4 months agoAustin Cindric has a reputation as a road course specialist that is not entirely warranted. Although he was generally very good in his NASCAR Cup Series starts on road courses in 2021 and 2022, he has only managed two top ten finishes in the nine road course races since. It seems he may have had an initial advantage on road courses after NASCAR abruptly decided to add many more road courses to the schedule but that advantage has been nullified as that the drivers who are generally better than him everywhere else gain experience on them. Although his fifth-place starting position is very solid, Watkins Glen is one of only two road courses where he has not posed a top ten. Coupling that with Team Penske's lack of speed on road courses and his general trend of finishing worse than he starts, it's clear that expectations should be muted.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
4 months agoHarrison Burton did not get the good luck he needed at Atlanta to have any realistic chance of advancing in the NASCAR playoffs, but he probably wouldn't have been able to do it even if his Team Penske satellite team had dominated with the official Penske teams since Watkins Glen has never been a strong track for him. Burton starts 33rd in today's NASCAR Cup Series race, his worst ever starting position at the track and also his finishing position last year. Although he backed into a third-place finish at the inaugural Indianapolis GP due to heavy attrition, that was really his only competitive moment in a Cup Series road course race and given his lame-duck status, his past history at the track, and his poor starting position, it's hard to imagine anything changing in today's race.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
4 months agoRyan Blaney has never been very good on road courses relative to his performance on other tracks and this trend has been increasingly pronounced with the Next Gen chassis. He has never finished in the top five or seriously contended on any road or street course with this chassis. In his last 13 races on road courses, he has posted a mere three top tens but six consecutive finishes worse than 20th. However, he has had a bit of an uptick in results of late as he has not finished worse than 13th in his last six road course starts despite not being very competitive. His 30th-place qualifying run and recent record suggests today will be a struggle and he'll probably lose points to many other playoff contenders, but since he is currently leading the playoff points, he is still highly probable to advance.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
4 months agoDon't overlook Zane Smith this weekend in the Go Bowling at The Glen. The Spire Motorsports racers is one of just seven drivers this year who are three-for-three at finishing inside the top 20 in all three road (or street) course races. Smith finished 19th at COTA back in March despite starting in 34th-place, and then at Sonoma, Zane qualified 20th and ended up crossing the finish line in 16th when it was all said and done. At the Chicago Street Course, Smith finished 17th after starting back in 30th. As far as track history goes, Zane has very limited experience at Watkins Glen. He has never raced here in the Cup Series and he made just one start here in the Truck Series, finishing sixth back in 2021.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
4 months agoRicky Stenhouse Jr. isn't really known for his road-course prowess, but he actually hasn't been too bad at Watkins Glen of late. Over the last five races at this track, Stenhouse has finished between 13th and 19th every single time, and he hasn't had a result outside of the top 20 here since the 2016 season. That's even more impressive when you consider that Stenhouse has finished 24th or worse in four of the last five road course races he's ran. As usual, it's going to be risky to pick Stenhouse on Sunday, but he's a sleeper that many people likely won't be thinking about. Therefore, if you're on a contrarian strategy, it may be worth rolling the dice. The No. 47 Chevrolet was 23rd-fastest in practice on Saturday afternoon. He qualified in 26th place for Sunday's race.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Ifantasyrace
4 months agoAJ Allmendinger is driving a third Kaulig Racing entry this weekend in the Go Bowling at The Glen, as he will be behind the wheel of the No. 13 Chevrolet for Sunday afternoon's race at Watkins Glen. Allmendinger is a very strong road course racer and has one victory on his resume in the Cup Series at this track, taking the checkered flag in the 2014 Glen race while driving for JTG Daugherty Racing. In his two starts in a Kaulig Racing car in the Next Gen era, Allmendinger has came home second and fourth. However, AJ was driving the No. 16 Chevrolet for those two races. He did finish sixth at COTA in this No. 13 Chevrolet earlier this season, though, so it's possible that the road course ringer may not be getting a lesser version of Kaulig equipment this weekend. In practice on Saturday, Allmendinger was 22nd-fastest and he will roll off the starting grid from sixth-place this weekend. He has posted a top 10 finish in nine of his last 11 Cup Series starts on road courses.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Sports Illustrated
4 months agoSome drivers simply aren't very good at road-course racing, and that seems to be the case with Stewart-Haas Racing driver Josh Berry. One could argue that nobody has been worse at the road courses this season than Berry. He has walked away with finishes of 32nd or worse in all three races and he has the worst average running position of all drivers when you look at just the COTA and Sonoma races from earlier this year. Berry has never made a Cup Series start at Watkins Glen, but he finished ninth here in the Xfinity Series back in 2022 before winding up 20th in that series' race last season. There are plenty of better options for your fantasy lineups this weekend other than Berry.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
4 months agoOne driver to keep an eye on at Watkins Glen this weekend is Todd Gilliland. The Front Row Motorsports driver has had sleeper potential in almost all races this season, and the same is true for this weekend's Go Bowling at The Glen. Gilliland finished 11th here at Watkins Glen last season and came home 10th at Sonoma earlier this year as well. Not to mention he wound up finishing seventh at the Chicago Street Course this year, although that track is a bit of an outlier when analyzing road courses in general. Gilliland also has a 10th-place finish at COTA on his road course resume in the Cup Series, though. He's nowhere near a guarantee, but Todd Gilliland has good upside this weekend. It's also worth noting that he ranks 15th-best in the series when it comes to average running position on road courses this season. Gilliland qualified 37th for this weekend's race, so he has major Place Differential upside for DFS players on Sunday if he can find some more speed during the race.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Win The Race
4 months agoRyan Preece will start Sunday's Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International from the 21st position. This is the best starting position of Preece's Cup career at the Glen and of the 2024 season at a road course. In three previous Watkins Glen races, Preece has one top-20 finish, which he gained in last year's race, placing 17th after starting 30th. Through 27 races in the 2024 season, Preece has 12 top-20 finishes, including Sonoma, where he finished 18th after starting 30th. In practice, Preece ranked 20th in overall lap averages, 21st in 10 consecutive lap averages, and 12th in 15 consecutive lap averages. Preece is more experienced than most of the younger drivers in the value range and is worth recommending as a punt play at Watkins Glen, capable of placing in the Top 20 based on his equipment.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
4 months agoFor Sunday's Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International, Michael McDowell will start 10th. This will be the third Cup event in a row at Watkins Glen, where McDowell will begin inside the Top 10. In 14 races at the site, McDowell has six top-20 finishes, all scored within the last eight Cup events. McDowell's best finish at WGI was sixth in 2022 and he obtained positive PD four times at the site in is Cup career. With 27 races completed so far in 2024, McDowell has six top-10 finishes, including a finish of fifth at the Chicago Street Course and a runner-up finish at Sonoma earlier in the year. In practice, McDowell ranked second in overall lap averages and had the best 15 consecutive lap average of the field. Due to his road racing background, great practice speeds in the long run and overall proficiency at road courses this year, McDowell is one of the better DFS options available who could compete for the win.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
4 months agoIn qualifying for Sunday's Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International, Team Penske's Joey Logano qualified seventh for Sunday's race. This is Logano's best starting position at Watkins Glen since the introduction of the Next-Gen car in 2022. In 14 races at the New York track, Logano has one win and seven top-10 finishes, including each of the last two Cup events. After 27 races so far this season, the No. 22 Ford driver has two wins and nine top-10 finishes, including the last two Cup events this season. Logano's best race at a road course this season was at COTA, where he placed 11th after starting 35th. In practice, Logano ranked 35th in overall lap averages while ranking among the Top 10 fastest in five and 10 consecutive lap averages. Based on his practice speeds, recent history at Watkins Glen, and low upside, Logano is a driver that is worth taking a chance on for tournament lineups in DFS but not generally recommended elsewhere.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
4 months agoDenny Hamlin will start this week's Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International from the 22nd position on Sunday. This matches Hamlin's 2022 Cup start at Watkins Glen, where he went on to finish 20th and score some slight positive Place Differential. In 17 starts at the site, Hamlin has nine top-10 finishes and collected his only career Cup Series road course win there in 2016. This includes four top-5 finishes in the previous six Cup events at WGI, including a runner-up finish in last year's race. Through 27 races this season, Hamlin has three wins and 12 top-10 finishes. Hamlin's top finish on a road course in 2024 was 14th at COTA. In practice, Hamlin ranked 30th in overall lap averages but was among the Top 10 fastest in five, 10, and 15 consecutive lap averages. Hamlin is worth rostering in all DFS formats due to his great equipment from Joe Gibbs Racing, practice speeds, and history at Watkins Glen, which is arguably his best road course statistically.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
4 months agoRick Ware Racing driver Justin Haley will start 36th in Sunday's Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. This is the lowest starting position of Haley's Cup career at Watkins Glen and matches his lowest starting position of 2024. In three races at Watkins Glen in the Cup Series, Haley's best finish is 18th, which he nabbed in 2022 with Kaulig Racing. After 27 races this season, Haley has 11 top-20 finishes, including the Chicago Street Course, where he placed 16th. Haley also originally finished 17th at COTA before being disqualified after the race because his team failed to meet the minimum weight requirements. In practice, Haley ranked 19th of all drivers in overall lap averages and 26th in five consecutive lap averages. Haley is a great value option for all DFS formats with huge upside based on his practice speeds and results at road courses in recent years.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
4 months agoXfinity Series regular Shane Van Gisbergen will start third in this week's Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International with Kaulig Racing. This will be Van Gisbergen's first Cup start at Watkins Glen, and this qualifying result matches the best of his Cup career to date. The No. 16 Chevrolet driver placed fifth at Watkins Glen earlier in the weekend in the Xfinity Series race at the site. In seven races completed this season in the Cup Series on a part-time schedule, SVG has one top-20 finish and two finishes with positive PD. In practice, Van Gisbergen ranked 23rd in overall lap averages while ranking among the top 5 fastest in all other time categories. Based on his practice speeds and road racing background, SVG is one of the top drivers to watch who should compete for the win this week at Watkins Glen.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
4
months
agoChase
Elliott
will
start
Sunday's
Go
Bowling
at
the
Glen
at
Watkins
Glen
International
from
the
14th
position.
This
will
be
the
fourth
time
in
Elliott's
Cup
career
and
the
second
time
since
2022
that
he
will
start
a
race
at
Watkins
Glen
outside
of
the
Top
10.
read more...
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