The 2021 Go Bowling at The Glen was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on August 8, 2021, at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York. Contested over 90 laps on the road course, it was the 23rd race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
Watkins Glen International (nicknamed "The Glen") is an automobile race track located in Watkins Glen, New York at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. It was long known around the world as the home of the Formula One United States Grand Prix, which it hosted for twenty consecutive years (1961–1980), but the site has been home to road racing of nearly every class, including the World Sportscar Championship, Trans-Am, Can-Am, NASCAR Cup Series, the International Motor Sports Association and the IndyCar Series.
Initially, public roads in the village were used for the race course. In 1956 a permanent circuit for the race was built. In 1968 the race was extended to six hours, becoming the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen. The circuit's current layout has more or less been the same since 1971, although a chicane was installed at the uphill Esses in 1975 to slow cars through these corners, where there was a fatality during practice at the 1973 United States Grand Prix. The chicane was removed in 1985, but another chicane called the "Inner Loop" was installed in 1992 after J.D. McDuffie's fatal accident during the previous year's NASCAR Winston Cup event.
The circuit is known as the Mecca of North American road racing and is a very popular venue among fans and drivers. The facility is currently owned by International Speedway Corporation.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 R. C. Enerson Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Ford 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 Kyle Tilley Live Fast Motorsports Ford 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team ChevroletOfficial entry list
Qualifying Brad Keselowski was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 3 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 4 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 5 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 6 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 7 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 9 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 11 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 12 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 13 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 14 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 15 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 16 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 17 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 18 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 19 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 20 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 22 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 23 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 24 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 25 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 26 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 27 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 28 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 30 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 31 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 32 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 33 78 Kyle Tilley Live Fast Motorsports Ford 34 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 35 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 36 51 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Ford 37 15 R. C. Enerson Rick Ware Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 20
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 102 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 75 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 210 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 20
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 84 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 66 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 57 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 48 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 50
Larson's victory put him in a tie with Hamlin for the regular-season points lead. Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 4 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 90 562 11 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 90 383 9 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 90 444 20 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 90 395 6 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 90 436 15 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 90 377 7 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 90 398 5 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 90 379 27 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 90 3410 13 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 90 3411 14 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 90 3012 12 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 90 3013 17 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 90 2414 3 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 90 2315 16 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 90 2416 8 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 90 2117 24 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 90 2018 19 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 90 1919 18 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 90 1820 10 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 90 2121 25 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 90 1622 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 90 2723 26 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 90 1424 29 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 90 1325 28 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 90 1226 31 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 89 1127 22 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 89 1128 23 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 89 929 30 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 89 030 33 78 Kyle Tilley Live Fast Motorsports Ford 89 731 21 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 88 632 35 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 88 533 34 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 88 434 37 15 R. C. Enerson Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 88 335 1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 87 236 32 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 87 037 36 51 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Ford 41 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 7 among 7 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 4 for 6 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 10 minutes and 57 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side as part of a Radio style Broadcast for the race. Rick Allen and Steve Letarte called the race from the broadcast booth. MRN broadcaster Mike Bagley called the race from the Esses, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the call from Turn 5, and Jeff Burton had the call from a platform located off Turn 10 that covers Turns 6–7. Parker Kligerman and Dillon Welch handled the pit road duties from pit lane.
NBCSNBooth announcersTurn AnnouncersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Steve Letarte Esses Announcer: Mike BagleyTurn 5 Announcer: Dale Earnhardt Jr.Turn 6–7 Announcer: Jeff Burton Parker KligermanDillon Welch
Radio Motor Racing Network had the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle covered the action when the field raced down the front straightaway. Dave Moody called the race when the field raced thru the esses. Kurt Becker covered the action when the field raced thru the inner loop and turn 5 and Kyle Rickey covered the action in turn 10 & 11. Steve Post & Kim Coon called the action from the pits for MRN.
MRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Esses: Dave Moody Inner loop & Turn 5: Kurt BeckerTurn 10 & 11: Kyle Rickey Steve PostKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 Kyle Larson 917 1 2 Denny Hamlin 917 (–0) 3 William Byron 786 (–131) 4 Kyle Busch 779 (–138) 5 Joey Logano 760 (–157) 6 Chase Elliott 749 (–168) 7 Martin Truex Jr. 740 (–177) 8 Ryan Blaney 712 (–205) 1 9 Kevin Harvick 710 (–207) 1 10 Brad Keselowski 678 (–239) 11 Alex Bowman 633 (–284) 12 Tyler Reddick 630 (–287) 13 Austin Dillon 615 (–302) 14 Kurt Busch 576 (–341) 15 Christopher Bell 571 (–346) 16 Chris Buescher 495 (–422)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 852 1 2 Toyota 789 (–63) 1 3 Ford 787 (–65)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References