NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen: Chris Buescher wins in OT after last-lap pass

A mere two weeks ago, Chris Buescher dealt with the heartbreak of just missing the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. On Sunday at Watkins Glen International, Buescher was able to get some redemption.

Buescher won The Go Bowling at The Glen, the second race of the 10-race Cup Series playoffs, taking the checkered flag in an eventful race that culminated in a thrilling overtime battle.

Buescher had surged to the lead during the closing laps of the final stage, but a series of caution flags forced him to try to keep his car out front on restart after restart. When the race headed to overtime after yet another multi-car incident with three laps to go, the RFK Racing driver needed to shoot to the lead one final time. Instead, he lost it when Shane Van Gisbergen gave his No. 17 Ford a shove after the green flag waved before the New Zealand native pulled his No. 16 Chevrolet alongside Buescher and Carson Hocevar, who had restarted first and second. Van Gisbergen, a three-time Australian Supercars champion who will make the jump to full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver in 2025, pulled away from Buescher and seemed to be heading for victory.

But Buescher wasn’t done. He gathered himself and chased down Van Gisbergen before finally getting to his rear bumper on the white-flag lap. After getting bumped on the restart, Buescher gave Van Gisbergen a bump of his own in the carousel, pulled alongside and retook the lead, then held over the final few turns to earn his first road course win in 36 starts.

"I thought we lost it there on that last one and to stay right there with him – that was the spot he was better than us and he missed it, so I tried a crossover.  He went to cut and just hard racing there," Buescher said. "It’s just such an awesome finish.  To be that good for so much at the end of the race, all race, to get a win is good.  We came here to be a spoiler and we’re gonna do that.”

The victory was Buescher’s first of the season and the sixth of his Cup Series career and prevented a playoff driver from clinching an automatic berth into the second round.

The top five finishers in Sunday’s race were all non-playoff drivers, with Van Gisbergen finishing second, Hocevar third, pole winner Ross Chastain fourth and Zane Smith fifth.

"I gave him a little bump to get the spot, and I knew it was going to come back," Van Gisbergen said. "So, I was just pushing the entries and trying to get away and just made an error. ... (Our Camaro) was really good, fastest car all day, and it just didn’t work out.”

Chase Briscoe led playoff drivers, finishing sixth, while Austin Cindric was the only other playoff driver to finish in the Top 10, coming home 10^th in a race where most of the 16 playoff drivers were involved in at least once incident. Michael McDowell finished seventh, Corey LaJoie eighth and Ryan Preece ninth.

See the full results of The Go Bowling at The Glen here. And see below the gallery for a recap and highlights from Sunday's race.

Watkins Glen proves rough for most NASCAR playoff drivers

The second race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs was a turbulent one for most of the 16 drivers in the playoff field. Only two – Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric – finished in the Top 10, while another – reigning series champion Ryan Blaney – finished last after a first-lap crash that ended his day.

William Byron, who won last year's race at Watkins Glen, finished 34th out of 38 drivers after a late crash nearly totaled his Chevrolet, while Denny Hamlin had his second consecutive misfire in a playoff race and now sits below the 12-driver cutline along with former series champions Marin Truex Jr (2017) and Brad Keselowski (2012).

The bottom four drivers in the standings after next week's race at Bristol Motor Speedway will be eliminated from championship contention.

Buescher wins NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen in overtime

Chris Buescher passed Shane Van Gisbergen on a thrilling final lap of overtime to win the Go Bowling at The Glen Sunday at Watkins Glen International in a battle of non-playoff drivers.

NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen headed to overtime

Tyler Reddick and Kyle Busch made contact on a restart with three laps to go, sending both cars spinning and bringing out the caution flag.

Kyle Larson blocked Todd Gilliland as both were trying to protect their positions in the Top 15 sending Gilliland into Chase Elliott and Josh Berry in the eases. During the stack-up, Martin Truex Jr. crashed into the outside wall, while Reddick and Busch spun in Turn 3 making heavy contact.

Chris Buescher and Carson Hocevar will lead the field during the overtime restart.

Bryon, Keselowski crash into each other during late restart at Watkins Glen

William Byron got launched into the catchfence on a restart with six laps to go in The Go Bowling at The Glen before landing on the driver-side window of Brad Keselowski. The two playoff drivers were racing against fellow playoff driver Joey Logano for position on the restart when Logano and Keselowski got together in Turn 4, sending Keselowski's No. 6 Ford into William Byron. Byron's No. 24 Chevrolet slammed into the wall then came down on top of Keselowski's car with his hood poking into the window of the No. 6.

Both drivers were uninjured, but each car suffered big damage.

Chris Buescher led the restart and pulled away from Carson Hocevar and Shane Van Gisbergen before the caution came out. Buescher will once again lead the field to green with three laps to go in what could be the final restart.

Playoff drivers get tangled up in Stage 3 of NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen

Denny Hamlin got three-wide with fellow playoff drivers Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski on Lap 47 of The Go Bowling at The Glen. Keselowski got squeezed on the narrow road couse and turned Hamlin who hit outside barrier, bringing out the caution flag.

Keselowski, Larson and Hamlin all hit pit road during the yellow flag along with playoff drivers Austsin Cindric, Harrison Burton and Joey Logano. Zane Smith, Kyle Busch, Todd Gilliland and Daniel Hemric also came down pit road for fuel and tires.

Chastain wins Stage 2 of NASCAR race at Watkins Glen as more playoff drivers have issues

Pole winner Ross Chastain, who gave up a chance to win the opening stage by pitting early, won the Stage 2 – despite planning to pit before the end of the segment. But playoff driver Daniel Suarez spun and brought out a caution moments before Chastain and second-place driver Shane Van Gisbergen planned to to take fuel and tires on pit road.

When the stage began, Suarez and Tyler Reddick were in involved in an incident with a number of other drivers, causing Reddick to spin out. The 23XI Racing driver was able to turn his car around and the race stayed green, but both drivers lost multiple positions on track. Suarez was running near the back of the lead lap when he spun again on Lap 38 of 40.

Before Suarez's caution, playoff driver Brad Keselowski came down pit road for gas and tires but was penalized for an uncontrolled tire. Kyle Larson was penalized at the end of the stage for interference.

Here are the results from Stage 2:

1. Ross Chastain

2. Shane Van Gisbergen

3. Joey Logano

4. Ty Gibbs

5. William Byron

6. Harrison Burton

7. Chase Briscoe

8. Alex Bowman

9. Ryan Preece

10. Denny Hamlin

Truex wins Stage 1 of NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen

After a rough opening race, Martin Truex Jr. rebounded Sunday to win the opening stage of the Go Bowling at The Glen. Pole winner Ross Chastain led the first 18 laps of the 20-lap stage but elected to pit before the segement ended, handing the lead to Truex, who held on for the final two laps. Truex had finished 35th last weekend at Atlanta.

Playoff drivers took the top 8 spots in Stage 1. Alex Bowman finished second, Chase Briscoe third, Daniel Suarez fourth and Austin Cindric fifth. Chase Elliott finished sixth, followed by Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Erik Jones and Daniel Hemric.

Denny Hamlin, who went a lap down after being involved in the incident on the opening lap, got the free pass and will get back on the lead lap.

Blaney among NASCAR playoff drivers involved in early incident at Watkins Glen

Before the first lap was even completed, multiple cars were involved in an incident after Kyle Busch was spun in the inner loop following contact from Corey LaJoie. Ryan Blaney, the reigning series champion, took the biggest hit and his No. 12 Team Penske Ford had to be towed off the track, ending his day early and putting a dent in his playoff ranking. Denny Hamlin also had damage but was able to drive his car to pit road, where his Joe Gibbs Racing team attempted to make repairs on his No. 11 Toyota.

Christopher Bell also spun into the grass during the incident, but appeared to escape major damage. Bubba Wallace, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Ryan Preece were also involved.

Green flag waves for NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen

The second playoff race is off and running on the road course at Watkins Glen International with pole istter Ross Chastain and playoff driver Martin Truex Jr. leading the field.

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen start?

The Go Bowling at The Glen starts at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York.

What TV channel is the NASCAR playoff race at Watkins on?

USA Network is broadcasting the Go Bowling at The Glen and has a pre-race show beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen?

The Go Bowling at The Glen can be live streamed on the NBC Sports website and the NBC Sports app. The race is also available to stream on Fubo.

How many laps is the NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen?

The Go Bowling at The Glen is 90 laps around the 2.45-mile road course for a total of 220.5 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage):

• Stage 1: 20 laps

• Stage 2: 20 laps

• Stage 3: 50 laps

What is the weather forecast for the NASCAR race at Watkins Glen? 

Expect sunny skies with a few clouds – just about perfect weather – at Watkins Glen this afternoon with temperatures in the mid-80s and light winds out of the south at 5 mph.

There's a 0% chance of rain throughout the day.

Who is starting on the pole in the NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen?

Ross Chastain posted the fastest time in Saturday’s qualifying and will start on the pole in Sunday’s race. Martin Truex Jr. qualified second and will also start on the front row.

What is the lineup for NASCAR’s Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen?

Car number in parentheses; (P)=playoff driver

• 1. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

• 2. (19) Martin Truex Jr. (P), Toyota

• 3. (16) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet

• 4. (48) Alex Bowman (P), Chevrolet

• 5. (2) Austin Cindric (P), Ford

• 6. (13) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet

• 7. (22) Joey Logano (P), Ford

• 8. (99) Daniel Suarez (P), Chevrolet

• 9. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford

• 10. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

• 11. (24) William Byron (P), Chevrolet

• 12. (14) Chase Briscoe (P), Ford

• 13. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet

• 14. (9) Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet

• 15. (54) Ty Gibbs (P), Toyota

• 16. (45) Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota

• 17. (20) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota

• 18. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet

• 19. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet

• 20. (5) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet

• 21. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford

• 22. (11) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota

• 23. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

• 24. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

• 25. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota

• 26. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet

• 27. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet

• 28. (6) Brad Keselowski (P), Ford

• 29. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet

• 30. (12) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford

• 31. (4) Josh Berry, Ford

• 32. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

• 33. (21) Harrison Burton (P), Ford

• 34. (50) Juan Pablo Montoya, Toyota

• 35. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota

• 36. (51) Justin Haley, Ford

• 37. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford

• 38. (15) Kaz Grala, Ford

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen? 

William Byron started second and led 66 of 90 laps, including the final 33, before pulling away from Denny Hamlin by 2.632 seconds on Aug. 20, 2023.

What are the driver standings heading into the NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen? 

The bottom four drivers after the third playoff race next weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway will be eliminated.

x-clinched spot in second round.

1. Ryan Blaney, Team Penske ... 2,071

1. Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing ... 2,066

1. Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing ... 2,059

1. William Bryon, Hendrick Motorsports ... 2,059

1. x-Joey Logano, Team Penske ... 2,054

1. Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports ... 2,053

1. Austin Cindric, Team Penske ... 2,053

1. Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports ... 2,050

1. Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing ... 2,048

1. Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports ... 2,041

1. Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing ... 2,028

1. Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing ... 2,027

1. Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing ... 2,026

1. Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing ... 2,011

1. Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing ... 2,008

1. Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing ... 2,006

How do the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs work? 

Sixteen drivers earned berths in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs – 14 by virtue of a regular season victory and two winless drivers who made the playoffs on points.

There are 10 total races in the playoffs, including the championship race at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 10. The playoffs feature three rounds with three races per round before the final race. The four drivers with the fewest points will be eliminated after the third, sixth and ninth races, leaving a final four to race for the title.

If a playoff driver wins a race in one of the three rounds, he will automatically advance to the next round. If non-playoff drivers win those races, however, playoff drivers will advance based on points accumulated during each of the three rounds.

What is the full schedule for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs? 

Here is the schedule with dates, tracks, times and TV for each of the 10 races of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs (All times Eastern)

• Sunday, Sept. 8: Atlanta Motor Speedway. Winner: Joey Logano

• Sunday, Sept. 15: Watkins Glen International, USA, 3 p.m.

• Saturday, Sept. 21: Bristol Motor Speedway, USA, 7:30 p.m.

• Sunday, Sept. 29: Kansas Speedway, USA, 3 p.m.

• Sunday, Oct. 6: Talladega Superspeedway, NBC, 2 p.m.

• Sunday, Oct. 13: Charlotte Roval, NBC, 2 p.m.

• Sunday, Oct. 20: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, NBC, 2:30 p.m.

• Sunday, Oct. 27: Homestead-Miami Speedway, NBC, 2:30 p.m.

• Sunday, Nov. 3: Martinsville Speedway, NBC, 2 p.m.

• Sunday, Nov. 10: Phoenix Raceway, NBC, 3 p.m.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NASCAR Watkins Glen: Chris Buescher wins, playoff drivers struggle