NASCAR Cup Series heads to Watkins Glen with Shane van Gisbergen as favourite

The 2026 Go Bowling at The Glen NASCAR Cup Series race is set to take place on Sunday at Watkins Glen International, extending to 100 laps. Shane van Gisbergen is the favourite at +125, while rookie Connor Zilisch is second at +380.

Shane van Gisbergen enters as the defending race winner and has won all six of his Cup Series victories on road or street tracks. This track record makes him the logical choice for bookmakers, particularly as the event marks the second road course of the 2026 NASCAR season.

Conversely, rookie Connor Zilisch, despite finishing as the 2025 Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year, ranks 33rd out of 35 full-time drivers in the current Cup standings. A prediction model by Mike McClure suggests fading Zilisch, citing his lack of top-10 finishes in 14 Cup Series starts.

The same model highlights Ryan Blaney as a strong contender for a top finish, noting his ability to lead laps and his strong season performance, despite his long odds of +2200. McClure's model has historically identified winners in 11 of the 11 races it covered in 2025.

Hendrick Motorsports has won five of the last seven races at this specific venue, with drivers like William Byron and Kyle Larson also listed among the contenders. Other odds include Tyler Reddick at +900, Christopher Bell at +1100, and Kyle Larson at +1900.

While the specific drivers identified by Mike McClure's model as massive longshots with odds of at least +2200 are not named in the source text, the article directs readers to an external link for this information. The accuracy of prediction models for specific single races cannot be guaranteed, even with a strong historical track record.