Johnson finished eighth at Watkins Glen, posting his series-best 15th top-10 result. His lead in the Sprint Cup point standings is 75 over Clint Bowyer.
On a rainy and humid Friday afternoon at Watkins Glen, I made my way from the Media Center and into the Nationwide garage to meet with NASCAR veteran Eric McClure. I've heard many positive stories about Eric and I wasn't quite sure what to expect but he quickly gave credence to what I had heard. He greeted me at the No. 14 hauler with big smile, offered me something to eat and invited me to come sit down.
The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is and always will be an aspect of NASCAR that is constantly evolving. Since the playoff system’s inception in 2004, the Chase has seen a change in tracks, cars, point systems, the number of drivers allowed in it, and the introduction of the wild card system.
So what did we learn at the Glen on Sunday? Well, road course aces usually do not end up with the great finish the owner had hoped for when they made the change. Tommy Drissi drove for Joe Nemechek while Victor Gonzalez Jr got in a car for Tommy Baldwin.
Watkins Glen and Penske Racing are becoming synonymous with each other. That being synonymous with finishing second as the No. 2 Miller Lite car has wound up there the last four consecutive years.
After the destroyed racecars were towed away, the smoke faded and the crowd dispersed, Kyle Busch was left standing triumphantly in victory lane at Watkins Glen. Brad Keselowski got to the bumper of Kyle and bumped him in the final corner but it wasn't enough to dislodge the No.18 from the top spot.
The three Penske cars combined to lead 73 of the 82 laps in the Zippo 200 and swept the top two spots while leaving the rest of the field to fight for the leftovers.
Brad Keselowski won the 19th Annual Zippo 200 at The Glen for his fourth consecutive victory in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS). Keselowski, who led three times for 46 laps, Keselowski's 4th straight Nationwide win is tied for second most all-time. Ryan Newman holds the record with five straight NNS wins
The four-time world champion for Tony Stewart Racing has been a model of consistency through 18 races and it’s a major reason why he’s the points leader and on the verge of a fifth world title heading into this weekend.
Penultimate event in The Chase, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series postseason that features the top ten drivers in the regular season standings competing for the 2026 championship.
In 31 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Spire Motorsports has seven top-20 results and a best finish of 12th earned by Michael McDowell in March 2025.
In 14 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Spire Motorsports has earned one win, four top-five and nine top-10 finishes.
Trevor Huddleston (No. 50 High Point Racing / Racecar Factory Ford) heads into the ARCA Menards Series West finale, the NAPA Auto Parts 150 Presented by West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway
