivers at Watkins Glen International.

Qualifying/Race Data

2014 pole winner:

Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet

129.466 mph, 68.126 secs. 08-09-14

2014 race winner:

AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet

90.123 mph, (02:26:48), 08-10-14

Track qualifying record:

Marcos Ambrose, Ford

129.491 mph, 68.113 secs. 08-09-14

(Set in Round 1 of 3)

Track race record:

Mark Martin, Ford

103.030 mph, (02:11:54), 08-13-95

At Watkins Glen International:
History
· After several events were held on the streets of Watkins Glen, a permanent facility was opened in 1956.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was in 1957, won by Buck Baker (83.064 mph, 08/04/1957).
· After a six-year absence, NASCAR returned to The Glen in 1964 and 1965.
· After a 21-year absence, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returned to The Glen, and has run one race a year there since 1986.
· The first NSCS race at Watkins Glen was scheduled for 101.2-miles in 1957, the second race was 161.7-miles (1964) and the third race was 151.8-miles (1965). Every race since has been scheduled for 220.5-miles.

Starts
· There have been 32 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International, one race per season.
· 252 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen; 152 in more than one.
· Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip and Terry Labonte lead the series in starts at Watkins Glen with 22 each.

Poles
· Buck Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Watkins Glen in 1957 with a speed of 87.071 mph. Driver/owner Buck Baker went on to win the inaugural race from the pole.
· 19 drivers have Coors Light poles at Watkins Glen, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon with three each.
· Mark Martin is the only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver to post consecutive Coors Light poles at Watkins Glen (three) – 1993, 1994, and 1995.
· Youngest Watkins Glen pole winner: Kyle Busch (08/15/2011 – 26 years, 3 months, 13 days).
· Oldest Watkins Glen pole winner: Morgan Shepherd (08/13/1989 – 47 years, 10 months, 1 day).
· Tony Stewart leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Watkins Glen with a 6.286 – Stewart has made 14 starts at WGI.

Wins
· 19 different drivers have won at Watkins Glen International in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, led by Tony Stewart with five wins; followed by Jeff Gordon with four.
· Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in road course wins with nine (Sonoma, five; Watkins Glen, four); Tony Stewart has the second most road course wins all-time with seven (Watkins Glen, five; Sonoma, two).
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison holds the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series record for the most wins at a single road course track with six – Riverside International Raceway.
· Four drivers have posted consecutive wins at Watkins Glen, including three consecutive by Mark Martin (1993, ’94, ‘95) and Jeff Gordon (1997, ’98, ‘99). The other two drivers to win consecutive races at Watkins Glen are Tony Stewart (2004, ’05) and Marcos Ambrose (2011, ’12).
· Youngest Watkins Glen winner: Kyle Busch (08/10/2008 – 23 years, 3 months, 8 days).
· Oldest Watkins Glen winner: Geoff Bodine (08/11/1996 – 47 years, 3 months, 24 days).
· Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing are tied for the most wins at Watkins Glen in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with six each:
—Hendrick Motorsports: Jeff Gordon (four), Tim Richmond (one) and Ricky Rudd (one).
—Joe Gibbs Racing: Tony Stewart (four) and Kyle Busch (two).
· Six different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Watkins Glen; led by Chevrolet with 17 victories; followed by Ford with seven, Pontiac with four, Toyota with two and Buick and Mercury each have one.
· Nine of the 32 (28.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Kyle Busch in 2008.
· The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (nine) than any other starting position at Watkins Glen.
· 11 of the 32 (34.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen have been won from the front row: nine from the pole and two from second-place.
· 21 of the 32 (65.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-five starting position.
· 23 of the 32 (71.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· None of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Watkins Glen is 18th, by Steve Park in 2000.
· All five of the active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Watkins Glen participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane.   
· Kevin Harvick (2006) and AJ Allmendinger (2014) both competed at Watkins Glen five times each before winning; the longest span of any of the five active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
· Three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Watkins Glen: Steve Park (08/13/2000), Marcos Ambrose (08/15/11) and AJ Allmendinger (08/11/14).

Additional Finishing Position Stats
· Brad Keselowski and Mark Martin lead the series in runner-up finishes at Watkins Glen with three each.
· Mark Martin leads the series in top-five finishes at Watkins Glen with 12; followed by Ricky Rudd with eight. Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with seven.
· Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Watkins Glen with 16; followed by Ricky Rudd, Rusty Wallace and Tony Stewart with 10 each.
· AJ Allmendinger leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Watkins Glen with a 7.833.
· Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth lead the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen without visiting Victory Lane at 14 each.

Track/Event Specific Stats
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Watkins Glen is the 2001 race won by Jeff Gordon over Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.172 second.
· There have been two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Watkins Glen (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2005 (90/92) and 2011 (90/92).
· Only one of the 32 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen has been shortened due to weather conditions – the 1992 race – only 51 of the scheduled 90 laps were completed.
· The 8/14/2011 race was the only NSCS race at Watkins Glen that has been postponed to another date due to weather (8/15/2011).
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Watkins Glen six times: 1965, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008.
· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Watkins Glen with 262 laps led in 22 starts.

Female Competitor Stats
· Danica Patrick and Patty Moise are the only two female NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers to compete at Watkins Glen International.

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Danica Patrick	43	21	8/10/2014
Danica Patrick	35	20	8/11/2013
Averages	39.0	20.5
Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Patty Moise	33	30	8/14/1988
Patty Moise	30	33	8/10/1987
Averages	31.5	31.5

NASCAR in New York

· There have been 70 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among 15 tracks in the state of New York.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Watkins Glen International	Watkins Glen	32
Monroe County Fairgrounds	Rochester	8
Islip Speedway	Islip	6
Bridgehampton Race Circuit	Bridgehampton	4
Fonda Speedway	Fonda	4
New York State Fairgrounds	Syracuse	3
Albany Saratoga Speedway	Malta	2
Altamont-Schenectady Fairgrounds	Altamont	2
Hamburg Speedway	Hamburg	2
Vernon Fairgrounds	Vernon	2
Airborne Speedway	Plattsburg	1
Buffalo Civic Stadium	Buffalo	1
Montgomery Air Base	Montgomery	1
State Line Speedway	Busti	1
Wine Creek Race Track	Owego	1

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held in the state of New York was at Monroe County Fairgrounds on 07/02/1950 – Curtis Turner won from the pole.

NASCAR In New York

· 185 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as New York.
· 11 of the 185 have posted at least one victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series; led by Geoff Bodine with 18.
· Only two of the New York natives have won at Watkins Glen International in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Geoff Bodine (1996) and Steve Park (2000).

Driver	NSCS	NXS	NCWTS
Geoff Bodine	18	6	0
Jim Reed	7	0	0
Al Keller	2	0	0
Steve Park	2	3	1
Brett Bodine	1	5	0
Jim Hurtubise	1	0	0
Lloyd Moore	1	0	0
Bill Rexford	1	0	0
Greg Sacks	1	1	0
Regan Smith	1	4	0
Jack White	1	0	0
Todd Bodine	0	15	22
Mike McLaughlin	0	6	0
Donny Lia	0	0	1

Milestones – Watkins Glen International

DRIVER	HAS	NEEDS	MILESTONE	DESCRIPTION
DRIVER	HAS	NEEDS	MILESTONE	DESCRIPTION
Jimmie Johnson	74	2	76th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Jimmie Johnson is eighth on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt in seventh (76 wins).
Tony Stewart	48	2	50th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Stewart is 13th on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett in 12th (50 wins).
Carl Edwards	24	1	25th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Edwards is 31st on the all-time NSCS wins list, one win behind Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joe Weatherly and Denny Hamlin tied for 28th (25 wins).
Tony Stewart	299	1	300th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top-10 Finish	Stewart is 17th on the all-time NSCS top-10 finishes list, two top 10s behind James Hylton in 16th (301 top 10s).
Jeff Gordon	24,830	170	25,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led	Gordon can become the sixth driver in NSCS history to lead 25,000 laps; joining Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson and Bobby Allison.
Matt Kenseth	9,600	400	10,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led	Kenseth can become the 16th driver in series history to lead 10,000 or more laps.
Kevin Harvick	7,925	75	8,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led	Kevin Harvick can become the 24th driver in series history to lead 8,000 or more laps.
#43 car	199	1	200 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Wins	The No. 43 car is second on the all-time NSCS wins list, five wins behind the No. 11 car in first (204). The last win for the No. 43 car came at Daytona last season.
Chevrolet	749	1	750th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Chevrolet will attempt to post the manufacturer’s 750th win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this weekend. Chevrolet leads the series in wins.

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Staff Report

RELATED: Chase Grid | Updated standings

Only five races remain before the 16-driver Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field is set. Here are the scenarios for clinching a Chase berth at Watkins Glen:

Below is the complete list of drivers currently in the Chase Grid.

Drivers who have clinched a spot in the Chase:

1. Jimmie Johnson

2. Kevin Harvick

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

4. Matt Kenseth

5. Kurt Busch

Drivers who need one more win to secure a spot in the Chase (this group can also clinch a spot if there is a repeat winner this weekend):

6. Joey Logano

7. Martin Truex Jr.

8. Brad Keselowski

9. Denny Hamlin

10. Carl Edwards

Drivers currently in the Chase based on points:

11. Jamie McMurray

12. Jeff Gordon

13. Paul Menard

14. Ryan Newman

15. Clint Bowyer

16. Kasey Kahne

Information provided by NASCAR IMC.

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Staff Report

AJ Allmendinger heads back to Watkins Glen International this weekend for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race as a defending winner. It’s a mantle he happily accepts, one that brings back plenty of memories, but one that comes with expectations and a golden opportunity.

Allmendinger aims to rely on his road-racing expertise in Sunday’s Cheez-it 355 at The Glen (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM) on the 2.45-mile circuit, site of his breakthrough triumph in NASCAR’s premier series. A victory would help provide a needed salve for the JTG Daugherty Racing driver, who sits 23rd in Sprint Cup points but could clinch a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs with a regular-season win.

RELATED: Allmendinger wins first Cup race

“I still believe it every day that we have a great shot to win a race and make the Chase and if I didn’t believe it, then I shouldn’t be in a race car,” Allmendinger said in a release provided by the team. “From there, it’s all about being better. Are we a championship-winning team right now? Probably not, but all you have got to do is look at what (2014 series runner-up) Ryan Newman showed last year. All you got to do is get into the Chase and you’ve got a shot.”

Allmendinger’s likely best chance comes on the twisty turns at Watkins Glen, where his shrewd road course ability makes the No. 47 Chevrolet a pre-race favorite. The proficiency paid off last season, where Allmendinger outran fellow road ace Marcos Ambrose for his first Sprint Cup win.

VOTE: Who will at Watkins Glen?

But the performance sometimes comes with the double-edged sword of anticipation. It’s another element of pre-race preparation that crew chief Brian Burns has tried to manage.

“I’m not going to lie, it is a stressful weekend for us because we all have the same expectations,” Burns said. “We try not to talk about it and try to block it out so we can stay as calm as we can. We try to keep each other on an even level. We know that if we don’t make mistakes and do the simple things right and have the absence of bad luck, we can win.”

Misfortune derailed JTG Daugherty’s hopes in June at Sonoma Raceway, the other road course on the Sprint Cup schedule. Allmendinger claimed the Coors Light Pole Award and ran among the contenders until a fuel-pressure issue forced the No. 47 behind the wall for extensive repairs in the garage.

It was the latest setback in a season that thus far has produced just three top-10 finishes in 21 races.

“We’re doing our best and are trying to get better,” Allmendinger said. “To go out there, whether it’s battling for 25th or battling for the win, we are trying to get everything we can. This season has definitely not gone the way we’ve wanted it to go. It started off great and after five races we were top five in points and then we had some motor problems happen and a few incidents where we would be running in the top 10 and have an accident like we did at Bristol and so forth.”

A rebound could hinge on this weekend’s return to Watkins Glen. Allmendinger said he still gets chills watching the race replay, but that he still contemplates what he could have done better over the final laps. Regardless of any internal second-guessing, his stirring 2014 drive cemented Allmendinger’s name in the registry of premier-series winners.

“Winning a race, no one can take that away from you,” Allmendinger said. “You feel like you are king of the world for one day. At that moment, you are the best there is. I just remember on that day it was the best I had ever driven in my life. On that day, I had to man up and say, ‘I’m not letting this race get taken away from me.’ It’s something that no matter whether if I win again or not, it’s memories that I will always have.”

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Staff Report

MORE: Entry list for Watkins Glen

NASCAR XFINITY Series points leader Chris Buescher will return to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this weekend at Watkins Glen International for Front Row Motorsports.

The Bob Jenkins-owned team also announced that Bully Hill Vineyards would be the primary sponsor on Buescher’s No. 34 Ford for Sunday’s Cheez-it 355 at The Glen (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM). The Hammondsport, New York-based winery has been a longtime backer of Watkins Glen’s races and competitors.

Buescher, 22, drove Front Row’s No. 34 in five races earlier this season, with a best finish of 20th in his Sprint Cup debut in March at Auto Club Speedway. He steps in for Brett Moffitt, who has been behind the wheel of the No. 34 for the last five races.

David Ragan started the year in the Front Row No. 34, finishing 17th in the Daytona 500. But his departure for an interim role at Joe Gibbs Racing as a substitute for the injured Kyle Busch touched off a carousel of driver shuffling in the seat. Six drivers have wheeled the No. 34 in 2015 — Moffitt for 12 races, Buescher for five, and one race each for Ragan, Joe Nemechek, Reed Sorenson and Justin Marks.

Buescher has had a measure of success at road courses, claiming his first XFINITY victory last year at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. He enters a crucial stretch for XFINITY Series regulars, facing three road courses in the tour’s next four races.

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Zack Albert

When Brandon McReynolds first prevailed in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series at Iowa Speedway, his father, Larry, rejoiced 1,000 miles away, sharing his glee while broadcasting the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on FOX Sports 1.

Last weekend, the 24-year-old driver was close enough to see the reaction for himself, sharing the moment with his father in Victory Lane in the Hawkeye State just 11 weeks later. The father-son duo joined the Bill McAnally Racing team in toasting the NASCAR Next alum’s rare Iowa season sweep.

The triumph was further proof that the next-generation driver hasn’t fallen far from the career path of his father, who oversaw two Daytona 500 wins from atop the pit box for both Davey Allison and Dale Earnhardt. Still, he said he hasn’t had any prodding to pursue the same livelihood in motorsports.

“One thing I’ve got to give my dad credit for is there’s a lot of dads out there who put a lot of pressure on you to be a race car driver, and he’s never done that,” Brandon McReynolds said. “He’s just said whatever you’re going to do in life, put your mind to it and work hard, roll up your sleeves and make the most of it. He’s really allowed me to do that. He’s allowed me to succeed; he’s allowed me to fail. So to see him here and to see the smile and a little bit of tears on his face, it goes a long way with me.

“It’s really cool to see our relationship grow over the last few years. Obviously, we’ve always been close because he’s my dad, but it’s really cool. He’s one of my best friends and it’s cool to share this with him.”

The elder McReynolds happily watched the proceedings from the sidelines of Victory Lane, telling the team, “This is your night.” He eventually relented, posing for a handful of photos against the backdrop of a moonlit Iowa night.

Though Larry McReynolds’ obligations with FOX Sports, which came to an end in June, have kept him from seeing more of his son’s races in the K&N Pro Series West, he said he’s seen growth in the face of some mild adversity. McReynolds has qualified among the top five for all but one race this season, but he has just two top-fives — both Iowa wins — to show for the speed.

RELATED: Larry McReynolds bids farewell to boothmates

While the results haven’t been as consistent as hoped, the pieces have come together on the highly competitive stage at Iowa, host of the two combination events for the K&N East and West Series.

“I think what he’s hung his hat on is they’ve had a competitive car every single week,” Larry McReynolds said. “The season didn’t get started good at the beginning with a couple of engine issues and then of course he got spun out a few weeks ago battling for the lead, but I think that’s what he’s hung his hat on — the fact that they’ve been competitive, they’ve been in position. Like I’ve always told him, and I speak from all my years of experience, you put yourself in position enough, the deal will get sealed.”

Though the younger McReynolds’ focus for the short term was on savoring the Iowa victory and carrying momentum to the West series’ next race Aug. 15 at Evergreen Speedway in Washington, the next deal that needs closure is his plan for next season. McReynolds said that 2016 was still in limbo but hinted that any potential moves would hopefully be made in conjunction with McAnally, a five-time championship team owner in the K&N Pro Series West.

“I hate to beat around the bush about it, but obviously we work day in and day out,” McReynolds said. “Me and Bill are on the phone constantly to make that next step or to move forward together. Right now, I really don’t know, and I’m sure you guys get that answer a lot but it’s really the truth. It’s hard. We’re lucky enough to have the sponsors that we do have with NAPA and Toyota and all of our associates that are behind us, and we hope to grow with those. Obviously, there’s going to be some changing coming up here in the future.

“There’s a lot of movement going on. It seems like our silly season, even at the K&N level, it happens earlier and earlier each year. I know this (win) definitely helps and we’ll see what it brings us, but we’re working together to try to move forward together as a group.”

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Staff Report

Hamilton, Stewart swapped rides for a promotion in 2011

Defending Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has been making all kinds of news this week cozying up with Rihanna at a street festival in Barbados. And he wants to try his hand at NASCAR.

The British racer has two F1 titles and currently sits atop the series’ standings, 21 points ahead of Nico Rosberg of Germany.

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While taking a break before the Belgian Grand Prix Aug. 21-23, Hamilton told The Mirror, a British website, that he would like to compete in American stock-car racing.

"I’d really like to do a NASCAR race one day," Hamilton said.

Joey Logano would welcome sharing the track with Hamilton and tweeted his support for the idea.

Would be fun to have u on track with us @LewisHamilton! �� https://t.co/KoXmH5Llcu

— Joey Logano (@joeylogano) August 4, 2015

Fellow F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya spent eight full years with Chip Ganassi, and Kimi Raikkonen ran both a NCWTS race and an XFINITY Series race in 2011 while taking a hiatus from Formula 1.

Hamilton had one taste of Sprint Cup racing in 2011 when he and three-time series champion Tony Stewart swapped rides for a Mobil 1 promotion at Watkins Glen

Asked if he wanted to trade jobs with Stewart after that ride, Hamilton said, "Yeah, yeah, you never know." For his part, Stewart said he would be honored to have Hamilton as a teammate.