The NASCAR Cup Series continues today with the 2021 Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International. Read on below to see my prediction for who will win the race, as well as my top 10, dark horse, and driver to fade predictions.
Winner: Chase Elliott- Elliott is the favorite heading into today’s race for good reason. Not only has he won the last 2 races at Watkins Glen, but he has also won 2 of the 4 road course races this season, including the most recent one at Road America, and 7 road course races overall in his young career. Until someone else steps up to the plate, Chase Elliott will remain the man to beat on road courses. All of this leads to Chase Elliott returning to victory lane today at The Glen!
Top 10: Christopher Bell- After a slump in the middle of the season, Christopher Bell is heating back up, with 4 top 10’s in his last 6 starts, including 2 runner-ups in his last 3 starts. Bell has raced well at Watkins Glen, finishing in the top 10 in both of his Xfinity starts here. Bell has the skills for road course racing, winning on the Daytona Road Course and finishing runner-up at Road America this season. A top 10 is in Bell’s future today, but I expect Bell to be contending for a win late in the going.
Dark Horse: Chase Briscoe- Chase Briscoe is slowly becoming a road course stud, with a pair of 6th place finishes in 4 road course races this season. Briscoe raced well at road courses in the Xfinity Series as well, with 2 wins and 7 top 10’s in 10 road course starts. Briscoe has had an average finish of 20.5 this year, but I think a top 15 is within reach for him today.
Driver to Fade: Ryan Newman- Watkins Glen has not been kind to Ryan Newman in his career, with just 1 top 5 and 3 top 10’s in 18 career starts. Newman has been slumping hard lately, finishing outside the top 20 in 9 of his last 10 starts. I don’t see things changing today and predict that Ryan Newman will finish outside the top 20 again.