Go Bowling at the Glen Picks, Odds & Predictions 8/20/2023

Watkins Glen International

Watkins Glen, New York

Road racing is on the schedule for the second straight week as NASCAR heads to Watkins Glen International for the Go Bowling at the Glen race in Watkins Glen, NY. After this, there will only be one more road race to be had, so the drivers that enjoy these road races and have a good history with them better get their good performances in while they can. The Watkins Glen road course is a 2.5-mile race that is divided into a first stage of 20 laps, second stage of 20 laps and the final stage of 50 laps. This is a very winding road course with 11 turns with quite a few long straights that end with a hair pin turn. For this race, you'll see top end speeds at around 160 mph which is uncommon for a road course. That said, this isn't your everyday road course as there are long straights that show up at three different parts of the track. Aero handling and horse power are enormous factors in this contest which makes it a different animal than other road courses. Drivers will be making aggressive braking attempts and accelerating maneuvers to make passes on the sharp turns at the end of these straightaways. You'll also see some cars go off the track because of this so the teams that can stay out of the grass and gravel traps should do well this weekend.

We've seen a shift in the way drivers approach these road courses over the years. It used to be a game of finesse, but now it is turning into aggressive driving with its share of fender benders along the way. While driving aggressively is an important factor in these races, having a good starting position is even more vital. There is quite a correlation with drivers that qualify towards the top, and the drivers that win the race.

Verizon 200 at the Brickyard Recap

Michael McDowell was able to fight off Chase Elliott to earn a win in last Sunday's Verizon 200 at the Brickyard. In doing so, he was able to grab a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and take a deep breath. In this one, McDowell led for 54 of the 82 laps at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course that for the most part, ran under a green flag. It was the second win of his career, and it was a dominant one at that. In addition, it might have been the most important thus far as it put him in the hunt for that ever-elusive trophy at the end of the season.

NASCAR Playoff Standings

As we sit, there are three spots left for drivers to get a win and put themselves above the playoff cut line. Michael McDowell just earned his spot which puts more pressure on drivers below that cut line. William Byron still has a commanding lead with four wins on the season and 726 points while both Martin Truex Jr. (830 points) and Kyle Busch (660 points) have three wins each. Rounding out the top five in the Cup chase is Denny Hamlin with two wins and 770 points and Kyle Larson with two wins and 698 points.

Go Bowling at The Glen Odds

Chase Elliott - +350
Kyle Larson - +550
Martin Truex Jr. - +650
Tyler Reddick - +800
Michael McDowell - +1000
Christopher Bell - +1000
Daniel Suarez - +1100
Kyle Busch - +1200
A.J. Allmendinger - +1200
Chris Buescher - +1800
Denny Hamlin - +2000
William Byron - +2200
Ty Gibbs - +2500
Austin Cindric - +3000
Alex Bowman - +3000
Kevin Harvick - +4500
Joey Logano - +4500
Ross Chastain - +5000
Chase Briscoe - +5000
Ryan Blaney - +6500
Brad Keselowski - +6500

Kyle Larson won here in both 2021 and 2022, which tells us he has a great chance of doing it again this season. In addition, he's placed in the top ten in three straight races at Watkins Glen. For this reason, I like his chances of doing it once more.

Josh's Pick: Take Kyle Larson (+800)

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