NASCAR
Star-Studded Truck and Xfinity Series Races coming to Watkins Glen
Several drivers will soon be saying ‘I Love New York’ at Watkins Glen. Hosting a rare tripleheader NASCAR weekend with Trucks, Xfinity, and Cup, many of Sunday’s best will get some practice laps. Here’s a look at who will be moonlighting both Friday and Saturday, with a few rehearsing for the all-important Go Bowling at The Glen.
Trucks
- William Sawalich will be in the TRICON Garage No. 1 Toyota Tundra. Sawalich, an Xfinity Series rookie for Joe Gibbs Racing, has three top-10s in his last four races.
- Current Playoff driver Kaden Honeycutt will hop in the Young’s Motorsports No. 02 Chevrolet for The Glen. Honeycutt was recently released by Niece Motorsports, but must start this race in order to stay Playoff eligible. The pavement late model ace currently ranks sixth in Truck Series points with nine top-10s this year. The rest of 2025 will see Honeycutt drive the Halmar-Friesen Racing No. 52.
- Kyle Busch returns to the Spire Motorsports No. 07 Chevrolet for his fifth and final Truck start of 2025. In his four past races this year, Busch has one win (Atlanta) and two other top-10s. His most recent appearance was a 15th-place effort at Nashville Superspeedway in the 07. Busch is the all-time winningest man in Trucks, but this will mark his first-ever Watkins Glen start in this series.
- Also making a Spire Motorsports entry is Sammy Smith in the No. 7. Smith has two prior Truck starts from this season, with a best result of 10th at North Wilkesboro.
- Ross Chastain also makes his final allowed Truck start of 2025 this weekend. ‘The Melon Man’ will be in the Niece Motorsports No. 44 Chevrolet. His first four starts of 2025 netted three top-10s, including runner-up at Charlotte in May.
- Connor Zilisch will be this weekend’s busiest driver at Watkins Glen, pulling off triple-duty. The road racing ace will be in the Niece No. 45, the seat vacated by Honeycutt. Zilisch won the Xfinity race at Watkins Glen last year, taking the checkers in his series debut. The teenager has five more Xfinity Series wins this year, and is currently tied for the points lead. Zilisch remains winless however across six career Truck starts with a best finish of fourth.
- Driving in relief of the injured Stewart Friesen will be Christopher Bell. Bell will pilot the No. 52 Toyota in his first Truck outing since Las Vegas in March, 2024. Bell, the 2017 Truck Series champion, will be a one-and-done in this seat though. Cup drivers are not allowed to race in the Truck Series Playoffs or next week’s regular season finale.
- Making a very random Truck debut this weekend is reigning Watkins Glen Cup Series winner Chris Buescher. The Texan will be driving the No. 66 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing, and try to remain undefeated in NY. Should Buescher take this Truck Series win, he would become the 42nd driver with a victory across all three NASCAR National Series.
- Brent Crews Motorsports debuts in the Truck Series this weekend with their namesake behind the wheel. The 17-year-old racing prodigy will compete in the No. 70 Toyota Tundra with backing from Pristine Auction. This team is aligned with Nitro Motorsports and plans on running select future races as well.
- Parker Kligerman returns to the Henderson Motorsports No. 75 at The Glen for his fifth 2025 start. Aside from taking the checkers first (before disqualification) at Daytona in February, PK’s best result this year has been 14th. Watkins Glen is Kligerman’s first Truck start since Charlotte.
Xfinity
- WGI is the three-letter acronym for Watkins Glen, but SVG may be the talk of the town this weekend. Shane van Gisbergen makes an Xfinity Series return with JR Motorsports, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet and eyeing a rare road course trophy he does not have. SVG has made two starts in this ride already this year; his worst result of second at Sonoma came the week after a dominant Chicago Street Course win. SVG earned a top-five in this race last year, a day before being a close Cup runner-up at The Glen. Expect the New Zealander to be a heavy favorite in both starts this time around. Do not engrave Saturday’s trophy for him just yet, though. Connor Zilisch was the man who beat SVG to the line in Sonoma. The teenager in the No. 88 will be lights-out again at his favorite road course. We may be treated to another all-time classic battle between these two road racing behemoths.
- Making his first Xfinity start in almost nine years will be Michael McDowell. The road racing ace has been tapped to fill the vacancy left with the Kaulig Racing No. 11 Chevrolet for Watkins Glen. Kaulig has likewise announced that Justin Haley will pilot this car at Daytona in two weeks. McDowell is no stranger to road course success in any NASCAR level, owning a Road America Xfinity triumph from 2016.
- 23XI Racing’s Riley Herbst is being handed the reigns of Joe Gibbs Racing’s all-star No. 19 Toyota. In three other starts this season, Herbst has two top-fives including a third-place run at Sonoma. The Cup Series rookie will see maximum track time this weekend leading up to his maiden Sunday run at Watkins Glen. The Las Vegas native does have one top-10 here from four past Xfinity Series starts.
- Rounding out the list of Cup double-duty drivers at Watkins Glen is Josh Bilicki. The road racing talent will be in the No. 91 Chevrolet for DGM Racing. Sunday will likewise see Bilicki drive the Garage 66 Ford. Bilicki’s limited 2025 Xfinity Series schedule has netted four top-20s through 15 starts, including a 14th-place run at Sonoma in July.
It’s quite evident that many across the Cup garage are trying to hone their road racing skills. Shane van Gisbergen is looking at a potential fourth-straight road win, meaning 39 others will take any chance possible at getting extra reps. Watkins Glen is also the last Truck race of the year where any Cup drivers are allowed; from Richmond onwards they are banned from competition. Can any of these double dippers gain a leg up on their competition either Friday or Saturday and translate it to a breakout Sunday run? Be sure to watch all three races and see if anyone can possibly pull off a Watkins Glen weekend sweep.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credits to Chris Graythen and Sean Gardner/Getty Images
