I Love New York 355: 5 takeaways from NASCAR at Watkins Glen
What did we learn from the I Love New York 355 at The Glen? Here are our takeaways from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen.
Martin Truex Jr. won his fourth NASCAR race of the season on Sunday by having more fuel in his tank at the end of the I Love New York 355 at The Glen. Truex outlasted the soon to be free agent Matt Kenseth to push the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing car back into Victory Lane.
So what did we learn from Truex further adding to his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points lead? Is it time to sacrifice something to Jobu for Dale Earnhardt Jr.? What’s up with Daniel Suarez? These questions and more are in our post-race breakdown.
You can find complete I Love New York 355 race results by clicking here.
Here’s what we learned from the I Love New York 355:
1) Fuel mileage racing is still a thing
Love it or hate it, fuel mileage racing was alive and well in Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen. Truex intentionally let the cars of Matt Kenseth and Ryan Blaney pass him, knowing that they’d run out their fuel tanks and he could slip back into the lead. Some people appreciate the strategy; others find it disappointing. But Truex and his crew chief Cole Pearn played the game exceedingly well, and almost more importantly, the win blocked other teams from snapping up a valuable playoff spot with things coming down to the wire.
2) Kyle Busch needs to have his wheels checked (again)
What is up with Kyle Busch and his wheels recently? Last week at Pocono his race-winning car failed post-victory inspection with a loose lug nut, and this week at Watkins Glen his chances were totaled by a loose wheel. The former champ rebounded to snag a top-10 finish, but given that he had all the momentum going into the race (with a pole position and an Xfinity Series win) it has to be frustrating as all heck that a wheel bit him in the butt again.
3) Daniel Suarez is finally coming into his own
Let’s have a round of applause for Joe Gibbs Racing rookie Daniel Suarez, who got his first podium finish in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen. Suarez performed very well at the Glen and his prospects have to make JGR, which has struggled for much of the 2017 NASCAR season, feel better. Especially with Kenseth probably on his way out the door, knowing that Suarez will be around is a nice safety net.
4) Someone other than Martin Truex can win stages
We’re oversimplifying here, but we’re so used to seeing Truex capture the majority of NASCAR’s stages this season that it was a breath of fresh air to see somebody else snag a stage win in the I Love New York 355. Suarez grabbed the first stage win of his career on Sunday. Who did he have to fight off for it? Well, that’d be Truex of course!
5) The Dale Earnhardt Jr. farewell tour needs a boost
With every week that goes by, we hope that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will get that first win of his last Cup series season, and it just hasn’t happened. Earnhardt finished last in the I Love New York 355 after engine issues forced him out of the race after just over 20 laps. What can anyone do to get him a win and a place in the postseason? Do we need to sacrifice a bucket of chicken to Jobu? Whatever it is, we’ll do it if Dale Jr. can catch a break, or at least stop catching bad luck.
Next: Updated NASCAR Cup Series standings after Watkins Glen
NASCAR heads to Michigan next week for the Pure Michigan 400. For the latest news and notes until next Sunday, follow the NASCAR category at FanSided here.