William Byron dominates at Watkins Glen, full finishing order, updated playoff bubble

William Byron on Sunday proved once again that when a Hendrick Motorsports entry dials everything in, they are nearly unbeatable.

Byron led 63 of 90 laps en route to a dominant win at the Go Bowling at the Glen. Byron benefitted from a pit-lane violation committed by then-leader Michael McDowell on the first round of green-flag pit stops, assumed the lead on McDowell’s pass through and never looked back. Pole-sitter Denny Hamlin never could muster enough to mount a serious challenge to the No. 24 machine, which had opened up a three-second lead by the final lap.

“I did a lot of driving in iRacing this week, got a new simulator at home, so thanks to those guys,” Byron said after his first career road course win.

After the elation of last week’s win, McDowell had a nightmare of a day, as the team was penalized on pit road again later in the race for having a man over the wall too early. They later retired the car with engine failure.

While it was all smiles for the No. 24 team, Hendrick teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott were snake-bitten in upstate New York. Larson was in the mix for the win going into the second and final round of green-flag pit stops, but a speeding penalty shuffled him back toward the middle of the field. Larson wound up 26th after an incident with Austin Dillon going into the final corner of the race.

Elliott — in must-win mode to make the playoffs — brought out the only caution of the day on lap 55 when he ran out of fuel on the backstretch. Elliott started 15th and the team opted for an alternative pit strategy hoping things would break their way, but a miscalculation on when to refuel doomed the No. 9.

Go Bowling at the Glen results

1. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

3. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

4. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

5. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

6. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

7. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

8. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

9. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

10. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

11. Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

12. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

14. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

15. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

16. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

17. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

18. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

19. Mike Rockenfeller (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

20. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

21. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

22. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

23. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

24. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

25. Andy Lally (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

26. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

27. Josh Bilicki (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

28. Cole Custer (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

29. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

30. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

31. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

32. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

33. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

34. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

35. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

36. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

Updated NASCAR Cup Series playoff bubble

Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski are now locked into the playoffs on points after their finishes Sunday. Bubba Wallace remains on the cut line, but extended his lead by four points to 32 ahead Ty Gibbs. Daniel Suárez had entered the weekend in 17th, 28 points behind Wallace, but an early spin compromised his race and he fell back in the points.

16. Bubba Wallace +32
17. Ty Gibbs -32
18. Daniel Suárez -43
19. A.J. Allmendinger -72
20. Alex Bowman -96

Byron benefits from McDowell mistake to win Stage 2

After green flag pit stops cycled through at Watkins Glen, the running order was much the same as the end of Stage 1, with one exception. Stage 1 winner Michael McDowell was nabbed for crossing into too many pit boxes and had to serve a drive-through penalty that dropped him down to 15th. With that, William Byron, who started second, inherited the lead and didn’t look back.

Pole-sitter Denny Hamlin finished second in the stage, while Ty Gibbs was third.

McDowell wins Stage 1 after early pass of Hamlin

Michael McDowell won a caution-free, 20-lap first stint at Watkins Glen after passing pole-sitter Denny Hamlin entering the esses on lap 4. William Byron, who started second but lost that spot to McDowell at the start, got by Hamlin shortly after McDowell did later on lap 4.

Daniel Suárez and Harrison Burton both spun exiting the bus stop chicane, but each promptly got going. Suárez entered the weekend just 28 points back of Bubba Wallace for the final playoff spot.

Go Bowling at the Glen starting lineup

1. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

3. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

4. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

5. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

6. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

7. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

8. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

9. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

10. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

11. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

12. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

13. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

14. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

15. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

16. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

17. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

18. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

19. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

20. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

21. Mike Rockenfeller (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

22. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

23. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

24. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

25. Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

26. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

27. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

29. Andy Lally (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

30. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

31. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

32. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

33. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

34. Cole Custer (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

35. Josh Bilicki (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

36. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Go Bowling at the Glen TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Saturday
12:30-1:30 p.m.: Practice (USA, NBC Sports app)
1:30-2:30 p.m.: Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports app)

Sunday
3-6:30 p.m.: Go Bowling at the Glen (USA, NBC Sports app)

Go Bowling at the Glen details

Track: Watkins Glen International Raceway (11-turn, 2.45-mile, permanent racing facility) in New York
Length: 90 laps for 221 miles
Stages: 20, 20, and 50 laps with no breaks
2022 winner: Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Go Bowling at the Glen top drivers and best bets

Chase Elliott’s only chance at a playoff spot is a win in one of the next two races, and given that he’s the winningest active driver on road courses with seven, he’s the favorite this weekend at Watkins Glen, according to BetMGM. Kyle Larson has won the past two races at Watkins Glen and enters the weekend at 5½-to-1 odds. Current points leader Martin Truex Jr. has six career road-course wins to his name and is 7-to-1 entering the weekend. Tyler Reddick, who won earlier in the season at Circuit of the Americas, enters the weekend with 9-to-1 odds.

Best odds to win

• Chase Elliott +300
• Kyle Larson +550
• Martin Truex Jr. +700
• Tyler Reddick +900

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg wrote earlier in the week on the betting forecast and suggests good mid-tier odds on Chris Buescher (+2200), who has won the past two races on the trot, and Austin Cindric (+2400), who has bagged a pair of top-10s on road courses this season at COTA and the Chicago street race. If you want to take flyer on a long shot, Bromberg notes that Erik Jones (+25000) has four top-10s at Watkins Glen in five career starts there.

Go Bowling at the Glen entry list

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Andy Lally (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Mike Rockenfeller (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Cole Custer (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Josh Bilicki (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Go Bowling at the Glen weather

The forecast is partly cloudy for Saturday’s Cup Series practice and qualifying runs, but a 52% chance of rain looms for race day. NASCAR’s short-track and road-course packages include windshield wipers and grooved tires that can run on damp asphalt but not with rain coming down or standing water on the track.