NASCAR weekend underway at Watkins Glen

NASCAR weekend is underway in the Finger Lakes Region. 

The ARCA Menards Series kicked off the racing on Friday at Watkins Glen International with the General Tire 100. Tristian McKee won the 41-lap race.

Later in the day, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series took the track. It’s the first time since 2021 they have raced at this historic road course. Corey Heim won the Mission 176 at The Glen. The driver of the #11 truck started first and made a late move to take the lead and win.

“It means a lot,” Heim said. “I love coming up this racetrack. I don’t get the opportunity to very often.” 

These races on Friday are just the appetizer to kick off the racing this weekend. On Saturday, NASCAR Xfinity Series will take the stage with the Mission 200 at the Glen.

And then on Sunday, it’s the main course: NASCAR Cup Series’s Go Bowling at the Glen. This is the 42nd trip to Watkins Glen International for the Cup Series.

It’s not a playoff race this year like it was in 2024, but there’s still a lot on the line for drivers on Sunday, with this being the third to last race before the postseason starts. 

“We’re excited. One of the things we all talked about last year is how could we improve on our Cup weekend,” said Dawn Burlew, the president of Watkins Glen International. “We were happy enough to be in the playoffs last year, which was pretty exciting for the Glen. So this year we are back to our August weekend, which is very nice for our fans.”  

Burlew is currently in her second year leading the charge at the Glen. The Corning native and her team have spent months preparing for this weekend.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will start 3 p.m. on Saturday and the NASCAR Cup Series will get the green flag 2 p.m. on Sunday.