Fantasy NASCAR Scouting Report – Watkins Glen

[themify_box]NOTE: This post is a recap of what happened in 2017 at Watkins Glen[/themify_box]

Watkins Glen Top Ten Starters

1. Kyle Busch
2. Kyle Larson
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Chase Elliott
5. Daniel Suarez
6. Erik Jones
7. AJ Allmendinger
8. Brad Keseloewski
9. Jamie McMurray
10. Jimmie Johnson

Watkins Glen Full Starting Lineup

Watkins Glen Pre-race Notes

Drivers who started in the rear of the field: Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman, Trevor Bayne, Matt DiBenedetto, Boris Said and Gary Klutt

Watkins Glen Loop Data Box Score

Watkins Glen Loop Data Speed Stats

Watkins Glen Stage #1 Top Ten (Lap 20): 18,78,24,42,2,1,22,47,5,17

Watkins Glen Stage #2 Top Ten (Lap 40): 19,78,20,21,77,11,2,41,18,47

Watkins Glen Race Notes

Big Moment: Before the green flag waved, Trevor Bayne went to the garage because of brake problems.

Kyle Busch who started on the pole led the opening 21 laps. He jumped to a pretty healthy lead early.

On lap #2, AJ Allmendinger wheel hopped in the first turn. He was running in the top ten at the time and it dropped him back about 5 positions.

Running order on lap 5: 18,78,42,24,77,2,1,19,22,20 … 48,95

On lap 9, Kyle Busch had a three second lead over Martin Truex Jr.

Running order on lap 9: 18,78,24,42,77,2,1,22,19,20 … 48,95,21,41,47,4,5,37,11,17 … 10,3,14,27,31,13,88,72,38 … 43,34,32,83,23,15,33,6

Running order on lap 15: 18,78,24,42,77,2,1,22,19,20 … 48,21,95,41,4,47,11,5,14,37 … 17,10,3,27,31,88,72,13,43,38 … 32,83,34,23,15,33,6

Notable Moment: Around lap 17, Erik Jones had trouble in the bus stop corner (went straight and didn’t turn) and had to come to a stop on the track as a penalty. It dropped him from about 5th to 26th.

Running order on lap 18 (Some drivers pitted shortly before this): 18,78,24,42,2,1,22,47,5,17 … 10,37,3,27,31,72,13,43,38,32 … 83,19,88,48,20,77,21,23,41,34,4,95,15,11,14,33,6

Watkins Glen Stage #1 Top Ten (Lap 20): 18,78,24,42,2,1,22,47,5,17

During the Stage caution, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray didn’t pit. All the other front runners pitted.

During pit stops it was said that Kyle Busch was really happy with his car.

During the Stage caution, Joey Logano had a slow pit stop that cost him 15 positions.

Big Moment: During the Stage #1 caution while leading, Kyle Busch pitted a second time because he felt he had a loose wheel.

Running order on lap 27: 24,1,19,42,20,48,21,77,41,78 … 4,11,95,2,47,3,10,22,5,17 … 31,37,18,27,72,14,38,43,13,83 … 34,32,23

Big Moment: On lap 29, Jamie McMurray pitted from 2nd but had an extremely slow pit stop. It was 44 second long!

Running order on lap 33 (Some drivers pitted before this): 19,20,21,78,77,11,48,2,41,4 … 47,95,3,18,22,5,10,17,31,14 … 37,27,72,43,13,38,83,34,32,23 … 15,24,42,1,33,6,88

On lap 38 Kevin Harvick wasn’t happy with his car. He said it didn’t turn good and had no rear grip. He was on pit road at the time using pit strategy.

Running order on lap 38 (A lot of pit strategy was happening at this time) : 19,78,20,21,77,11,2,41,18,47 … 22,5,37,27,72,43,13,38,83,34 … 24,32,23,15,4,10,42,48,3,95,14

Watkins Glen Stage #2 Top Ten (Lap 40): 19,78,20,21,77,11,2,41,18,47

Big Moment: On lap 45, during the first lap for the final Stage Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski had contact and got off track in the bus stop turn. Kyle Busch lost all of his track position from this. Busch and Keselowski were battling for 8th. This dropped them back to the 30’s.