NASCAR kicks off the weekend Friday at Watkins Glen International as the ARCA Menards Series teams race and the Xfinity Series teams go through technical inspection.
The Xfinity Series has competed at Watkins Glen 28 times. Kyle Larson is the defending winner as he swept the Xfinity and Cup races at the road course last season.
Per Racing Insights, 23 of these 28 races have featured winners not running full-time in Xfinity. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the only driver to win the Xfinity race at Watkins Glen and the Xfinity championship in the same season (1999).
The ARCA Menards Series has competed at Watkins Glen three times. John Finger won the inaugural race in 2001. Corey Heim won in 2021. Brandon Jones won last season while making limited starts for Joe Gibbs Racing.
The ARCA entry list includes a full-time Cup Series driver. Corey LaJoie will make his first start in the series since the 2013 season when he won three of the five races in which he competed. He will drive for Paris Wixon Racing.
Watkins Glen International
Weather
Friday: Scattered thunderstorms early with mostly cloudy skies later in the day. High of 71 degrees with a 40% chance of rain.
Friday, Aug. 18
(All times Eastern)
Garage open
- 9 a.m. — ARCA Menards Series
- 12 – 5 p.m. — Xfinity Series
Track activity
- 3 - 4 p.m. — ARCA Menards Series practice (no TV)
- 4:15 - 4:35 p.m. — ARCA Menards Series qualifying (no TV)
- 6 p.m. — ARCA Menards Series race (41 laps, 100.45 miles; FS1, FloRacing, Motor Racing Network)
