After three straight weeks on ovals, the NASCAR Cup Series pivots to its fifth and penultimate road-course test of 2025. Sunday’s 90-lap, 220.5-mile run on the 2.45-mile asphalt marks the Cup Series’ 42nd trip to Watkins Glen International.
It’s a weekend worth tuning in for. Friday’s Truck return is no throw-in: It’s the series’ first Glen start since 2021. Saturday’s Xfinity tilt pits defending winner Connor Zilisch against co-points leader Justin Allgaier, with road-course assassin Shane van Gisbergen dropping down for extra laps, so you’re watching tomorrow’s Cup stars (and a present one) slug it out before Sunday’s main event.
How to watch NASCAR at Watkins Glen
Venue: Watkins Glen International — Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Dates: Aug. 8-10
Watching in person? Get tickets on StubHub.
Viewing guide
EventTime (ET)TVStream
NCTS Race
Fri., 5 p.m.
FS1
Mission 200
Sat., 3 p.m.
The CW
Go Bowling at The Glen
Sun., 2 p.m.
USA
The Glen is the earliest surviving road course on the modern Cup calendar, debuting in 1957, a year before Riverside and 32 years before Sonoma joined the tour. Grumbling about “too many road circuits” quiets at this Finger Lakes classic. Watkins Glen International is an American motorsport shrine.
William Byron arrives buoyed by last Sunday’s fuel-mileage heist at Iowa — his second win of the season — while van Gisbergen, perfect on road or street layouts this year (Mexico City, Chicago, Sonoma), is a clear favorite in all metrics. Already locked into the playoffs via three wins and a healthy top-30 cushion, the Kiwi can treat the Glen as a pure speed showcase.
Zilisch, the teen phenom, lurks as the most plausible spoiler: The 19-year-old shocked the paddock with an Xfinity debut win here last year and flashed Cup pace with an 11th on debut at Atlanta. He has the second-best odds after van Gisbergen at BetMGM, followed by Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson.
Just two regular-season events remain after the Glen (Richmond on Aug. 16, Daytona on Aug. 23), so every curb strike and pit-road roll echoes in the playoff standings.
Updated Watkins Glen winner odds
Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Shane van Gisbergen: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
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