In a thrilling and chaotic NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International, Chris Buescher of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing emerged victorious, securing his first-ever road course win. The Go Bowling at The Glen event was marked by intense competition and numerous incidents that shook up the Playoff standings.

Race Highlights

Chris Buescher clinched the win in overtime, overtaking road course specialist Shane Van Gisbergen in a dramatic last-lap duel.

The race was action-packed from start to finish, with multiple incidents involving Playoff drivers.

Only two Playoff drivers, Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric, managed to finish in the top 10.

Key Moments

Overtime Thriller: Buescher’s No. 17 Ford overtook Van Gisbergen’s No. 16 Chevrolet in the final moments, making contact in the bus stop before sliding past in the esses.

Van Gisbergen’s Near Miss: The New Zealand superstar, set to join NASCAR full-time next year, led briefly after a daring three-wide move on the overtime restart but couldn’t hold off Buescher’s charge.

Playoff Drama: Twelve of the 16 Playoff drivers faced significant challenges throughout the race, including accidents and mechanical issues.

Playoff Implications

The race had significant impacts on the Playoff standings:

Christopher Bell now leads the standings, with Austin Cindric just three points behind.

Joey Logano, thanks to his win at Atlanta, has already secured a spot in the next round.

Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., and Harrison Burton are now below the cutoff line heading into the final race of the first round.

Looking Ahead

The NASCAR Cup Series now moves to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, September 21. This event will determine which drivers advance to the next round of the Playoffs, adding even more pressure to an already intense championship battle.

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images