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Connor Zilisch Wins Watkins Glen; Preece Fined $50K

5/11/2026

35 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Zilisch Wins

Connor Zilisch passed on final lap to win O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Watkins Glen on May 9, 2026.
A tent blew from the area onto the track 11 laps left in stage two, causing a caution.
Shane van Gisbergen dominated the race and was listed as a +130 favorite.
Ryan Preece was fined $50,000 and docked 25 points after NASCAR said his comments helped cause crash involving Ty Gibbs, with hearing pending.

Summary

van Gisbergen Pole

Shane van Gisbergen captured pole with a 1:11.165 lap at 123.937 mph, the weekend’s fastest qualifying run.
Trackhouse Racing placed all three cars in the top five while Michael McDowell earned a front-row start at Watkins Glen.
Rain limited practice to a single 55-minute session, during which Austin Cindric posted the fastest lap at 122.147 mph.

Summary

Hamlin Announces Retirement

Denny Hamlin told Joe Gibbs Racing that 2027 will be his last Cup season, stating he will skip a farewell tour to focus on winning races and a championship.
He prefers fewer road-course events because he believes ovals produce exciting action in the Next Gen car, while acknowledging NASCAR’s pushback after the 2026 all-oval playoff schedule.
Despite his concerns, the reinstated Watkins Glen playoff race will be part of his championship push.

Summary

McClure Rates

SportsLine’s model, which recorded 11 correct picks in 2025, now posts Go Bowling at The Glen odds from FanDuel.
DFS star Jeff McClure, who has earned $2 million and runs 10,000-lap simulations, has logged 29 accurate picks since 2021.
McClure rates Connor Zilisch at +380, citing his 33rd-of-35 Cup rank and zero top-10 finishes in 14 starts.
He also backs Ryan Blaney at +2200 and notes two additional +2200-plus longshots available on SportsLine.

History

Historical Context

When Connor Zilisch won the 2024 NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen, he followed the track’s road-course legacy that began with the 1986 Cup return and the 2001 Global Crossing event on August 12, 2001, where Jeff Gordon captured his 57th career victory after 90 laps. Owned by NASCAR, the venue’s evolution has kept road-course racing central to the series.

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Zilisch Wins

Connor Zilisch passed on final lap to win O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Watkins Glen on May 9, 2026.
A tent blew from the area onto the track 11 laps left in stage two, causing a caution.
Shane van Gisbergen dominated the race and was listed as a +130 favorite.
Ryan Preece was fined $50,000 and docked 25 points after NASCAR said his comments helped cause crash involving Ty Gibbs, with hearing pending.

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