TRACK FACTS
Opened:1956
Location:
Watkins Glen, N.Y.
First
NASCAR Cup Series Race: August 4, 1957 (Buck Baker, winner)
Qualifying
Record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet; 124.580 mph (70.798 seconds), August 8, 2003
Race
Record: Mark Martin, Ford; 103.300 mph (2:11:54), August 13, 1995
Distance:
2.45 miles
Pit
Road Stretch: 2,141 feet
Back
Stretch: 1,839 feet
Banking
in Turns 1-11: 11 degrees
Miles/Laps:
220.5 miles/90 laps
Tickets:
866-461-7223
Website:
www.theglen.com
Did
You Know? The Glen was the site of a USA Triathlon-sanctioned duathlon -
run-bike race was held in June during Porshe Clash weekend. The Fly by
Night was called such because it took place in the evening. The
run-bike-run-bike format took runners along a 1.4 mile loop and then they biked
the entire race track three times on both bike legs.
The
Glen has been won from the pole seven times and twice there have been
three-peats - Mark Martin
from 1993-95 and Jeff Gordon
1997-99. Tony Stewart
won in '04 and '05.
Track
Report: Drivers say it is fairly simple to drive, yet it's a challenge.
It's a fast road course. The car slides around a lot, but drivers have to
brave it, and keep their foot down as much as possible. The trick is
driving in deep. They have to carry a lot of speed into the corners and
brake as late as possible and keep the car under control.
Hot
Spots: Going into the first downhill turn creates a lot of problems here, and
so do Turns 7 and 8.
Last
Year: Tony Stewart continued
his unstoppable ways by blowing away the field. Not even a broken
alternator, which failed late in the Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen, could
keep Stewart from roaring to his fifth win in seven races. Look for him
to three-peat and join the ranks of Martin & Gordon.
Who
To Watch: Watkins Glen and Infineon are very different courses, but regardless
there are a select few who can run well here, with very few exceptions. Jeff Gordon leads all drivers here
with four wins, but Tony Stewart
and Mark Martin are
right behind him with three apiece. Road Course Ringers rarely win at
these events, but they do make a solid showing - Boris Said and Scott Pruett were third and fourth
respectively last year. Drivers not in the Top 10 below to
watch include Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Brian Vickers, and Jeff Burton. Rookies Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, and Denny Hamlin deserve a look as well
as Ringer Ron Fellows.
Tracking The Top 10
Best
active drivers at Watkins Glen based on average finish (minimum of four starts)
Driver
Races Avg Fin Wins Top 5s Top
10s DNF Avg Start Poles
Scott
Pruett
4
5.8 0
2
3
0
20.0 0
Mark
Martin
18
6.2
3 12
16
0
7.4 3
Tony
Stewart
7 7.4
3 3 5
0 4.7
0
Kevin
Harvick
5
9.4
0 1
3
0
9.8 0
Roby
Gordon
7
10.0
1 5
5 1
19.9 0
Jeff
Gordon
13
12.6
4 6
7
2
7.7 2
Bill
Elliott
17
14.9
0 3
5
1
11.5 0
Bobby
Labonte 13
15.8
0
2
6
2 16.4
0
Jimmie
Johnson
4 16.2
0 2
2 1
8.8 0
Matt
Kenseth
6
16.8
0 0
3 0
14.2 0