Track history and First Cup race
Watkins Glen International hosts one of the two road course races on the Cup schedule. The Glen has had an on-again off-again history of racing. In 1957, Buck Baker put his No. 87 Chevrolet on the pole, led all 44 laps to win the first NASCAR race. It wasn't until 1964 that NASCAR returned for two years and then again dropped the track from its schedule. After the track went into disrepair it was purchased by Corning Enterprises and International Speedway Corporation. They restored the facility and reopened it in 1984. On August 9, 1986, Tim Richmond drove the No. 25 Chevrolet from the pole to the checkered flag in NASCAR's return to The Glen.
The 2.45 mile track has 11 turns with varying lengths and banking ranging from 6 to 10 degrees. The Glen is different from Infineon in California (the other NASCAR road course) in that the straightaways are longer. Drivers who can brake well going into the tight turns and can run smooth laps will have an advantage over the rest of the field. Some teams hire road course specialists in one-race deals to replace their drivers for these events. The "hired guns" have prior experience at WGI, Infineon, sports car venues and even open-wheel road courses. The Cup regulars have improved their "non-oval" driving over the past few years and are giving the specialists a run for their money.
As fantasy players, your team budget won't allow you to pick all track favorites so Mid-pack Attack is here to help. A mid-packer may not win the race but has as good a shot at a top 15 finish as track favorites Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart. There were 46 cars on the preliminary entry list for this weekend's Cup race. Here are our picks for Sunday's Centurion Boats at The Glen in Watkins Glen, New York.
Mid-pack picks
This week all of the fantasy experts are dipping into the mid-pack ranks and favoring Robby Gordon. We look at mid-packers every week, so we agree!
The 2003 winner of this event is not afraid of out-braking other cars in the turns. He has an aggressive road racing style and will be mixing it up at the front. Over the last nine years, only track favorite, Tony Stewart, has scored more driver championship points than Gordon at WGI. Robby is running in the Nationwide Series race on Saturday at The Glen as well. He has three top fives in four starts in that series.
Juan Pablo Montoya will be looking for redemption this weekend. In his first (and only) Cup start at the New York track, he was running sixth when he was hit from behind with less than 20 laps to go. He finished 8 laps down in 39th. At Infineon Raceway, Montoya scored a win and a 6th in his two Cup starts. In his one start at the Mexico City road course, he started 3rd and won the event. We think this is the best weekend to use him as your third or fourth driver.
Ron Fellows is our choice among the road course 'hired guns' this week. He won his most recent NASCAR road race; last weekend's Nationwide Series race at Montreal (finished 4th there in 2007). He's ranked first in the NASCAR loop data "Green Flag Passes" category for the last three WGI Cup races. Fellows passed cars 197 times under green flag conditions. He finished the Cup race 2nd here in 2004 and 4th in 2007. In the Nationwide Series, Fellows has three wins in eight starts at The Glen. He's guaranteed a start on Sunday since he's driving the Dale Earnhardt Inc. No. 01 which is in the Top 35 in owner's points (32nd).
Our deepest pick is a gamble since he has to qualify his way into the field. Patrick Carpentier has, however, made the show for every race he attempted except for the Daytona 500. This is an anniversary race for Carpentier. He made his NASCAR Cup debut in this event last year; started 40th, led seven laps and finished a respectable 22nd. Carpentier said he'll concentrate on "braking in a straight line", "picking passing points" and to "not force the issue in corners". Sounds like he's got a plan. He'll also be running some 'practice laps' in the Nationwide Series race on Saturday.
