With Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch taking decorations from the past two Cup Series races, the next member of the”Big 3,” Martin Truex Jr., will feel his time to win is this weekend at Watkins Glen International (WGI).
Truex is the defending winner in Watkins Glen and contains top-10 finishes in his last two races and seven top 10s in 12 total starts on the road course. Problem is, no driver has accomplished a repeat win in The Glen. Marcos Ambrose, who returned in his native Australia to race, is the last to win back races .
Truex, Harvick and kyle Busch would be the three favorites to hoist the Cup Series trophy in November but also Sunday to win.
Maybe nobody gets as excited about Watkins Glen’s street course as veteran A.J. Allmendinger, that hit his playoff ticket at the street in 2014. Allmendinger opened to take the checkers.
Allmendinger has six top-10 finishes in his last seven races at The Glen and has accomplished the remarkable task of finishing every lap (812) of every race he’s competed in there.
Race setup
Distance: 220.5 kilometers (90 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20), Phase 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Closing Phase (Ends on Lap 90).
The monitor
Watkins Glen, located in upstate New York, is a 7-turn, 2.45-mile street course that recently got a repave. Though the road-course is similar to Sonoma Raceway, it’s relatively flat with fewer twists, making it a faster course than its California sister.
Recent winners
2017: Martin Truex Jr..
2016: Denny Hamlin
2015: Joey Logano
2014: AJ Allmendinger
2013: Kyle Busch
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