NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen
Auto race held in Watkins Glen, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stock car racing events in the NASCAR Cup Series have taken place at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York on the 2.454-mile (3.949 km) road course annually since 1986. Since 2018, the 100-lap, 245.54-mile (395.16 km) race has been known as Go Bowling at The Glen for sponsorship reasons.[2]
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 | |
| NASCAR Cup Series | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Watkins Glen International |
| Location | Watkins Glen, New York, United States |
| Corporate sponsor | Go Bowling[1] |
| First race | 1957 |
| Distance | 245.54 miles (395.158 km) |
| Laps | 100 Stage 1: 20 Stage 2: 30 Final stage: 50 |
| Previous names | The Glen 101.2 (1957) The Glen 151.8 (1964–1965) The Budweiser At The Glen (1986–1989) Budweiser At The Glen (1990–1993) The Bud At The Glen (1994–1998) Frontier @ the Glen (1999) Global Crossing @ The Glen (2000–2001) Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen (2002–2005) AMD at the Glen (2006) Centurion Boats at the Glen (2007–2008) Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen (2009–2011) Finger Lakes 355 at The Glen (2012) Cheez-It 355 at the Glen (2013–2016) I Love New York 355 at The Glen (2017) |
| Most wins (driver) | Tony Stewart (5) |
| Most wins (team) | Hendrick Motorsports (11) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) | Chevrolet (23) |
| Circuit information | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.454 mi (3.949 km) |
| Turns | 7 |
Shane van Gisbergen is the defending race winner.
History
Prior to 1986, three races were held in 1957 (in one of the track's first professional races), as well in 1964 and 1965. These races were held in the track's original configuration, which was 2.35 miles long.
The current NASCAR Cup race at the track began in 1986, utilizing a shortened 2.45 mile course. Following the 1991 death of J. D. McDuffie in a crash in the Outer Loop, at the end of the backstretch, and a subsequent, serious crash by IMSA driver, Tommy Kendall, the Inner Loop "bus stop" chicane was added just before the Outer Loop. NASCAR has since utilized this 2.45-mile (3.94 km) "short course," and has never utilized the "Boot" as IndyCar and Formula One have. Some drivers, however, have proposed the use of the full course.
During a 2011 Mobil Oil "Car Swap" at Watkins Glen using the course, Tony Stewart pushed for using the Grand Prix course after driving demonstration laps in both his Chevrolet Impala and the majority of his laps in a McLaren MP4-23 as part of the event with Lewis Hamilton.[3]
ESPN broadcast the race from 1986 to 2000, then again in 2007 to 2014. Starting in 2015 (current contract), NBC had the rights to broadcast the race but the 2015 edition was aired on NBCSN. In 2016, the race was put on USA Network because of the 2016 Summer Olympics airing on NBC and NBCSN. Beginning in 2017, with the exception of 2025, NBC decided to broadcast this race in the style of radio where various analysts would be placed on the course to report what they see in their section of the track to the viewer.
In 2020, the race was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The State of New York was requiring travelers from several states to isolate for 14 days (including North Carolina, where most of NASCAR's teams are located, and Florida, where NASCAR's corporate offices are), and not giving the series a quarantine waiver to enter the state.[4] NASCAR instead held a race on the Daytona International Speedway road course,[5] the Go Bowling 235.
2024's running of this race was moved to September was the second race of the Round of 16 in the NASCAR playoffs.[6] Watkins Glen's stint in the playoffs was short-lived however, as in the 2025 season, Watkins Glen returned to its typical August date.[7] In 2026 the race was moved to a mid-May date.[8] On December 3, 2025, NASCAR released a schedule for the race weekend that included an extension of the race to 100 laps.[9]
Past winners
| Year | Date | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Race distance | Race time | Average speed (mph) |
Report | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laps | Miles (km) | ||||||||||
| 2.3 miles (3.7 km) Layout | |||||||||||
| 1957 | August 4 | 87 | Buck Baker | Buck Baker | Chevrolet | 44 | 101.2 (162.865) | 1:13:06 | 83.064 | Report | [10] |
| 1958 – 1963 |
Not held | ||||||||||
| 1964 | July 19 | 1 | Billy Wade | Bud Moore Engineering | Mercury | 66 | 151.8 (244.298) | 1:32:57 | 97.988 | Report | [11] |
| 1965 | July 18 | 21 | Marvin Panch | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 66 | 151.8 (244.298) | 1:32:46 | 98.182 | Report | [12] |
| 1966 – 1985 |
Not held | ||||||||||
| 2.428 miles (3.907 km) Layout (Pre inner loop chicane) | |||||||||||
| 1986 | August 10 | 25 | Tim Richmond | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 218.52 (351.673) | 2:12:56 | 90.463 | Report | [13] |
| 1987 | August 10* | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 90 | 218.52 (351.673) | 2:24:36 | 90.682 | Report | [14] |
| 1988 | August 14 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 90 | 218.52 (351.673) | 2:56:58 | 74.096 | Report | [15] |
| 1989 | August 13 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 90 | 218.52 (351.673) | 2:26:55 | 87.242 | Report | [16] |
| 1990 | August 12 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 218.52 (351.673) | 2:21:49 | 92.452 | Report | [17] |
| 1991 | August 11 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan-McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 218.52 (351.673) | 2:12:28 | 98.977 | Report | [18] |
| 2.454 miles (3.949 km) Layout with Inner Loop chicane | |||||||||||
| 1992 | August 9 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 51* | 125.154 (201.415) | 1:27:21 | 88.980 | Report | [19] |
| 1993 | August 8 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:36:04 | 84.771 | Report | [20] |
| 1994 | August 14 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:21:07 | 93.752 | Report | [21] |
| 1995 | August 13 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:11:54 | 103.030 | Report | [22] |
| 1996 | August 11 | 7 | Geoffrey Bodine | Geoff Bodine Racing | Ford | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:23:17 | 92.334 | Report | [23] |
| 1997 | August 10 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:24:55 | 91.294 | Report | [24] |
| 1998 | August 9 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:20:03 | 94.466 | Report | [25] |
| 1999 | August 15 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:30:49 | 87.722 | Report | [26] |
| 2000 | August 13 | 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:24:51 | 91.336 | Report | [27] |
| 2001 | August 12 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:28:31 | 89.081 | Report | [28] |
| 2002 | August 11 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:40:56 | 82.208 | Report | [29] |
| 2003 | August 10 | 31 | Robby Gordon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:26:17 | 90.441 | Report | [30] |
| 2004 | August 15 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:23:25 | 92.249 | Report | [31] |
| 2005 | August 14 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 92* | 225.4 (362.746) | 2:35:48 | 86.804 | Report | [32] |
| 2006 | August 13 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:52:27 | 76.718 | Report | [33] |
| 2007 | August 12 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:50:38 | 77.535 | Report | [34] |
| 2008 | August 10 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:16:11 | 97.148 | Report | [35] |
| 2009 | August 10* | 14 | Tony Stewart | Stewart–Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:26:31 | 90.297 | Report | [36] |
| 2010 | August 8 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya* | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:23:52 | 91.960 | Report | [37] |
| 2011 | August 15* | 9 | Marcos Ambrose* | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 92* | 225.4 (362.746) | 2:16:02 | 99.417 | Report | [38] |
| 2012 | August 12 | 9 | Marcos Ambrose | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:14:48 | 98.145 | Report | [39] |
| 2013 | August 11 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:32:04 | 87.001 | Report | [40] |
| 2014 | August 10 | 47 | A. J. Allmendinger | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:26:48 | 90.123 | Report | [41] |
| 2015 | August 9 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:24:43 | 91.42 | Report | [42] |
| 2016 | August 7 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:27:48 | 89.513 | Report | [43] |
| 2017 | August 6 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Toyota | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:07:03 | 104.132 | Report | [44] |
| 2018 | August 5 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:13:44 | 98.928 | Report | [45] |
| 2019 | August 4 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:14:17 | 98.523 | Report | [46] |
| 2020* | August 16 | Moved to Daytona road course due to COVID-19 pandemic | [4] | ||||||||
| 2021 | August 8 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:10:57 | 101.031 | Report | [47] |
| 2022 | August 21 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:17:52 | 95.962 | Report | [48] |
| 2023 | August 20 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 1:58:44 | 111.426 | Report | [49] |
| 2024 | September 15 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 92* | 225.4 (362.746) | 2:38:41 | 80.226 | Report | [50] |
| 2025 | August 10 | 88 | Shane van Gisbergen | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 90 | 220.5 (354.86) | 2:10:39 | 101.263 | Report | [51] |
| 2026 | May 10 | Report | |||||||||
- 1987, 2009, & 2011: Race postponed from Sunday to Monday due to rain.
- 1992: Race shortened due to rain.
- 2005, 2011, & 2024: Race extended due to NASCAR Overtime.
- 2020: Race canceled and moved to the Daytona road course due to quarantine requirements in New York associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Multiple winners (drivers)
| # of wins | Driver | Years won |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Tony Stewart | 2002, 2004–2005, 2007, 2009 |
| 4 | Jeff Gordon | 1997–1999, 2001 |
| 3 | Mark Martin | 1993–1995 |
| 2 | Rusty Wallace | 1987, 1989 |
| Ricky Rudd | 1988, 1990 | |
| Marcos Ambrose | 2011–2012 | |
| Kyle Busch | 2008, 2013 | |
| Chase Elliott | 2018–2019 | |
| Kyle Larson | 2021–2022 |
Multiple winners (teams)
| # of wins | Team | Years won |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Hendrick Motorsports | 1986, 1990, 1997–1999, 2001, 2018–2019, 2021–2023 |
| 7 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 2002, 2004–2005, 2007–2008, 2013, 2016 |
| 4 | RFK Racing | 1993–1995, 2024 |
| 2 | Blue Max Racing | 1987, 1989 |
| Richard Childress Racing | 2003, 2006 | |
| Richard Petty Motorsports | 2011–2012 |