Posted on August 20, 2023August 20, 2023 by Staff Report

Four times in the last six years, a driver has gotten his first win of the season in the final two races of the regular season. Chase Elliott hopes to make it five times in seven years as he bids to win his way into the NASCAR Playoffs.

FANTASY LIVE: Set your roster | Weekend schedule

History is on Elliott’s side, with Hendrick Motorsports having won the last four races at Watkins Glen International, the site of Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). Elliott’s teammate Kyle Larson took top honors in 2021 and 2022, while Elliott made it to Victory Lane in 2018 and 2019.

Elliott is also coming off a runner-up performance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, where he just didn’t quite have enough for Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell. However, the No. 9 Chevrolet figures to be right there in the mix again this week, having finished in the top four in the last four Watkins Glen races.

If Elliott wins, he’ll be in and won’t have to worry about the race the following week at Daytona International Speedway. Better to get things locked in this week so as not to leave it to chance in the regular-season finale.

OTHERS TO WATCH

MICHAEL MCDOWELL: There are a mountain of numbers that strongly suggest he could go back-to-back, but the most impressive, perhaps, is that he leads all drivers in points earned on road courses in the 10 races with the Next Gen car.

BRAD KESELOWSKI: Keselowski and Kevin Harvick are on the precipice of clinching playoff berths and are separated by just two points in the standings. The problem is Keselowski has an average finish of 20th on road courses with the Next Gen car.

CHRIS BUESCHER: Buescher couldn’t extend his winning streak or his top-10 streak on road courses, but he still could be a factor in this race. He finished ninth last year at The Glen.

KYLE LARSON: Larson has the second-most points at road courses this season (138) and is tied with Elliott for tops with four straight top-10 finishes at The Glen.

MARTIN TRUEX JR.: Before his 23rd-place finish last year, Truex had five straight finishes of seventh or better at The Glen, including his win in 2017.

Projections as of Sunday, Aug. 20.

RACING INSIGHTS’ PROJECTIONS FOR THE GO BOWLING AT THE GLEN

Racing Insights’ advanced statistical formula includes current track, current track type, recent performance, team data and pit-crew data to arrive at a projected winner and full race results.

Finish	Car Number	Driver
1	9	Chase Elliott
2	45	Tyler Reddick
3	5	Kyle Larson
4	17	Chris Buescher
5	34	Michael McDowell
6	16	AJ Allmendinger
7	24	William Byron
8	20	Christopher Bell
9	8	Kyle Busch
10	19	Martin Truex Jr.
11	99	Daniel Suárez
12	11	Denny Hamlin
13	54	Ty Gibbs
14	48	Alex Bowman
15	22	Joey Logano
16	2	Austin Cindric
17	1	Ross Chastain
18	4	Kevin Harvick
19	12	Ryan Blaney
20	6	Brad Keselowski
21	3	Austin Dillon
22	51	Cole Custer
23	14	Chase Briscoe
24	31	Justin Haley
25	43	Erik Jones
26	23	Bubba Wallace
27	7	Corey LaJoie
28	47	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
29	41	Ryan Preece
30	10	Aric Almirola
31	38	Todd Gilliland
32	21	Harrison Burton
33	42	Mike Rockenfeller
34	77	Ty Dillon
35	78	Josh Bilicki
36	15	Andy Lally

Posted on August 20, 2023August 20, 2023 by Staff Report

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Rodney Childers, crew chief of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, will not be atop the pit box for driver Kevin Harvick for Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International due to a family emergency.

Childers, who has combined to win 37 races and a championship since being paired with Harvick, will work remotely from SHR’s “war room” at the shop in Kannapolis, North Carolina, for Sunday’s race. Engineer Stephan Doran will serve as the team’s interim crew chief at Watkins Glen, the team confirmed.

MORE: Starting lineup | Watkins Glen schedule

The longtime crew chief was in Upstate New York for Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions when he received news his mother was taken to the hospital, Childers shared in a social media post.

🙏🏼❤️ pic.twitter.com/xZvKafgUy6

— Rodney Childers (@RodneyChilders4) August 20, 2023

Harvick will start Sunday’s race from 33rd position. Live coverage will begin at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and the NBC Sports App.

Posted on August 19, 2023August 19, 2023 by Zach Sturniolo

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Ty Gibbs did just about everything right in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International.

The 20-year-old won the pole in qualifying and dominated the Shriners Children’s 200 at The Glen, leading 70 of 86 laps around the 2.45-mile road course and seemed destined for his second win there.

Instead, while leading on a restart in NASCAR Overtime, Gibbs was tagged in the rear bumper by Sam Mayer entering Turn 1, sending Gibbs’ No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for a spin in the run-off area. Gibbs plummeted down the leaderboard with just two laps remaining and finished 17th. Mayer, meanwhile, claimed his second career Xfinity Series win.

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

“I really wasn’t looking at my mirror like that,” Gibbs said of the restart, in which Mayer lined up behind him on the inside lane. “You know, I was like a car length or so in front of them, and I think he wheel-hopped and wrecked us there. So just something he did with that was a mistake on his part and completely cleaned us out.”

The run-in is far from the first between Gibbs and Mayer, a pair of 20-year-old racers who largely grew up racing one another hard. Their emotions came to a head in April 2022 when the two fought on pit road after an Xfinity race.

Saturday’s rekindling of any remaining fire between the two sparked on the penultimate restart with four laps remaining. Mayer lined up on the inside of the front row with Gibbs right behind him. Gibbs darted as low as he could against the inside wall to challenge Mayer for the position and exited the 90-degree, right-handed Turn 1 with the lead until Mayer charged back to his right.

At the top of the esses, Gibbs nudged his right-rear quarter panel against Mayer’s left-front fender, nearly sending Mayer’s No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet out of control before Mayer saved it.

“If I was able to stay there and side-draft him down the back, I would have beat him into the bus stop and probably had the lead there,” Mayer explained. “So as a Cup driver, he knows that; he’s really intelligent when it comes to that. He’s aware. And so he fed me a little fender, and it about wrecked me and put us in a really dangerous spot, so I was pretty upset about that because of my point of view.

“Kevin (Hamlin), my spotter, said over the radio that he’s a Cup spotter, and he would have said to his driver to do that, too. So it’s just part of the really aggressive race that we see nowadays.”

A caution came out moments later to send the race into overtime, allowing Mayer another shot at Gibbs. With their contact fresh on his mind, Mayer planned to be aggressive — but said he did not mean to send Gibbs spinning.

“I mean, that’s the reason why I chose right behind them is because I wanted to be the aggressor and put him three-wide middle,” Mayer said. “Obviously, that didn’t turn out the way I was intending, but it’s, like I said, part of just making mistakes as a young driver.”

That mistake sent Gibbs around and resulted in the same for Austin Hill, the latter of whom shared the front row with Gibbs for the green-white-checkered restart. Hill slowed to avoid Gibbs in the smokescreen and was turned by Cole Custer.

Cognizant of their past run-ins, Mayer emphasized the move he made Saturday is one he would make on any driver, Gibbs or not.

“It would be the exact same thing because I’m going there for the win,” he said. “I’m trying to do my best to get Victory Lane for my team and my organization. If the same restart happened and he got a better restart than me again — whoever it is — I would try to get to the inside of them as well. Obviously, I wouldn’t try to wreck anybody, including Ty.

“We have a history, and everyone looks at that differently, and I don’t. I just want to race the race car driver. Definitely sucks that it’s him because I don’t want that. I don’t want that for anybody. But it’s just part of making mistakes as a young driver. I can only use that excuse so many times, and today’s one of those days.”

MORE: Cup Series schedule | Xfinity Series schedule

As for Gibbs, he’ll go back to the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), eyeing a potential playoff run in his rookie season. So despite his disappointment on a dominant Saturday, he’s moving forward.

“I mean, doesn’t matter,” Gibbs said. “I’m racing Cup on Sundays and start fourth tomorrow, so I’ve got a lot bigger things to look at.”

Posted on August 19, 2023August 19, 2023 by Holly Cain

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — JR Motorsports driver Sam Mayer survived a full-contact afternoon at Watkins Glen International – contributing his own bump and run on the final restart to take the lead in overtime and hold off the field for his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series win Saturday in the Shriners Children’s 200 at The Glen.

Mayer’s No. 1 JRM Chevrolet tagged the back of the day’s most dominant driver and then-race leader Ty Gibbs, spinning Gibbs’ No. 19 Toyota, which then collected a handful of other lead pack cars. The 21-year-old Wisconsin native pulled away from the mayhem behind and raced off to a 0.909-second victory over Richard Childress Racing’s Sheldon Creed.

Gibbs, who races full time as a rookie in the NASCAR Cup Series, led a race-high 70 of the 86 laps and won both Stage 1 and Stage 2 on the 2.45-mile, 11-turn historic road course in upstate New York. But it was Mayer using that aggressive move forward that eventually helped hoist the trophy.

“On that first one, I got used up, thought I had a good one there,’’ Mayer said of the two overtime restarts. “All glory to God for this one because we had to work our tails off for it.

“I wheel-hopped it, that’s unfortunate, and I feel bad for doing that. Obviously, you don’t want to take out any car like that,’’ Mayer added. “Just trying to get another win in the Xfinity Series. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. I was in there, I put my nose in there, and that’s part of it.

“That’s an accident, but I think everyone can agree it’s okay for an Xfinity Series regular to win this race.’’

There is a history between Mayer and the 2022 Xfinity Series champion Gibbs. There was even a physical confrontation between the two after a race at Martinsville Speedway last year.

Gibbs, 20, none too surprisingly, didn’t take kindly to the race ending. He was credited with 17th place on the day.

“I think when you have to race out of desperation like that and you wheel-hop and take the leader out, I guess you can call it a racing incident, but it just really sucks,’’ Gibbs said. “We had a really fast Toyota Supra, and I really appreciate all the team’s hard work. We had a really good time out there and wish that caution didn’t come. Definitely sucks to get cleaned out there.

“It’s a part of life and a part of racing, and you just get over it, and when stuff like that happens, desperate moves like that happen, it’s just part of it, and you try to keep going. We were really fast.

“I don’t know really know how much of a conversation you can really have with him in that situation,’’ Gibbs said when asked if wanted to have words with Mayer.

“We kind of grew up racing around each other, and I think he has more starts than I do, and this is his second win, so congratulations to him on his second win. Definitely wish I could have gotten my 13th there.’’

WATCH: Mayer discusses Watkins Glen victory | Gibbs discusses OT finish

Parker Kligerman came through the wreck to finish third in the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet, followed by NASCAR Cup Series regular Ross Chastain in the No. 91 DGM Chevrolet and Connor Mosack in the No. 24 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota.

Kligerman’s third-place showing was important as the series heads toward the playoffs next month. He pulled to within three points of Riley Herbst for that final transfer position. Herbst’s No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford had a rough day, retiring on Lap 37 and taking a 35th-place finish. He had led Kligerman by 17 points coming into the Watkins Glen race.

“We had a great finish and salvaged great points,’’ Kligerman said. “We kept ourselves in the fight, but I’ve got to sort through this one.

“To me, three [points], 15 [points], it all feels the same. It’s so close that can happen in a stage, essentially. We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing. We scored stage points in all stages today, so that is a big deal for us.’’

“I think we’re doing the right things, just need a little more,’’ he added with a smile.

Herbst was frustrated but said he was optimistic about upcoming races – at Daytona International Speedway, Darlington Raceway and Kansas Speedway to set the 12-driver Playoff field.

“I don’t think we should be in this situation as it is, it’s just frustrating,’’ Herbst said. “We have some good tracks for us and good tracks for Stewart-Haas Racing, I’m excited. It’s just frustrating that things like this beyond our control keep happening, but it’ll turn around one day, and when it does, we’ll be happy.”

MORE: 2023 Xfinity Series standings | Xfinity Series schedule

John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer, Chandler Smith, Alex Bowman and Jeb Burton rounded out the top 10. Austin Hill, who was among those collected in the overtime restart, finished 14th and now holds a nine-point advantage over Nemechek atop the championship standings.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series moves to Daytona next week for Friday’s Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola (7:30 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). Jeremy Clements is the defending race winner. Hill won at Daytona in February.

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

Posted on August 19, 2023 by Zach Sturniolo

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – On the outside looking in, Daniel Suárez is prepared to fight for his spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Holding onto the final provisional postseason position, Bubba Wallace is hopeful to fend off the challenges being thrown his way.

It culminates with Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International (3 p.m. ET, USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), the penultimate race of the Cup Series regular season.

MORE: Cup standings | Watkins Glen schedule

Suárez enters 17th in the standings, just outside the 16-driver grid and 28 points back of Wallace. The Trackhouse Racing driver made the playoffs for the first time last year thanks to a win at Sonoma Raceway, another road course. He’s never qualified for the postseason on points, but that doesn’t mean he’s backing down from the challenge.

“The way I personally perform, I love being in these kinds of scenarios,” Suárez said Saturday. “I feel like as a race-car driver and as an athlete, you really live for moments like this. You don’t get to experience moments like this all the time. And when you do experience these moments, I feel like that’s really when you get to show what you’re built of.”

Suárez’s third-place finish last week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course was “the worst third-place I’ve ever had … by a lot,” he said. After winning the pole for the event, Suárez led six laps and was hot on leader Michael McDowell’s tail for much of the event along with that of Chase Elliott. But a slow stop that saw the air hose get caught beneath his left-front tire under green-flag conditions dropped the No. 99 car over 10 seconds behind McDowell.

Watkins Glen offers a chance for the team to rebound from a costly miscue with just two chances left to make the playoffs.

“We had long meetings, long conversations, this week about Indianapolis,” Suárez said. “I think that even though it’s not great that it happened, I feel like we learned a lot from that mistake because there are a lot of people that could have done something different, something better to avoid that problem, including myself. So I feel like as a team, we grew a lot in the last few days and I’m excited for this weekend’s challenge.”

Wallace is on the other side of the picture – the good side, for now. The problem for Wallace, driver of the No. 23 Toyota for 23XI Racing, is that there is a hungry pack of drivers behind him. And if another new winner emerges from behind him in points – a la Suárez, Ty Gibbs, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman or AJ Allmendinger – Wallace would suddenly be on the outside looking in.

“Go Michael McDowell. Go Tyler Reddick,” Wallace said with a laugh. “Go everybody else that’s in front of us.”

Wallace historically struggles on road courses, backed by the stats which note one top-five finish and two top 10s on the tracks with right turns. In one sense, he’s encouraged entering Sunday’s race, knowing at least his effort has made up for his lack of results. In another, he’s discouraged his efforts haven’t been rewarded.

“I’m coming in here with a positive outlook,” Wallace said. “I’m excited to get on track and see. It’s just when you get in the race, I don’t know what happens. You know, I just sit there and ride. Wherever I start’s wherever I finish. Like the race craft (is a problem).

“So I got a lot of people in my corner trying to help out, which is good and getting us better. And so we’re not just staying stagnant. We’re attempting and putting all the efforts forward to get better results here.”

Two other drivers eager for no new winners? Former champions Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski. The two are comfortably above the provisional elimination line – by 145 points and 143 points, respectively – but if new victors below them break through at both Watkins Glen and Daytona, only one of the two will advance.

“I think we knew looking back four or five weeks ago that you couldn’t count on points getting you in,” Keselowski said. “So I wouldn’t say there’s any big surprise for us. Actually, I was working the other way, where I was getting more surprised that there was an opportunity to make it in on points than vice versa. So you know, I think it’s up to us to go execute and have that opportunity.”

Gibbs is just behind Suárez in the point standings, but his 21-point deficit to Suárez means the rookie is 49 markers out of a postseason position. In the playoff hunt as a first-year full-timer, Gibbs is relishing the opportunity but reflective upon what’s kept him out of Victory Lane thus far.

“I think just a lack of execution on my part,” Gibbs said. “I think we’ve had great, great cars, great pit stops. I think it just comes down to me being somewhat of a rookie and having to be better in a lot of different situations.”

RELATED: Catch up on the playoff bubble

Then of course is Chase Elliott, whose track record at Watkins Glen is exceptional but sits in a must-win position entering Sunday’s race. But the 2020 champion said Saturday he made too many mistakes in qualifying en route to a 15th-place starting position. The five-time defending recipient of the Most Popular Driver Award has never missed the playoffs.

Through the frustration was a glimmer of optimism, thanks to the speed of Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron, who starts second behind Denny Hamlin on Sunday.

“William had a lot of pace there, so that’s good,” Elliott said. “Hopefully I can figure out how to drive the vehicle faster.”

MORE: How Elliott blocks out noise, leans on team

The Glen marks, in many drivers’ minds, the last chance to control their postseason fates. The unpredictable nature of superspeedways such as Daytona next weekend provides far more uncertainty than clarity.

“Daytona, to show up there in a must-win situation is like going to Vegas and having to hit the nearest slot machine for the jackpot,” Elliott said. “That’s just silly. So to me, this is the opportunity that we have the most control over and didn’t have a very good start to the weekend. Puts you in a tough spot, but look: It’s nobody’s fault but mine that we’re in the spot we’re in.”

Posted on August 19, 2023 by Staff Report

See where your favorite driver will pit during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

Posted on August 19, 2023February 8, 2024 by Holly Cain

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin won the pole position for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) – taking to the track twice in Saturday’s final qualifying session alone and bettering his already field-best speed in his second outing.

This is the fourth pole position of the season and third road course pole – also at Sonoma, Calif. and Chicago Street Race – for Hamlin, whose No. 11 JGR Toyota turned a lap of 125.298 mph around the 3.45-mile, 11-turn course in picturesque upstate New York.

“I feel confident in the speed of my car,” said Hamlin, whose only NASCAR Cup Series road course win came at Watkins Glen in 2016. “I still think in the top 10, there’s maybe seven better road course drivers overall putting all the laps together and speed. But I think track position is the biggest factor over all that, so it’s up to me to make sure I execute at the beginning of the race and then set the tone from there, have good pit stops, have good strategy and let’s see where we’re at.”

Hamlin will start alongside Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron on the front row – besting Byron’s mark in the No. 24 Hendrick Chevrolet by a slight 0.19 seconds. Last week’s Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course winner Michael McDowell will start third, followed by Hamlin’s JGR rookie teammate Ty Gibbs and Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, the two-time defending winner at the track.

Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch and Spire Motorsports’ Corey LaJoie rounded out the top 10. It’s a career-best qualifying effort for LaJoie, who will roll off 10th in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.

Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott was among those that did not advance past the first round of qualifying. He was sixth fastest in Group A, with only the top five moving to the final round session, and his speed will place him 15th on Sunday’s grid.

Elliott was understandably frustrated Saturday about his qualifying. With two regular-season races remaining, the former series champion will need to win a race to advance to his ninth-consecutive Playoffs. And Watkins Glen has been a productive venue for the 2021 champion. He won back-to-back races here in 2018-19. The 2018 victory was his first ever at the Cup Series level.

“Unfortunate,” Elliott said of his qualifying run Saturday, noting he was very disappointed after having shown good pace in practice.

“Our prep coming in was really good,” Elliott said. “[Teammate] William [Byron] had a lot of pace there, so that’s good. Hopefully, I can figure out how to drive the vehicle faster.

“Daytona, to show up there [next week] and it be a must-win situation is like going to Vegas and having to hit the nearest slot machine for the jackpot,” Elliott continued. “That’s just silly. To me, this is opportunity we have the most control over and didn’t have a very good start to the weekend, so it puts you in a tough spot.

“It’s no one’s fault but mine that we’re in the spot we’re in. Hate it, but it is what it is, and we’ll fight tomorrow to the last lap, and hopefully, something will fall our way.”

Bubba Wallace, who currently holds the final playoff transfer position, will start 12th. Daniel Suárez, who is in 17th place in the championship and 28 points behind Wallace, will start 14th.

Martin Truex Jr., who currently leads the NASCAR Cup Series standings by 60 points over Hamlin, will start 19th on Sunday.

AJ Allmendinger fastest during practice

With a speed of 123.967 mph, Kaulig Racing’s Allmendinger led the field during the final session. LaJoie, Byron, Larson and Bell rounded out the top five.

MORE: Practice results

Allmendinger’s best circuit came on Lap 5, where he rounded the 2.45-mile road course in 71.148 seconds.

Contributing: Staff Reports

Posted on August 18, 2023August 18, 2023 by Zach Sturniolo

Chase Elliott is concerned with one thing and one thing only: being the best possible driver for his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team.

A multitude of unique circumstances has increased the chatter surrounding Elliott’s bid for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The 2020 Cup champion and five-time defending recipient of the Most Popular Driver Award sits outside the 16-driver postseason grid with two regular-season races remaining, tied for 19th in the standings with teammate Alex Bowman, both 80 points away from a playoff position.

MORE: Cup playoff standings | Weekend schedule: Watkins Glen

Elliott’s thoughts are clear though, no matter how murky 2023 has been for him after missing seven races – six due to a March snowboarding injury and another due to suspension.

“I think it just reaffirms how little outside noise matters,” Elliott told NASCAR.com in a Tuesday phone interview. “And it really makes you put even more emphasis on the things that do make a difference and just makes you pay less attention to the things that don’t. And when you really boil things down, there is just so much chatter and so much noise that goes on week to week. And as I have gotten older and as I have spent more time doing this stuff, I just care less and less about the noise and more about the things that make a difference.

“And ultimately, that’s performance on track each week and making sure I’m showing up for my team prepared and making sure that we’re treating the fans the way they need to be treated at the race track, and the folks that are there to support you. So you know, I just try to show up each week as prepared as I can be as a race-car driver for my guys and let them know that I’m trying to carry my weight as best as I can.”

Elliott has never been a stranger to being the center of attention. Taking over Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 car at Hendrick Motorsports as a 20-year-old rookie will do that … especially when you’re the son of 16-time Most Popular Driver and 1988 Cup champion Bill Elliott. Navigating the chaos of that white noise in the midst of a playoff pursuit is just another wrinkle added to the weekly grind of being a top-tier Cup driver.

That’s where crew chief Alan Gustafson plays a critical role. Gustafson, who has found himself atop a Hendrick Motorsports pit box since 2005, carries a perennially even-keeled demeanor that allows him to lead with a clear head regardless of circumstances.

“One thing that makes Alan so good is the guy just stays middle of the road no matter what,” Elliott said. “Even when things are going the best they can possibly be going or things are the absolute worst they could possibly be. He just rides and maintains this middle-of-the-road attitude that I think you have to have to endure a long period of time in the sport. …

“Certainly this year, he’s been through some more challenges and just always keeps his head down and shows up to work every day, trying to be his very best. And that’s what he’s always done.”

Meg Oliphant | Getty Images

That mentality has led Gustafson to success with every driver for whom he’s served as crew chief – a resume that stars current or future NASCAR Hall of Famers Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Elliott. Gustafson’s innate ability to maximize each driver’s unique strengths is reflected in his 38 Cup wins – 18 of which with Elliott since 2018.

“I feel like he’s always just tried to make me a priority and (provide) what I need and letting me be me,” Elliott said. “And I think that’s one thing that has extracted performance is he’s always just let me be myself, and he goes to work into making things the best he can be around that. And he’s never asked me to change. You know, we always work together and we have a very open and honest relationship and nobody gets their feelings hurt. And all those things are very important. So it’s been a pleasure to work with him and I hope he’s not going away any time soon. I hope I’m not either.”

The focus now shifts to Watkins Glen International, one of Elliott’s best tracks on the Cup Series circuit and the site of his first career win in 2018, claiming another at the 2.45-mile road course in 2019. A third victory at The Glen on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) is nearly a necessity in order to qualify for the playoffs, with only this week and next at Daytona left in the regular season.

MORE: Where Racing Insights predicts Elliott to finish Sunday

The No. 9 Chevrolet led a race-high 29 laps in the 2022 event in Upstate New York and came home fourth after teammate Kyle Larson ran Elliott wide on a late restart on the way to the win. Can the team replicate such a performance with so much on the line for a driver who’s never missed the postseason in seven previous seasons?

“I don’t see why not,” Elliott said. “Is that guaranteed? No, it’s not, unfortunately; I would love to have that kind of pace guaranteed again. But you know, that’s just not how it works. But we can certainly take the things that we have had success with and the things that we feel like we’ve gained at a road course and try to apply it this weekend and hopefully execute a good race.”

The circumstances for Elliott are in some ways new – and in some ways familiar. He compared his current ordeal to must-win scenarios he and his crew have faced throughout previous playoff runs in order to lock into the Championship 4, the final and title round of the NASCAR Playoffs. Elliott has made the final round in each of the past three seasons.

“You’re having your back up against the wall throughout rounds of the playoffs, so, you know, it’s really no different than where we are now,” Elliott said. “But I think the most important piece of being in these situations is having a good process week to week that is something that you can consistently do and continue to show up with, and know that when we go to work on Monday, the things that we’re talking about Monday (are) relevant and important, and it’s making a difference for our next conversation on Wednesday or Thursday.

“And then when we finalize things on Wednesday or Thursday, we’re as prepared as we can be when we get to the track on Saturday. And that process is the same for us every week. And I just think trusting in that process and knowing that it’s a good one and staying consistent in it is the best thing you can do because like I said, there is no magic ‘win’ button.”

Posted on August 18, 2023August 20, 2023 by Kobe Lambeth

Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International

(⏰ Sunday, 3 p.m. ET | 📺 USA, NBC Sports App | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen, the 25th points-paying race of the 2023 Cup Series campaign.

Weekend schedule | TV schedule | Weather tracker | Watkins Glen 101

📍 Location: Watkins Glen, New York
📐 Track length: 2.45 miles
🎟️ Buy tickets: Find weekend passes, seats for the race
💰 Cup Series race purse: $7,154,312
📏 Race distance: 90 laps | 220.5 miles
🔢 Stages: 20 | 40 | 90
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🚪 Entry list: Cup Series drivers entered
📋 Starting lineup: Hamlin starts at the front
🚗 Pit stall assignments: Full grid for Sunday’s race
🏆 Most recent winner: Kyle Larson, summer 2022

Key things to watch 🔑

Saturday’s sessions

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin took a milestone 40th career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Watkins Glen International. Hamlin edged out Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron and last Sunday’s winner at the Indianapolis Road Course, Michael McDowell, as the No. 34 team looks to score back-to-back road-course wins. Ty Gibbs and Kyle Larson round out the top five for Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). | Read the full practice, qualifying recap

Big story line

Can Michael McDowell win back-to-back races? McDowell heads to the road course in Upstate New York after a dominant performance at the Brickyard in a statement win. The Front Row Motorsports driver led 54 of 82 laps and held off Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott in the final laps to visit Indianapolis Victory Lane and punch his ticket to the playoffs. To put McDowell’s strong road-course racing record into a greater perspective, he currently leads all active Cup Series drivers in points scored on road courses this year with a total of 171 points. The next closest is Kyle Larson, who has scored 35 fewer points than McDowell on road courses. Another strong showing on Sunday at Watkins Glen for the No. 34 Ford is a high possibility. McDowell has seven top-10 finishes in the last nine road-course races and finished sixth at The Glen last year. Building off the momentum from Indy, McDowell, crew chief Travis Peterson and Front Row will look to show the Cup Series garage the team’s performance at the Indianapolis Road Course was not a one-off show as they look to compete for another win at Watkins Glen. | Inside the Race: McDowell McDominates at Indy

History tells us…

Chase Elliott can punch his ticket to the Cup Series Playoffs with another Watkins Glen win. Entering the Watkins Glen race weekend 80 points below the elimination line, Elliott’s only hope of making the postseason is winning on Sunday or taking his chances at the regular-season finale at Daytona. Given the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing, Watkins Glen could be the No. 9 team’s last chance to compete for a championship in 2023. However, with their backs against the wall, there is no better driver to go to battle with everything on the line than Elliott. In the last four races at Watkins Glen, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has finished no worse than fourth place, which includes two wins in 2018 and 2019. Elliott’s seven road course victories are the most among active Cup Series drivers. Road-course win No. 8 and his third at The Glen on Sunday would have greater implications in a challenging season of playing catch-up that has been impacted by injury and a one-race suspension after Charlotte. | Preview Show: Playoff crunch time at Watkins Glen International

He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…

Christopher Bell. In his fourth full season in the Cup Series, Bell has shown plenty of speed on the road courses. He got his first career win in NASCAR’s premier series at the Daytona Road Course in 2021. The driver of the N0. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota also picked up another road-course win last year, in a stylish walk-off win at Charlotte to advance to the Round of 8 in the playoffs. Bell comes to The Glen with 10-1 odds of winning the race. In his only two career Cup starts at Watkins Glen, he finished seventh (2021) and eighth (2022), respectively. Given Toyota’s improvement on road courses this year and the flashy speed Bell has shown in previous road races, look for him to potentially contend for his second win of 2023. | Relive last year’s finish at Watkins Glen

Talkin’ Trophies 🔍

In this installment of ‘Talkin’ Trophies’, we learn about the unique Corning trophy from Watkins Glen International.

Familiar favorites ⭐️

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.

• At-track photos: Scroll through gallery
• Bubble Watch: In-depth look at the playoff picture as regular season winds down | Get the scoop
• Paint Scheme Preview: See the schemes for Watkins Glen | Pick a favorite
• Power Rankings: Michael McDowell moves up four spots as he seeks his second consecutive Cup Series win | Latest driver rankings
• Stacking Pennies: Corey LaJoie chats with Justin Haley about his 2024 move to Rick Ware Racing and more | Listen to the podcast

💎 NASCAR 75: Learn more about the history of the sport, from pioneers to current stars | Visit NASCAR 75 hub

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Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy and Fan Rewards.

• Fantasy Live: Participate in interactive gameplay from week to week | Choose your lineup
• Fan Rewards: New in 2023, get rewarded for your participation | Learn more
• NASCAR BetCenter: Don’t miss your chance to make picks each week | Visit the BetCenter
• Going the distance: 2023 Cup Series championship odds | See them here

🔮 Advance to Victory Lane: Racing Insights projects the finishing order

Posted on August 18, 2023 by Cara Cooper

Last season, Kevin Ford won four races in the Better Baker Sportsman division at Berlin Raceway on his way to a track championship.

This year, he’s already surpassed his 2022 win total.

Ford picked up his fifth victory of the season last week at Berlin, a NASCAR-sanctioned, 7/16-mile paved oval in Marne, Michigan. All of Ford’s success behind the wheel of the race car is made even more impressive by the fact that he’s only been racing cars for three years.

Since about 2009, Ford competed solely on iRacing. During that time, he also helped on the pit crew of a friend who races at Berlin.

About three years ago, another friend decided to buy a car and start a race team. The friend asked Ford if he would like to drive.

“It was a little new direction for us,” Ford said.

The transition from the simulator to the real thing was a relatively easy one for Ford; he felt he had already learned the fastest way to get around different tracks and had a good idea of how to approach race craft in real life.

He thinks his time iRacing gave him a leg up on other inexperienced drivers.

“On iRacing, you know how to start and restart a race, you recognize the people around you and how to pass. All that stuff plays in,” Ford said. “It’s not dead realistic, its not a one-to-one conversion anywhere, but it definitely gets you pointed in the right direction and gives you a head start on people. If you didn’t have iRacing or real racing, I think you’d need an extra season or two to really get your feet underneath you.”

There is one big, obvious difference that Ford has found when it comes to the real car.

“It’s easier and it’s harder in different ways,” he said. “iRacing is harder to drive the car at times because you don’t have the seat of the pants feel that you would want. In a real car you can feel the tires a lot better, and I think that makes it a lot easier to push the car to the limit.

“But, you go to real life and you have to add in fear, of course. Then it gets harder. You don’t have the free reset you have in iRacing. There’s no money involved when you wreck a car in iRacing. There’s no injuries involved when you wreck a car in iRacing. So you get all these new sensations like, ‘Oh, I can wreck a race car. But I can also see the concrete wall,’ and that takes some of that away from you. Add fear into the equation, that gets a little tough to do in real life.”

Ford had his first brush with danger three weeks ago when he crashed into the frontstretch wall at Berlin. It was the first time in his career he’s had to do major repairs to his car.

“We’ve been fortunate and it’s been bound to happen eventually,” he said. “You don’t race very long without getting involved in an accident.”

It was a struggle for a couple weeks, and Ford saw himself fall in the standings. He bounced back over the weekend and got back in the win column at the “Battle at Berlin,” one of the track’s biggest races of the season.

The victory was not only special for Ford, who said prior to the race it was one he wanted to win more than any other, it also officially surpassed his win total from last year, which was a goal coming into the summer.

Ford is currently second in the Sportman points at Berlin, 76 points behind leader Brian Thome.

He’s fourth in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division III standings, 24 points behind the leader.

“It is much, much closer than it was last year,” Ford said of the Berlin points. “I think we picked up a couple extra competitive cars for this season so far. It’s been a little more work all year, actually. We actually made the car faster this winter and struggled more out of the gate than we did last year with a faster car than what we finished the season with. That was tough to realize right away that we were going to be fighting tougher competition than last year. Trying to repeat as champions was definitely going to be difficult.”

He’s still holding out hope for another Berlin title, and he wants to work to continue climbing the national standings.

More importantly, the rest of the year is about continuing to have fun behind the wheel of an actual car.

“It’s definitely more fun to race the real car,” he said. “A lot more adrenaline involved. It’s a lot more fun to actually do it. Real racing comes with a lot more stress than sim racing, too. You have to keep the car up to shape, you’re worrying about a season-long points battles. You’re worried about sponsors that you’re trying to keep happy and run well for them. There’s a lot more stress off the track… but when it actually comes to green flag, I’d rather be in a real car all day long.”