NASCAR makes its second of three trips to a road course this season, as the drivers look to gain some momentum in Watkins Glen, New York. Watkins Glen has had a history of being one of the most exciting race venues in the whole sport, and if last year’s exciting race didn’t prove that then, just look back at the many memorable moments at the track. Chase Elliott is the defending winner and has already gotten off to a great start for Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen, by capturing the pole. The Xfinity Series race didn’t disappoint with a first-time winner, could we see something similar on Sunday. There are plenty of drivers in the field looking for their first career win, and William Byron tops that list, with yet another front-row starting spot, much as he did at Sonoma early this season. The polesitter hasn’t won this race since 2010, but Chase Elliott should still be a driver to watch on Sunday. Let’s dive into the NASCAR Go Bowling at The Glen Free Racing Picks for this Sunday.
Five Drivers to Back at Watkins Glen
Kyle Busch +275
The hands-down favorite once again is none other than Kyle Busch. Why well he is likely to be the favorite no matter where NASCAR visits, given he has won a race at every track in the sport. Kyle has a pair of wins at Watkins Glen, with those victories coming in 2008 and 2013. He has also finished in the top 10 in each of the last four races at Watkins Glen. He has finished inside the top 10 in 12 of his 14 starts at the track. Add in leading laps in each of the last four races as well. He will start in the top three for the third consecutive Watkins Glen race. Busch rolls off third but, expect him to be in contention for much of Sunday’s race.
Martin Truex Jr +350
Martin Truex came all so close to winning back-to-back at Watkins Glen in last season’s race but ultimately finished second to Chase Elliott. Martin was able to win at the track in 2017 and three straight top-10 finishes should keep Truex near the top of the odds list for quite a while. He has five top-five finishes in his 13 starts at the track. He has become quite the road racer with four career wins on road courses. He was able to win at Sonoma earlier this season and is definitely a threat in Sunday’s race. Truex rolls off fourth on Sunday, right next to his teammate. With a career average finish of 11.6 at this track, he is a driver to back.
Chase Elliott +1000
Chase Elliott took his Chevrolet to victory lane for the very first time in this race one season ago and will be looking to repeat that performance on Sunday. He is off to a great start by putting his car on the pole. This will be only his fourth career start at Watkins Glen, but he has turned himself into a strong racer on road courses. He led 52 laps in last seasons race in route to his victory. Chevy has won four of the last 10 Watkins Glen races. Can Chase make it five and back-to-back on Sunday? He could use a good day, why not end his recent struggles by putting his car in victory lane once again.
Erik Jones +2500
Erik Jones has one career victory in the Cup Series with that coming at Daytona, but his recent performances this season have him up to 13th in the standings and looking to secure his spot with a win. He hasn’t truly been proven as a road racer, but he has posted a top 10 finish in his two starts at Watkins Glen. That includes a fifth-place finish in last season’s race. Jones has also finished in the top three in five of the last 10 races this season. A little hiccup in qualifying sets him back a bit, but he will roll off 14th on Sunday.
William Byron +4000
This week is a bit different in our picks, and with that, we include quite a longshot for Sunday’s race. William Byron is +4000 on the odds board, but he shouldn’t be considered that given how well he has been running as of late. This might be a good chance for him to break through and grab his first cup series win. He had a strong run at Sonoma, leading laps along with collecting a stage win. This will only be his second start at Watkins Glen, but he proved he run strong at this track posting a top 10 finish in his trip to the track last season. That was an eighth-place finish on that day, and he looks to be in a good spot to improve on that and even possibly win. Byron will roll off second on Sunday, next to his teammate Chase Elliott. A fourth-place finish at Pocono last week proved William Byron looks ready to add his name to cup series winners.
