NASCAR Cup Series

Today, at the NASCAR Fuel for Business meetings in New York City, ExxonMobil and NASCAR® announced the renewal of a long-standing partnership, continuing to designate its Mobil 1™ brand as the “Official Motor Oil of NASCAR®”. The newly signed agreement will extend the successful partnership to 20 years, which has been highlighted by marketing and technological innovation that has catalyzed growth across both entities.

Pocono Recap: Denny Hamlin finished fourth in Sunday’s 160-lap Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway, combining tactful driving with Crew Chief Mike Wheeler’s calculated pit strategy to claim his seventh top-five finish of the 2017 season in the event won by Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch. Executing the #11 FedEx team’s original pit strategy, Hamlin stayed out during the mandatory break between Stage 2 and Stage 3, and he lined up second next to Martin Truex Jr. to start the race’s final 60-lap segment.

Missing the race at Sonoma Raceway due to injury, Aric Almirola makes his first and only road course start this season at Watkins Glen International (WGI). His favorite of the two road course races, he looks to top his best road course finish of 14th which he posted in 2015 at Sonoma Raceway. The No. 43 Smithfield team will utilize notes from last year as well as from Sonoma last June to get a good start for the weekend. Almirola will tap into the knowledge he got from past teammate and WGI winner Marcos Ambrose.

Chevrolet has more wins at Watkins Glen than any other manufacturer.  The Bowtie Brigade has been to Victory Lane at Watkins Glen 17 times in the 34 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events held at the 2.45-mile road course.

Money, it makes the world go round. So I’m told, anyway. While you and I might remain in perpetual financial darkness, the stock markets would seem to indicate that those on top of the heap are reeling it in.

Michael McDowell and Leavine Family Racing (LFR) are returning to Watkins Glen International, (WGI) a place McDowell will shoot for success at, fresh off their best finish at Pocono Raceway.

100 Wins for Toyota: When Kyle Busch scored his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) win of the season Sunday at Pocono Raceway it marked the 100th Cup Series victory for Toyota since joining the series in 2007. Busch was also the driver to give Toyota its first MENCS victory in March 2008 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and has registered 35 Cup wins behind the wheel of a Camry. Eleven total drivers have scored victories for Toyota, including Busch (35 wins), Denny Hamlin (27), Matt Kenseth (14), Martin Truex Jr. (eight), Carl Edwards (five), Clint Bowyer (three), Joey Logano (two), David Reutimann (two), Brian Vickers (two), Kasey Kahne (one) and Tony Stewart (one).  

Roush Fenway Racing returns to the asphalt jungle where dreams are made of, as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) prepares for the second road course race of the 2017 season at Watkins Glen International, just off the corner of 53rd and 3rd. A Roush Fenway Ford has visited victory lane six times at the historic road course.

If there’s anywhere experience is beneficial on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit, it’s the road courses of Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International, the latter being the next test for Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team.

Richard Childress Racing at "The Glen" ... In 68 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen International, RCR boasts two wins (Robby Gordon 2003 and Kevin Harvick 2006), eight top-five and 21 top-10 finishes. Dale Earnhardt won three poles (1990, '92, '96) at the high-speed, seven-turn, upstate New York facility.