The race weekend at Watkins Glen International begins on Friday with two racing series.
The Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series teams will both get time on track as they practice, qualify, and race. NASCAR Xfinity Series teams will spend time in the garage while taking part in pre-race inspections.
The Truck Series entry list will feature multiple guest drivers, albeit for different reasons. Some will make previously scheduled starts. Others will fill in for injured or released drivers.
This group includes four different Cup drivers -- Christopher Bell (No. 52), Ross Chastain (No. 44), Chris Buescher (No. 66), and Kyle Busch (No. 07). The Truck Series entry list also includes William Sawalich (No. 1), Sammy Smith (No. 7), Connor Zilisch (No. 45), Brent Crews (No. 70), and Parker Kligerman (No. 75) among others.
Watkins Glen International forecast and schedule
Friday forecast: The WeatherUnderground forecast calls for sunny skies. A high of 83 degrees and no chance of rain at the start of the Truck Series race.
Friday, Aug. 8, schedule (Eastern Time)
- 8:15 a.m. -- ARCA Menards Series garage hours
- 10 a.m. -- Truck Series garage hours
- 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. -- Xfinity Series garage hours
- 10 - 10:45 a.m. -- ARCA Menards Series practice (No TV)
- 11 - 11:20 a.m. -- ARCA Menards Series qualifying (No TV)
- 11:35 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. -- Truck Series practice (FS2)
- 12:40 - 1:30 p.m. -- Truck Series qualifying (FS2)
- 2 p.m. -- ARCA Menards Series race (41 laps, 100.45 miles. FS2, Radio coverage on Motor Racing Network)
- 5 p.m. -- Truck Series race (72 laps, 176.4 miles. FS1, Radio coverage on NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Playoff picture: This race marks one of two remaining opportunities for Truck Series drivers to punch their tickets to the playoffs. Next weekend's race at Richmond Raceway marks the end of the regular season.
The list of playoff drivers includes regular-season champion Corey Heim, Chandler Smith, Layne Riggs, Daniel Hemric, Tyler Ankrum, and Rajah Caruth. Stewart Friesen also won his way into the playoffs, but he suffered multiple injuries in a crash at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec. He is back at home after undergoing surgery to reconstruct his shattered pelvis and his right leg tibia and fibula.
Bell will replace Friesen at Watkins Glen International. Kaden Honeycutt, who sits sixth in the Truck Series standings, will take over the No. 52 at Richmond and for the rest of the season.