NASCAR at Watkins Glen: The place to observe, reside stream, lineup, decide to win for the Go Bowling at The Glen

At this second within the NASCAR Cup Collection season, three is the operative quantity to explain the state of affairs because the common season enters its closing moments: With 13 drivers now assured a spot within the playoffs by advantage of getting gained a race, simply three spots now stay for drivers to both be part of the 16-driver playoff grid with a win or make it in on factors. And solely three races stay to get a possible season-defining win, beginning this weekend out on the street at Watkins Glen.

NASCAR will race on a street course for the fifth time this season within the Go Bowling at The Glen, a race which might show essential to sure drivers beneath the lower line. A few of NASCAR’s finest street racers together with Michael McDowell and A.J. Allmendinger sit properly out of place to make the playoffs on factors, which means that this race may very well be their final finest likelihood to make sure they’re going to race for a championship within the fall — If, in fact, they’ll discover a solution to outpace Shane van Gisbergen and maintain him from successful his fourth street course race in a row.

The place to observe the NASCAR Cup Collection at Watkins Glen

When: Sunday, Aug. 10, 2 p.m. ET
The place: Watkins Glen Worldwide — Watkins Glen, N.Y.
TV: USA
Stream: fubo (Start watching, save $20!)

Beginning lineup

Ryan Blaney gained the pole for the Go Bowling at The Glen in qualifying on Saturday, posting a lap of 71.960 (122.568 MPH) to knock Shane van Gisbergen off the highest spot and earn his second pole of the 2025 season.

1. #12 – Ryan Blaney
2. #88 – Shane van Gisbergen (R)
3. #19 – Chase Briscoe
4. #1 – Ross Chastain
5. #8 – Kyle Busch
6. #71 – Michael McDowell
7. #48 – Alex Bowman
8. #77 – Carson Hocevar
9. #20 – Christopher Bell
10. #24 – William Byron
11. #22 – Joey Logano
12. #17 – Chris Buescher
13. #2 – Austin Cindric
14. #54 – Ty Gibbs
15. #23 – Bubba Wallace
16. #6 – Brad Keselowski
17. #60 – Ryan Preece
18. #16 – A.J. Allmendinger
19. #99 – Daniel Suarez
20. #9 – Chase Elliott
21. #45 – Tyler Reddick
22. #11 – Denny Hamlin
23. #7 – Justin Haley
24. #21 – Josh Berry
25. #87 – Connor Zilisch
26. #3 – Austin Dillon
27. #5 – Kyle Larson
28. #34 – Todd Gilliland
29. #35 – Riley Herbst (R)
30. #43 – Erik Jones
31. #42 – John Hunter Nemechek
32. #41 – Cole Custer
33. #10 – Ty Dillon
34. #38 – Zane Smith
35. #47 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
36. #4 – Noah Gragson
37. #51 – Cody Ware
38. #78 – Katherine Legge
39. #44 – J.J. Yeley
40. #66 – Josh Bilicki

Storyline to observe

NASCAR made a change to the restart zone at Watkins Glen, which has been moved to the entry to Flip 7 somewhat than the exit of the nook resulting in the beginning/end line. The change is much like the one made to the restart zone at Circuit of the Americas, which was moved again in an effort to higher unfold the sector out on the entry to show one, lessening the possibilities of main pileups occurring attributable to drivers dive bombing the nook in heavy visitors.

“In an effort with the drivers to attempt to eradicate that as a lot as doable however proceed to have thrilling racing and let these guys form of settle the battle on a race observe with out steady cautions, we elected to start out shifting them again and get the restart form of carried out sooner, if you’ll,” NASCAR vp of competitors Elton Sawyer told SiriusXM this week. “After which they have the entrance straightaway to race. So it offers them a little little bit of separation, however nonetheless loads of asphalt there to make strikes. In order that was the purpose, and thus far, in many of the street programs, we really feel like we have achieved that.”

NASCAR information of the week

• NASCAR officers are actually overtly discussing a rise from 670 to 750 horsepower for Cup Collection automobiles, however vp of competitors Elton Sawyer famous this week than any enhance in horsepower probably won’t come till the 2026 season. During an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Sawyer referred to the matter of accelerating horsepower as a “2026 initiative” as they proceed discussing the matter with the game’s OEMs.
• NASCAR granted a playoff waiver to Austin Hill that may permit him to retain his eligibility for the Xfinity Collection playoffs regardless of a one-race suspension for deliberately wrecking Aric Almirola at Indianapolis, however not with out penalties: Due to a brand new rule carried out for 2025 addressing drivers lacking races for non-excused causes, Hill now forfeits all playoff factors he has accrued all through the season and also will be ineligible to achieve any extra till the top of the common season.

  Consequently, Hill now loses the 21 playoff factors he had earned all through the season up to now, which might have main penalties for him if he winds up ready the place he has to advance within the playoffs on factors. Elsewhere within the Xfinity Collection, Taylor Grey’s staff was fined $5,000 for an improperly put in lug nut present in post-race inspection final week at Iowa.

• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection driver Stewart Friesen has been launched from Albany Medical Middle and returned dwelling after present process surgical procedure to restore a shattered pelvis and damaged leg suffered in a horrific grime modified accident. Friesen will miss the remainder of the 2025 season whereas he recovers from his accidents, resulting in some motion within the Truck Collection discipline.

  Friesen’s No. 52 truck might be pushed this weekend by Christopher Bell, earlier than Kaden Honeycutt takes the wheel for the rest of the 2025 season starting at Richmond. Honeycutt strikes over to Halmar Friesen from Niece Motorsports, the place he was let go by the Chevrolet staff this week after signing with one other producer for 2026. Bayley Currey will take over the Niece No. 45 that Honeycutt had pushed, whereas Honeycutt will spend this weekend at Watkins Glen driving the No. 02 for Younger’s Motorsports.

Choose to win

Shane van Gisbergen (+135) – The final three street course races had been straightforward cash should you wager on Shane van Gisbergen. He is gained three street races in a row at Mexico Metropolis, Chicago and Sonoma. And at Watkins Glen, SVG involves Upstate New York trying to avenge the ultimate lap of this race a yr in the past, the place he was main on the ultimate lap just for a slight clip of the Armco barrier getting into the bus cease for the ultimate time to interrupt his momentum, giving Chris Buescher the prospect he wanted to get a run and drive previous him for the win.

Humorous sufficient, the penultimate lap of final yr’s Watkins Glen race was the one one which SVG had led all day. However that was when SVG was driving for Kaulig Racing, and his No. 88 staff at Trackhouse Racing this yr has given him all the pieces he wants to hold out what’s on the precipice of being a generational run in NASCAR street racing.