After a wild and action-packed NASCAR Cup Series Playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway that has shuffled the standings considerably, the competitors now turn their attention to an updated Watkins Glen International for the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, September 15, at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – the first of two road courses in the 2024 postseason (Watkins Glen and Charlotte ROVAL).
The Cup Series will encounter a few first this weekend, it’s the first time Watkins Glen International has hosted a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race, also the 2.45-mile track has added new rumble strips and interchangeable curbing in the Inner Loop Chicane (a.k.a. the bus stop) they will have to navigate for the first-time, and Goodyear will be supplying a new tire that was tested recently, that should provide more fall-off than the previous tire.
Because of the latest updates, NASCAR has announced an extended practice this weekend, with the NASCAR Cup Series taking to the track on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. The competitors will be broken up into two groups for this practice session and each group will get two 20-minute rounds to practice. Busch Light Pole Qualifying will immediately follow practice at 1 p.m. ET, both events will be broadcast on the NBC Sports App, USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Tidbits to know about NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race #2
The 2024 season marks the first-time the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ second race has been hosted by Watkins Glen International and this is the first-time Watkins Glen has hosted a Playoff race in its history.
Watkins Glen International is the second road course to host a Playoff race in the NASCAR Cup Series, joining the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL (2018-2024).
Watkins Glen International is the fifth different track in NASCAR Cup Series to host the second race of the Playoffs; joining Dover Motor Speedway (2004-2010), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2011–2017), Richmond Raceway (2018-2021) and Kansas Speedway (2022-2023).
A total of 15 different drivers have won the second race of the Playoffs, led by Jimmie Johnson with three wins (2005, 2009, 2010); followed by Kyle Busch (2017, 2018), Matt Kenseth (2013, 2015) and Martin Truex Jr. (2019, 2021) with two victories each.
23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick is the most recent winner of the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, taking the win last season at Kansas Speedway (9/10/23).
Team Penske’s Joey Logano first to move on to the Round of 12
The entire Team Penske organization showed up to Atlanta ready for business, and the results are proof of the effort – all three Team Penske drivers led laps and finished in the top-10, including Joey Logano taking the first win of the Playoffs and earning himself a spot in the Round of 12.
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Joey Logano, is now the first and only driver to earn a spot in the Round of 12 following the Playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Surprisingly, this is the first-time in his 11 postseason appearances he has won the first race of the Playoffs. Also, interestingly, Logano was eliminated in the Round of 16 in 2023, becoming the first defending Cup Series Champion to be eliminated in the first round of the Playoffs.
Maybe it’s the year that matters. It seems even year seasons are the one’s Logano’s tends to perform at a higher-level in the postseason, since the introduction of the ‘elimination style’ Playoffs in 2014 (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022) Logano has earned a spot in the Championship 4 Round.
Looking to Watkins Glen on Sunday, Logano has made 14 series starts putting up one win (2015), four top fives and seven top 10s. He finished 10th at Watkins Glen last season.
Comers & Goers: Playoff standings shuffle after Week 1 of the postseason
The NASCAR Cup Series driver standings have been shaken-up following the Playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway with some competitors making positive moves and some looking to rebound after Week 1.
Positive Standings Movers:
Five postseason competitors moved up three spots or more in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff outlook following Atlanta – Race winner Joey Logano (+8 positions, 1st), Ryan Blaney (+3 positions, 2nd), Alex Bowman (+6 positions, 6th), Austin Cindric (+3 positions, 7th) and Ty Gibbs (+3 positions, 12th).
Ryan Blaney is currently ranked second in the Playoff outlook, up 45 points on Round of 12 cutoff. The biggest point leads over the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 cutline after the first race of the Playoffs to miss advancing was 26 points by Kurt Busch in 2021, and the second-most was 23 points by Tyler Reddick in 2022. Blaney has advanced to the Round of 12 in six of his previous seven Playoff appearances, the lone exception was 2020 when he was eliminated in the Round of 16.
Also, it was a good points day at Atlanta for four drivers who gained 20 or more points on the Round of 12 cutline – Ryan Blaney (+32), Alex Bowman (+27), Austin Cindric (+25) and Daniel Suarez (+21).
Looking To Rebound In The Standings
With several drivers moving up the Playoff outlook, in return some have to move down four drivers lost three or more spots in the Playoff outlook following Atlanta – No. 1 seed entering the Playoffs Kyle Larson (-9 positions, 10th), Denny Hamlin (-5 positions, 11th), Brad Keselowski (-5 positions, 13th) and Chase Briscoe (-3 positions, 16th).
Two driver lost more than 20 points on the Round of 12 cutline after Atlanta – Kyle Larson (-20 points) and Chase Briscoe (-21 points). Both drivers were caught in an early incident at Atlanta and finished 37th and 38th, respectively
