WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — As NASCAR heads back to the winding hills of upstate New York and Watkins Glen International, much of the focus is on two clear favorites: Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch.
Van Gisbergen has quickly established himself as one of the top road course racers in NASCAR, winning five of the last six road course events, including last year’s race at Watkins Glen. Anytime the New Zealand driver arrives at a road course, he immediately becomes one of the drivers to beat.
Zilisch, meanwhile, has built an impressive history of his own at the Glen despite his young age. He earned his first NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory there in 2024, then followed it up with another win in 2025. This weekend marks his first Cup Series start at Watkins Glen, and many believe he has the potential to contend immediately.
While SVG and Zilisch may enter as the favorites, several other drivers could challenge for the victory.
AJ Allmendinger remains one of the strongest road course veterans in the field. He earned his first Cup Series win at Watkins Glen in 2014 and consistently runs near the front at these types of tracks.
Tyler Reddick has also emerged as a major threat throughout the 2026 season. Reddick has won five of the first 11 races, including the season’s only road course event so far at Circuit of the Americas, where he held off van Gisbergen late in the race.
Other drivers trending upward on road courses include Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney. Briscoe showed strong pace at Sonoma and was competitive at COTA before mechanical issues interrupted his day. Blaney, meanwhile, won the pole for this race last year and led laps before fading later in the event.
And whenever NASCAR visits Watkins Glen, the Hendrick Motorsports drivers can never be overlooked. Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson combined to win every Cup race at the Glen from 2018 through 2022, proving the organization’s strength at the fast New York road course.
So the question entering the weekend is simple: will van Gisbergen score his first win of 2026, will Zilisch break through for his first Cup Series victory, or will another contender emerge to celebrate in Watkins Glen Victory Lane?
