The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs continue on Sunday with the Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International.
In the second race of the playoffs, 16 drivers are competing to advance to the Round of 12. Joey Logano won last week's playoff opener at Atlanta to clinch a spot in the next round. Next week's Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol ends the Round of 16.
Ross Chastain is on pole for Sunday's race with several road course specialists lining up behind him. His future teammate Shane van Gisbergen starts third. Two-time Cup Series winner Juan Pablo Montoya is running for 23XI Racing and starts 34th in Sunday's race.
Martin Truex Jr. led the final two laps of the first stage and earned the stage win. Chastain won the second stage after a caution flew with just over two laps left in the stage.
Other playoff drivers, Ryan Blaney and Denny Hamlin, suffered damage in a first-lap wreck and have taken a big hit in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs standings. Blaney is out after the steering column broke on his No. 12 Penske Racing Ford.
Follow along with our live updates from Sunday's second NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race.
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Shane van Gisbergen took the lead away from Chris Buescher in the first corner of overtime. Then, Buescher got a big run going into the bus stop after van Gisbergen hit the inside wall and got loose in the first corner of the bus stop. Buescher got to van Gisbergen's rear bumper in turn five.
Buescher dove to the inside of turn five and bumped van Gisbergen's No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. Buescher was able to hold off van Gisbergen through the final two corners to win the race.
Tyler Reddick and Kyle Busch were caught up in an issue when Todd Gilliland hit Chase Elliott and created a chain reaction, ending with Reddick spinning in front of Busch. Both drivers were able to continue with Busch in 29th and Reddick in 30th.
Sunday's race is going to overtime.
Brad Keselowski connected with Joey Logano coming out of the esses with seven laps to go in Sunday's race at Watkins Glen. Keselowski's left rear quarter panel hit Logano and the No. 6 RFK Ford spun into William Byron's No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Byron's car caught air and flew into the fence to bring out the sixth caution of Sunday's race. Byron has a flat left front tire and wasn't able to steer the car onto pit road.
Several playoff drivers, including Chase Elliott and William Byron, decided to pit with nine laps to go in Sunday's race at Watkins Glen. Chris Buescher stayed out and continues to lead with Shane van Gisbergen in second and Carson Hocevar in third.
Chase Briscoe is the leading playoff driver in sixth place. Buescher and van Gisbergen haven't pitted in over 26 laps and are aiming to get to the end of the race.
The race will restart with seven laps to go.
Harrison Burton suffered a left rear flat tire racing by himself on the straightaway between turns 3 and 4. He now runs 32nd and a lap down as leader Chris Buescher passed Burton as the caution was coming out.
Buescher leads the race but a nearly three-second lead has evaporated with road course specialist Shane van Gisbergen in second place.
Chris Buescher muscled his way past Joey Logano on lap 75 to regain the lead of the Go Bowling at The Glen. Logano tried to fight off Buscher's No. 17 RFK Racing Ford coming out of turn 1 but could not. Shane van Gisbergen ended up passing Logano a lap later.
Behind the leader, Kaz Grala slid through turn 7 and hit the outside wall. The rear bumper of the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford is torn up and bent. He is scored 34th.
Corey LaJoie inherited the lead from Michael McDowell and led two laps before pitting on lap 68 on Sunday at Watkins Glen.
Joey Logano has taken the lead with 22 laps to go in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race and may need to pit one more time. Shane van Gisbergen is charging through the field to get into the top 10 and try for the win.
Michael McDowell took the lead after Chris Buescher pitted from the lead on lap 60 and has opened up an over three-second lead on Corey LaJoie.
On lap 61, Christopher Bell and Austin Dillon were racing close for 12th position. Dillon dove on the inside of turn 7 to gain position against Bell but spun the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Bell was able to get the car rolling and pulled it into the pit lane without caution coming out.
Bell lost track position and is scored 33rd.
Buescher has moved up the field and worked his way into the lead with a pass on the outside of turn 7 on lap 57 around Ross Chastain, who has led 52 laps in Sunday's race.
Shane van Gisbergen and Chastain decided to pit on lap 59 after an extended run. The tires lost grip and the drivers were losing fuel.
Chase Briscoe, the leading playoff driver, pitted from seventh on lap 59. Martin Truex Jr. is the leading playoff driver in sixth place.
Buescher ended up pitting from the lead on lap 60 and gave the lead to Michael McDowell.
Denny Hamlin ran wide coming out of turn 1 and forced a three-wide situation with Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski going through the esses in turns 2 and 3. Hamlin's No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota connected with Keselowski and spun into the retaining wall.
Caution is out on lap 47 and Hamlin's car is heavily damaged but he will be able to continue. He is scored in 34th with another pit stop.
Kyle Larson was called for a vehicle interference penalty during pit stops after the second stage. Larson cut into the pit box of the Erik Jones' No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota. The pit lane is opposite of how cars normally pit during races and Larson wasn't able to see his reference marks to get into his pit box.
Zane Smith, Brad Keselowski, Tyler Reddick, Zane Smith and Daniel Suarez all picked up pit road penalties after the second stage.
The third stage is underway at Watkins Glen and Ross Chastain continues to lead.
Daniel Suarez spun coming off turn 6 and got stuck in the gravel with three laps to go to bring out the third caution of the race and end the second stage. Ross Chastain won the stage but was planning on pitting before the end of the stage
Brad Keselowski's pit crew lost a wheel from the pit box. The wheel rolled to the other side of the pit lane and will be a second pit-road penalty for the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford.
Here's the top 10 of the second stage in Sunday's race at Watkins Glen.
- Ross Chastain
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Joey Logano
- Ty Gibbs
- William Byron
- Harrison Burton
- Chase Briscoe
- Alex Bowman
- Ryan Preece
- Denny Hamlin
Ross Chastain continues to lead after pit stops. Shane van Gisbergen, in third, tried to push Chastain going into turn 1. Tyler Reddick spun in turn 1 after contact with Daniel Suarez but is able to continue. He is scored in 33rd place.
Ross Chastain dominated the first stage, leading 18 of 20 laps of the first stage but pitted coming to the line with two laps to go in the stage. The pits close when the leader crosses the line with two laps to go in a stage.
Several cars, including Shane van Gisbergen, Joey Logano, William Byron and Ty Gibbs all decided to pit with three laps to go in the first stage in an effort to save track position.
Brad Keselowski was hit with a pit road speeding penalty when he pitted in the final laps of the first stage.
AJ Allmendinger had a mechanical failure on lap 6 and is out of the race. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was part of the first-lap accident and is out of the race.
Here is the top 10 after the first stage at Watkins Glen.
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Alex Bowman
- Chase Briscoe
- Daniel Suarez
- Austin Cindric
- Chase Elliott
- Tyler Reddick
- Kyle Larson
- Erik Jones
- Daniel Hemric
Kyle Busch spun in the second corner of the inner loop on the first lap of Sunday's race after contact from Corey LaJoie. Busch collected several playoff drivers including Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney.
Blaney has a broken steering column and is out of the race. Hamlin has heavy damage to his right front fender after hitting Busch.
We have 90 laps in New York to decide the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The green flag is out at Watkins Glen and the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
What to watch for at Watkins Glen International, subtle changes to track
Runoff areas have been adjusted in an attempt to keep cars on the track. Bumps have been added to the outside runoff area in turn 1 and the rumble strips in the inner loop, the famous "bus stop" corner, have been adjusted to be taller and have been risen to a point -- almost like a spike.
There are several heavy braking zones and multiple tricky corners throughout the seven-turn, 2.4-mile road course. The last two corners are great for passing and can ultimately decide the race.
NASCAR Watkins Glen TV schedule, start time for Go Bowling at The Glen
Green Flag Time: Approx. 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, Sept. 15
Track: Watkins Glen International (2.4-mile road course) in Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Length: 90 laps, 220.5 miles
Stages: 20 laps, 20 laps, 50 laps
TV coverage: USA Network
Radio: MRN (102.5 FM in Nashville)
Streaming: FUBO (free trial available) ; NBC Sports app (subscription required); NASCAR.com and SiriusXM on Channel 90 for audio (subscription required)
Go Bowling at The Glen will be broadcast nationally on the USA Network. Streaming options for the race include the NBC Sports app and FUBO , which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
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Go Bowling at The Glen top 10 of starting lineup
Ross Chastain earned his second career pole position in Saturday's qualifying. His future teammate, Shane van Gisbergen, continues to be one of the best road course racers and starts third. Here is the top 10 of the starting lineup for Sunday's race.
1. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
2. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
3. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
4. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
5. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Penske Racing Ford
6. A.J. Allmendinger, No. 13 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
7. Joey Logano, No. 22 Penske Racing Ford
8. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
9. Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
10. Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
See the full starting lineup for Sunday's race here.
NASCAR race radio coverage: How to listen to NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen
The Go Bowling at The Glen will be aired on the radio by the Motor Racing Network. MRN has affiliates all across the country, and their feed can also be streamed on NASCAR.com as well as the NASCAR app. The race can also be heard on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
Recent NASCAR Cup Series race winners at Watkins Glen
2023: William Byron
2022: Kyle Larson
2021: Kyle Larson
2019: Chase Elliott
2018: Chase Elliott
NOTE: No race in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic.
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This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen recap: Chris Busecher holds off Shane van Gisbergen
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