Chris Buescher plays spoiler at Watkin’s Glen
The addition of Watkin’s Glen to the first round of playoffs was touted as being the race that would “steer or veer” the fate of the playoff drivers. And clearly, NASCAR got what it wanted—a completely action-packed and utterly chaotic race that kept fans on the edge of their seats, whether they were at home or in the grandstands. So, it’s beyond odd that the schedule makers would have eliminated the track from next year’s playoff schedule before judging its success. It’s our opinion that had they known it would be such a rollercoaster ride, with underdogs rising to the occasion and big names dropping below the cut line, they likely would have retained the race for the 2025 playoffs.
After 3 stages that were racked with jaw-dropping moments, it was RFK’s Chris Buescher who emerged victorious at The Glen. Buescher triumphed after a last-lap showdown with road-course expert Shane van Gisbergen, securing the sixth win of his career and the first-ever on a road course.
Buescher lagged a bit on the overtime restart, allowing van Gisbergen to grab the lead. However, Buescher wasn’t far behind and sent the car deep into the track’s infamous “Bus Stop,” where he took advantage of van Gisbergen’s bobble. Diving to the inside, Buescher made a bold pass and pulled away to win by 0.979 seconds.
Carson Hocevar, Ross Chastain, and Zane Smith completed the top five. Chase Briscoe was the highest-finishing playoff driver, coming in sixth, followed by Michael McDowell, Corey LaJoie, Ryan Preece, and Austin Cindric.
Among the 16 drivers competing in the Cup Series playoffs, only Briscoe and Cindric finished in the top 10.
The race delivered plenty of drama, shaking up the playoff standings from the opening lap when Corey LaJoie triggered a multi-car wreck that included reigning champion Ryan Blaney, as well as Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, and Christopher Bell. The wreck ended Blaney’s day as his second DNF in the last 3 weeks.
Hamlin was then involved in yet another wreck mid-race. Multiple incidents also plagued Tyler Reddick, William Byron, and Christopher Bell.
The race ended Hendrick Motorsports’ streak of five consecutive wins at Watkins Glen. Among the playoff drivers, Larson finished 12th, with Daniel Suarez, Bell, and Joey Logano completing the top 15. Alex Bowman finished18th, followed by Chase Elliott, and Martin Truex Jr.
Ty Gibbs placed 22nd, directly ahead of teammate Denny Hamlin and then followed by Harrison Burton. Keselowski finished 26th, with Reddick in 27th, Byron in 34th, and Blaney last in 38th, as the first car out of the race.
After The Glen, the playoff standings are:
Joey Logano – Win
Christopher Bell +46
Austin Cindric +43
Alex Bowman +41
Daniel Suarez +36
Tyler Reddick +30
Chase Elliott +30
Ryan Blaney +29
Kyle Larson +26
William Byron +25
Chase Briscoe +6
Ty Gibbs +6
Cut Line
Brad Keselowski -12
Denny Hamlin -6
Martin Truex Jr. -14
Harrison Burton -20
The first round of the Cup Series playoffs will wrap up at Bristol with Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race.
