2024 NASCAR Cup Series Race Twenty-Eight Watkins Glen

Cars in field: 38
Pole: Ross Chastain (1)
Outside Pole: Martin Truex Jr (19)
Stages: 20-20-50
Weather: Sunny, 82°F, Wind SSW 2 mph, Wind Gusts 4 mph

Crash on lap 1 of 90 involving Kyle ‘KyBu’ Busch (8), Ryan Blaney (12), ‘Desperate’ Denny Hamlin (11), Ricky Stenhouse Jr (47), Christopher Bell (20), Brad Keselowski (6), Bubba Wallace (23), Ryan Preece (41), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47).

Blaney is on the hook with a broken steering column ending his day.

Hamlin is sitting on pit road and they’re looking for toe-link damage on his car.

Blaney said NASCAR decided they’re done without giving them a chance to work on it. NASCAR says because they can’t drive it back to the pit they’re done. Blaney said if a car has four flat tires a car gets towed back to the pit box. He’s asking for the same and is very frustrated they didn’t get towed back to the box, but back to the garage. It seems to be a murky area.

Restarting on lap 6 of 90 with Chastain and Truex Jr up front since they didn’t complete a lap prior to the crash.

I forgot to check the start time of the Cup race and happened to change to the channel during a boring segment of the IndyCar pre-race show. Imagine my surprise seeing the cars rolling around Watkins Glen, then crashing.

AJ Allmendinger (13) is in the garage on lap 8 of 90 reportedly with a broken transaxle according to MRN.

Back to watching the final race of the IndyCar series at Nashville SuperSpeedway.

Hmmm, I think I’m going to listen to the call on IndyCar radio. They’re doing a triple split-screen of the NASCAR race on lap 5 of 208 so I’m seeing the steering wheel, front wheels and cowling of a car, a distant shot of the front of the field and a car driving. NBC coverage sucks!

KyBu has met minimum speed as well as and Hamlin. Stenhouse is in the garage.

Martin Truex Jr (19) wins stage one.

Currently I’m listening to and watching the IndyCar race. It’s more interesting so far. I swap to MRN intermittently to try to keep up with the NASCAR race during commercial breaks or lulls (moments where the field seems settled in) in the IndyCar race.

Caution on lap 38 of 90 for Daniel Suarez (99) stuck in the gravel track.

Ross Chastain (1) wins stage two.

MRN reports Kyle Larson (5) has to serve an interference on pit road penalty and will have to start at the tail end of the field.

Restarting on lap 50 of 90 with Ross Chastain (1) and Shane ‘SVG’ Van Gisbergen (16) up front followed by Michael McDowell (38) and Corey LaJoie (7).

Chris Buescher (17) passes Chastain (1) for the lead on lap 56 of 90.

Green flag pit stops underway on lap 66 of 90.

Caution on lap 80 of 90 for debris from Harrison Burton (21) losing a tire.

Some pit, some stay out.

The folks in the NASCAR grandstands and infield look really bored as the camera shows various groups standing, walking or sitting around. Granted it another caution period, but they don’t look excited for the green flag.

Restarting on lap 83 of 90 with Chris Buescher (17), Shane Van Gisbergen (16), Carson Hocevar (77), Michael McDowell (38) and Ross Chastain (1) up front.

Caution on lap 83 of 90. William ‘WilliB’ Byron’s (24) left front is on Brad Keselowski’s (6) driver side window. WilliB hit the barrier and the car went up and onto Brad Keselowski’s car. WilliB makes contact with Logano who then made contact with Keselowski who turned as Byron’s car was coming off the retaining wall.

There are currently 30 cars on the lead lap.

Restarting on lap 87 of 90 with Chris Buescher (17), Carson Hocevar (77), Shane Van Ginsbergen (16), Ross Chastain (1), and Chase Briscoe (14) in the top five.

The television shot was stuck looking out of a car’s windscreen until they were almost at turn one. Useless.

Tyler Reddick (45) brings out the caution crashing with Kyle ‘KyBu’ Busch (8) on lap 87 of 90.

There are more than a half-dozen cars chasing the field to the green flag.

Restarting in overtime on lap 90 of 92 with Chris Buescher (24), Carson Hocevar (77), Shane Van Gisbergen (16), Ross Chastain (1), Michael McDowell (38), Chase Briscoe (14) and Zane Smith (71) up front.

Shane ‘SVG’ Van Gisbergen (16) take the lead as they hit turn three with Buescher (17) hot on his heels.

SVG takes the white flag.

Buescher moves SVG in turn five and re-takes the lead.

SVG comes back after him, bobbles, and Buescher drives away.

Chris Buescher (17) wins his first road course race!

Buescher’s crew-chief Scott Graves mentions there were playoff cars wrecking. We’re watching a replay of the two lead cars battling a few minutes ago. Now looking through Buescher’s front windshield. Now from above the cars. And again from the windscreen. I guess they’re glad they caught some on-track action live for a change.

Van Gisbergen said he clipped the wall. “Driver error”. He said he’s pretty angry with himself. He’s smiling wide, but said he’s pissed.

Owner Jack Roush came to Victory Lane to speak with his driver Chris Buescher in the car. MRN’s Steve ‘Postman/Postie’ Post narrated Jack’s appearance which stopped everything in Victory Lane. MRN says this is Jack’s 143rd win.

Well the end of that race was certainly orders of magnitude better than the Xfinity series event. What I saw of the rest of the event was commensurate with the Xfinity Series race in terms of excitement – and the lack thereof. I believe I saw the best of the event by waiting until the IndyCar race concluded.

Drat NHRA Reading wasn’t recording! I wish I would’ve remembered it was on and checked it. Booo!

Get caught up on the latest racing news.

Motorsport News:

1. 1. 1. Connor Zilisch wins in his Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen.
      2. Foster Starting First at Nashville after Qualifying Rained Out.
      3. Chip Ganassi holds court at IndyCar season finale.
      4. Ashley, Prock, Glenn, Herrera go No. 1 at NHRA Nationals in Reading.
      5. Dixon shows pace in truncated final practice at Nashville.
      6. Hunter Lawrence Wins Fort Worth, Holds SMX Championship Lead by One Point.
      7. Two Mistakes Cost Jett Lawrence Championship Lead Heading Into Final Race.
      8. Porsche Close In On Title With Win At 6 Hours Of Fuji.
      9. Engine swap sees Hamilton start from pits in Baku.
      10. F2 race suspended after horror crash in Baku as car flipped upside-down.
      11. Norris ‘still hopeful’ of good result in Baku.
      12. Porsche ends Toyota’s home win streak in Fuji thriller.
      13. FCNA winners on their fight for first at Indianapolis.
      14. FCNA front-runners face adversity on Saturday at Indianapolis.
      15. Palou’s poor qualifying keeps Power hopes alive.
      16. Irwin’s Oulton Park win closes gap on BSB leaders.
      17. Grid penalties for Ferrucci, Rasmussen.
      18. Wanser ready for another IndyCar title fight after fight with cancer.
      19. McLaren driver Oscar Piastri wins Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
      20. Formula 1: McLaren takes over constructors lead as Oscar Piastri wins in Azerbaijan and Sergio Perez crashes.
      21. Juan Pablo Montoya Not Playing Around With NASCAR Return.
      22. Looking Back on First 100 Races in Next Gen/Gen 7 Car.
      23. Porsche Wins in Fuji, Moves Closer to Hypercar Championship.
      24. Crash on Perez’s return to form ‘hugely frustrating’ – Horner.
      25. Nemechek wins Watkins Glen HSR NASCAR Classic.
      26. Anatomy of Azerbaijan F1 chaos as Sergio Perez labels Carlos Sainz ‘F—— idiot’ – plus who was at fault.
      27. Denny Hamlin forced into wall late, derailing No. 11 playoff hopes at Watkins Glen.
      28. Sainz, Pérez crash in Baku ruled as racing incident.
      29. How to follow the Singapore Grand Prix on the BBC.
      30. Verstappen says Baku ‘probably positive’ for title defense despite losing more points to Norris.
      31. Piastri reveals ignored team order is ‘what won me the race’.
      32. Atlanta TV ratings.
      33. Colapinto ‘showing what I’m capable of’ scoring maiden points.
      34. Truex on recent struggles: “No matter what we do, it is wrong”.
      35. Bridewell keeps BSB lead as Irwin earns win.
      36. Chris Buescher moves Shane van Gisbergen on final lap, wins in OT at Watkins Glen.
      37. ‘McLaren’s constructors’ lead a seismic development’.
      38. Horner: Red Bull to give all vs McLaren in title race.
      39. Foster closes out Indy NXT title year with eighth win at Nashville.
      40. Arrow McLaren’s Zak Brown calls for IndyCar to up marketing spending to $100 million.
      41. Colapinto hopes Baku points earns him F1 seat.
      42. Flavor Flav and Diplo are at the Music City Grand Prix IndyCar race.
      43. Piastri hails Baku win as best of his career.
      44. Blaney out on lap one at the Glen in crushing playoff blow.
      45. Antron Brown Victorious at Maple Grove to Begin Countdown to the Championship.
      46. Palou wins IndyCar title for 3rd time in 4 years.
      47. Piastri’s Baku win shows he’s an F1 champion in the making.
      48. Prock wins NHRA Reading Nationals in all-JFR Funny Car final.
      49. Buescher plays spoiler at Watkins Glen in chaotic NASCAR playoff race.
      50. ARCA Menards Series: General Tire 100 at The Glen Post-race Notes.
      51. Prock, Brown, Stanfield & Arana Jr. Start Playoffs With Wins At Pep Boys NHRA Nationals.
      52. Nashville driver Colton Herta wins Music City Grand Prix; Alex Palou wins IndyCar championship.

Next Race: Bristol

GO Hendrick 48 & 9!!!!