A new car. No qualifying. One cool, damp day of practice, followed by two practice runs over a hot and sunny track. Fuel mileage questions. Road course ringers.
There are just too many unanswered questions leading up to today’s Centurion Boats at The Glen to hazard a competent guess as to how the 90-lap race over Watkins Glen International’s 2.45-mile road course will turn out.
By SHAWN VARGO, The Leader.com
Aug 11, 2007
Before Stewart arrived on the scene, Watkins Glen was Gordon’s playground. Four wins, seven total top-10s in 14 races at the track and he has the freedom to gamble this weekend because he’s already a lock for the Chase if he simply makes the next five starts. K. Lee Davis, ESPN.com
Aug 11, 2007
For the fourth straight race, I’m going with Stewart to take the checkers. Stewart has won three of the last five races at Watkins Glen. He might still be adjusting to racing on the ovals, but his talent on road courses is unquestionable. His victory at Infineon—his first Cup race on a road course—was no fluke, and I expect him to do very well on Sunday.
Sportsillustrated.cnn.com
Aug 11, 2007
Even though the same group of teams that runs well at Infineon Raceway also runs well at Watkins Glen International, they are still totally different racetracks. Watkins Glen has more grip, and it’s a faster racetrack with much more straightaway than Infineon.
With a smaller fuel cell than the teams ran last year, fuel mileage should play a role in the outcome of this race. Teams try to run it backwards, making their last pit stop at the moment you enter your fuel window and know that you can make it to the end of the race. Larry McReynolds, FoxSports
Aug 11, 2007
This one is a toss-up between Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. The two have combined to win seven of the last 10 events at Watkins Glen, with Stewart having the more recent success in winning three of the last five. When you take both road courses into account, the numbers become overwhelming. The two drivers have won 14 of the last 20 Nextel Cup road course events. I am giving Jeff Gordon the nod based on Hendrick Motorsports’ success with the Car of Tomorrow.
Sports.Yahoo.com
Aug 10, 2007
Has there ever been a Nextel Cup road course race where the talent went deeper into the field than for Sunday’s at Watkins Glen? Probably not.
Five drivers, all Cup regulars, stand out: Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon. They’re all previous Cup winners on road courses.
Sports Illustrated.CNN.com
The four-time Watkins Glen winner is trying to find his way back to Victory Lane at the upstate New York road course after finishing 13th there last year. In fact, since his last Watkins Glen win in 2001, Gordon has finished 22nd, 33rd, 21st, 14th and 13th. He won three straight at Watkins Glen from 1997 to ‘99.
Aug 10, 2007
At a press conference last week in Pocono Raceway’s media center, a question was asked of Dale Earnhardt Jr. that left him taken aback.
The question: “With Watkins Glen the next race up are there any concerns? Kurt typically runs a little bit better on the road courses than you.”
Before the questioner got to the end of the sentence, Earnhardt replied, “Really? I don’t know about that. Are you sure? I’ve had some pretty good runs at the Glen.”
Aug 09, 2007
This weekend’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event at Watkins Glen International will mark the first race past the halfway mark for the Car of Tomorrow in its debut season.
So it’s time to see what teams have made the grade and what teams still need to do their homework before the car is rolled out full-time in 2008. Jeff Wackerlin, RacingOne
Aug 09, 2007
Unlike other events, the Bud at the Glen (as it once was called) was not circled or highlighted by me when the schedule came out each year. I simply did not look forward to the race the way I did others like Martinsville, Darlington or both trips home to New Hampshire International Speedway
It is not that I disliked road racing – in fact, I finished 10th at Watkins Glen my rookie season of 1995. Unfortunately, it went downhill from there.
Kenseth on racing at Watkins Glen International:
“Road courses really aren’t my specialty by any stretch of the imagination, but of the two we race on, I like Watkins Glen a lot better than Sonoma. The Glen is a lot faster and there’s more room to pass. There are two or three good passing zones at The Glen where at Sonoma there’s really only one. You also don’t have the big elevation changes at Watkins Glen like you do at Sonoma which make it a little bit easier. Auto Racing Daily
Aug 07, 2007
Smith, who was raised in Cato, N.Y., approximately 75 miles north from the Watkins Glen road course, will drive the 01 Chevrolet in Sunday’s race. It will be his first Cup event under the Dale Earnhardt, Inc. racing banner. Auto Racing Daily
JEFF GREEN’S HISTORY AT WATKINS GLEN: In five Cup starts at Watkins Glen International, Jeff Green’s best qualifying effort was a 16th-place starting spot, which came in August, 2002, while driving for Richard Childress Racing. Green’s best Cup finish at “The Glen” was a 12th-place result in that same race. Auto Racing Daily
What do you think about racing at Watkins Glen?
Dale Jarrett: “I really enjoy racing at Watkins Glen. It’s a challenging and fun track. Of all the road courses out there Watkins Glen is more conducive to our type of cars. It has always allowed us to race hard and pass. I’ve always thought that maybe we should look at adding road courses to our schedule for the simple reason that they make us better prepared and give us a better opportunity to do well at those types of races throughout the year.” Auto Racing Daily
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