NASCAR hits the road this weekend as all three top series will compete at historic Watkins Glen International, where Ford Racing drivers Joey Logano (2015) and Chris Buescher (2024) have Cup Series victories.
THE SCHEDULE
- Friday, May 8 -- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 4:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Saturday, May 9 – NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, 4 p.m. ET (CW)
- Sunday, May 10– NASCAR Cup Series, 3 p.m. ET (FS1)
UP TO SPEED
BUESCHER AND BLANEY LEAD THE WAY
Ryan Blaney and Chris Buescher have led the way for most of the 2026 season with each being Ford Racing’s top finisher three times. Blaney went to Victory Lane earlier this year in Phoenix and goes into this weekend’s race fourth in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings while Buescher has led the Blue Oval in each of the last two events and is fifth overall.
LOGANO AT THE GLEN
Joey Logano comes into this weekend with seven career top-10 NASCAR Cup Series finishes at Watkins Glen International, including a victory in 2015. That win made him the first driver to sweep a race weekend at the track after he won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race the day before. In addition, it marked Roger Penske’s first Cup victory at the historic track.
KESELOWSKI AND CINDRIC AT WGI
Brad Keselowski and Austin Cindric have also been to Victory Lane at Watkins Glen International with both getting their checkered flags in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Keselowski, who has three second-place finishes and one third on the Cup side, posted his victory in 2013 while Cindric passed AJ Allmendinger with two laps to go for his win in 2019.
SITTING ON 749
The next Ford win will be its 750th all-time in NASCAR’s top series. Ned Jarrett is Ford’s win leader with 43 while Bill Elliott is second with 40. Shirtless Jimmy Florian scored the Blue Oval’s first series victory when he upset the likes of Lee Petty, Curtis Turner and Joe Weatherly at Dayton Speedway on June 25, 1950. Florian earned his nickname after getting out of his 1950 flathead Ford without a shirt. Overall, 91 drivers have won at least one series race with Ford, including notable drivers Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, A.J. Foyt, Richard Petty, and Dale Earnhardt.
A LOOK BACK
BUESCHER CLAIMS FIRST ROAD COURSE WIN
Chris Buescher took advantage of a mistake by Shane Van Gisbergen on the final lap to pass him and win the Go Bowling at the Glen in 2024. The race came down to an overtime restart that saw Van Gisbergen get past Buescher after a physical turn one. He held that advantage all the way until the two cars got to the track’s iconic “Bus Stop” corner on the final lap, but that’s when Van Gisbergen clipped the inside retaining barrier and slowed his momentum enough to allow Buescher to squeeze to his inside and make the decisive pass. For Buescher, it marked his first Cup Series triumph on a road course.
THREE STRAIGHT FOR MARTIN
Mark Martin became the first driver to win three straight NASCAR Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International, and he capped that streak on Aug. 13, 1995 after passing Wally Dallenbach, Jr. on lap 84 of the 90-lap event. Martin, who led a race-high 61 circuits overall, held off the road racing specialist to win by one second. That victory completed a three-year run that saw him not only sit on the pole every time but lead 183-of-270 laps (68%).
THREE IN THE TOP FIVE
Ford Racing has three of the top five drivers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series point standings as the series heads to Watkins Glen International. Chandler Smith leads the way in second while his Front Row Motorsports teammate, Layne Riggs, is one spot behind in third. Ben Rhodes, who is tied for the series lead in stage wins with three, is fifth overall.
RHODES CONTINUES FORD POLE RUN
Ben Rhodes earned Ford Racing’s fourth pole in seven races this season when he captured the top spot last week at Texas Motor Speedway. Rhodes parlayed that into a stage one victory and eventually a Ford-best fifth place finish. Jake Garcia, who is still searching for his first win, has captured two poles this season (Atlanta and Rockingham) while teammate Ty Majeski has the other (Daytona).
PAST WINNERS
FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT WATKINS GLEN
1965 – Marvin Panch
1993 – Mark Martin
1994 – Mark Martin
1995 – Mark Martin
1995 – Mark Martin
1996 – Geoffrey Bodine
2011 – Marcos Ambrose
2012 – Marcos Ambrose
2015 – Joey Logano
2024 – Chris Buescher
FORD’S NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT WATKINS GLEN
1998 – Joe Ruttman
2000 – Greg Biffle
