William Byron wins Watkins Glen, Keselowski and Harvick Locked Into Playoffs

Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY — August 20, 2023

The NASCAR Cup series competes on a road course for the second week in a row. After Michael McDowell won at Indy last week, there are three playoff spots left that could be filled based on points. Today at Watkins Glen or next week at Daytona could easily produce two new winners in 2023. If so, the playoff bubble will burst for the drivers holding those spots now.

Here is how the non-winners line up for the next two races.

Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott sit 80 points out, and both will need a win if they expect to advance to the postseason.

Today’s Race

Denny Hamlin sits on the pole for today’s race. William Byron starts beside Hamlin. Michael McDowell and Ty Gibbs start in row two. Just under 2.5 miles, 90 laps make up the 220.86-mile distance of the Go Bowling at the Glen. Stages are 20/20/50 laps. Kyle Larson is the defending champion, he starts fifth today.

Stage One

Denny Hamlin(11) drove off into the lead, with Michael McDowell(34) slipping under William Byron(24) to take the second position. McDowell hounded the rear bumper of Hamlin, waiting for the opportunity to make a pass.

At the end of lap three, McDowell ducked under Hamlin and drove to the lead. Byron followed as the duo was clearly faster than the #11 car.

Ty Gibbs(54) and AJ Allmendinger(16) rounded out the top five.

Green flag pit stops began on lap 17 for cars outside of the top 10. The leaders will stay out to cash in on the Stage points. Most teams will look to make it a two-stop race to complete the 90 laps.

Stage One Results

*Ford Mustang Drivers

Stage Two

The leaders waited until the end of the Stage to make their stops, and Michael McDowell made a huge mistake. He drove through too many pit stalls while entering his pit space. McDowell had to return to pit road for a drive-thru penalty at pit road speed. After he returned to the track, McDowell was scored in the 17th position.

Chase Elliott(9) was the big gainer in Stage One. He moved to the seventh position when service stops cycled through. Byron, Hamlin, Gibbs, Allmendinger, and Kyle Larson remained out front.

Stage Two Results

For only the second time this season, there were no Ford Mustangs in the top ten at the end of a Stage.

The Final Stage

To make the total 90 laps, drivers will have to make it to approximately 35 laps to go before pitting for fuel.

As the leaders began moving through lapped traffic, Byron opened some space at the front of the field. Hamlin, Gibbs, and Larson were caught behind a lapped car, and the battle for the second spot was nose to tail.

With 40 laps to go, McDowell had returned to the top ten. Pit stops may well determine who has the advantage in the closing laps of the race. Mistakes on pit road at this point would certainly take a driver out of contention for the win.

Gibbs was the first of the leaders to pit with 37 laps to go. McDowell followed him. Chase Elliott ran out of fuel and rolled to a stop on the track, bringing out the first caution of the day. Bringing all the leaders to the pit road.

Trouble on pit road. McDowell’s crew was over the wall too soon and incurred another drive-thru penalty. Kyle Larson was too fast exiting pit road and will restart at the end of the field.

Alex Bowman(48) had to come in for fuel before the pit road opened, and he will also have to restart at the rear of the pack. Chase Elliott lost a lap while being pushed to the pit road.

After all the chaos, Byron led, Hamlin ran second, followed by Bell, Allmendinger, and Gibbs when the race restarted with 30 laps to go. By pitting before most of the leaders and serving his penalty before the caution, McDowell restarted in the top ten.

With 20 laps to go, the top five remained the same. Byron had opened a second-and-a-half lead over Hamlin, who was holding up the three drivers behind him.

With 15 laps to go, Michael McDowell lost power and coasted to pit road. His crew was forced to push the race car to the garage as the failure appeared terminal.

As the laps wound down, it appeared that no one in the top five had the ability to improve their position. A Byron win would lock Brad Keselowski(6) and Kevin Harvick(4) into the playoffs on points. Bubba Wallace would be the lone driver on the bubble.

The race ended without drama. Byron led 66 of the 90 laps in the race. Keselowski and Harvick take a big sigh of relief. Bubba Wallace will go to Daytona having to hold his breath for 160 laps, hoping a driver with a win under their belt already this season is able to take the checkered flag.

Playoff Standings

*Ford Mustang Drivers

Results of the Go Bowling at the Glen