Watkins Glen International has been a longstanding fan favorite for NASCAR. The fast-paced road course usually offers up the best examples of road racing. High speeds, plenty of passing opportunities, and stock car rubbing usually is a great mixture for compelling racing. While the NextGen ear has soured the experience a bit, this Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen reminded fans why Watkins Glen is still at the top. Granted, this only comes due to the last restart between Shane van Gisbergen and Chris Buescher. However, no other traditional road course gives close quarters racing at the end of races similar to Watkins Glen. At least for the ending, Sunday offered up exactly what the NASCAR fandom is looking for in a road course race.
What a finish at @WGI!! pic.twitter.com/PMVHQFxvXr
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 15, 2024
To be clear, the overall experience of the Go Bowling at The Glen was still a middling affair. Despite the new tire advertising more falloff, it did not factor too highly in the race. Slower cars were able to keep faster drivers behind them throughout the event. The only time tire falloff started to factor was after 20-plus laps on old tires. Chris Buescher managed to navigate past Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen before his final pit stop, but it still took about 14 laps for it to happen.
Similar to last year, there were numerous times a driver would hold up a line of cars. Aside from the tires, NASCAR’s best drivers once again looked foolish when chaos emerged on nearly every restart. Especially at the end of the race, it took three attempts to get through the esses. Once Harrison Burton’s tire fell a part, the impending doom of chaos was set in stone. While the finish was phenomenal, the NextGen still struggles be compelling on road courses.
All that said, the finish will be a highlight that is remembered fondly and used to promote the sport. After muscling his way to the lead on the restart, Shane van Gisbergen attempted to pull away from Chris Buescher. However, the distance never became too far that Buescher could not challenge SVG in any turn on the final lap. Heading into the bus stop, SVG made a miscalculation attempting to avoid potential contact. Scrapping the wall on entry, the 16 car got loose on the exit, opening the door for a hard-charging Buescher. Putting his 17 car in the preferred inside line in the outer loop, SVG was unable to block and allowed Buescher by. After getting loose again in the setup to the final corner, Buescher managed to pick up his first career road course win.
Although Marcus Ambrose, Brad Keselowski, and Kyle Busch will still hold the top spot for best finish at The Glen, Sunday definitely made an attempt to challenge it. For many, the assumption was that SVG would pull away after taking the lead. Credit needs to go to Buescher for being able to stay in the 16’s tire tracks. Even without SVG’s slip up, there is a chance at Buescher would have been able to wedge himself inside on one of the final corners. Also, Leigh Diffey’s call was the chef’s kiss on top of the whole experience.
What is notable from this race is how poorly the playoffs did. Only 2 of the 16 finished in the Top-10. History was made as this is the first time across all series that a playoff driver did not finish in the Top-5. Although remarkable, the chaotic nature of the race definitely made an impact on the playoffs. Nearly every playoff driver experienced some form of trouble Sunday, with the exception of Chase Briscoe. Despite the lack of playoff drivers factoring in for the win, the finish was completely compelling. Plus, there was no lack of intensity from the two battling for the lead due to the lack of playoff implications. At the end of the day, fighting for a win is motivation enough for these drivers to race hard.
Look, the playoffs are what they are. The “win-and-in” format is here to stay because NASCAR is getting what they want from it. While NASCAR is a sports organization, they are also an entertainment company. Fans can banter and rage against the format, but there is a contingency of fans who enjoy this and that is who NASCAR is attempting to appeal to right now.
With that said, Sunday’s finish proves that a compelling finish does not need a playoff format. That finish would have been the same no matter what additional value said win would garner the victor. Two of the best road racers in the sport went head-to-head, drove aggressively, and put on a show for the fans. That is NASCAR at its best.
Watkins Glen again delivers that heart pounding, edge of your seat moment that will be remembered more than anything else. No one will care about how the playoff drivers did or the overall lull the racing was. Instead, two non-playoff drivers gave it their all (without wrecking each other) to go after a win. Nothing more, simply a trophy to put on their mantle and bragging rights to the field. Exactly what NASCAR should be marketing to the world.
