This weekend will be a busy one in Watkins Glen. The 2.45-mile road course is technically playing host to a sextuple-header of racing. The six races include two HSR races for historic stock cars. Meanwhile, the NTT IndyCar Series makes its annual visit to Portland.
Watkins Glen NASCAR TV Schedule
- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Practice: 11:35 a.m. ET Friday on FS2
- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying: 12:40 p.m. ET Friday on FS2
- ARCA Menards Series General Tire 100 at the Glen: 2 p.m. ET Friday on FS2
- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Mission 176 at the Glen: 5 p.m. ET Friday on FS1
- NASCAR Xfinity Series Practice: 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday on The CW App
- NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying: 10:30 a.m. ET Saturday on The CW App
- NASCAR Cup Series Practice: 12:35 p.m. ET Saturday on TruTV/HBO Max
- NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying: 1:40 p.m. ET Saturday on TruTV/HBO Max
- NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at the Glen: 3 p.m. ET Saturday on The CW
- NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at the Glen: 2 p.m. ET Sunday on USA Network
As noted, NASCAR is taking over Watkins Glen this weekend. The NASCAR Cup Series will serve as the primary series. Its teams are scheduled to pull into the garage Friday, but have no on-track activity. Given the current schedule, they would likely struggle to find time for on-track activity.
Cup teams will practice Saturday afternoon at 12:05 p.m. ET. Coverage will begin at Noon ET on TruTV and HBO Max. Qualifying will follow shortly afterwards.
Coverage of the Go Bowling at the Glen will begin with Countdown to Green at 1:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. Race coverage will start at 2 p.m. ET with the green flag around 2:10 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will serve as primary support. While its teams loaded into the garage on Thursday, they don’t get on-track until Saturday (Friday is a garage and inspection day).
Practice will begin bright and early at 9:30 a.m. ET. Qualifying will be shortly afterwards. Both sessions will stream live on The CW App. Some CW affiliates may choose to air the sessions live, but check your local listings.
Coverage of the Mission 200 at the Glen will begin with NASCAR Countdown Live at 2:30 p.m. ET on The CW. Race coverage will start at 3 p.m. ET with the green flag around 3:15 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be back in Watkins Glen for the first time since 2021 this weekend. Unlike last time, it is the headlining division on Friday.
Teams arrived early Thursday morning to work in the garage and go through inspection. Practice is scheduled for 11:35 a.m. ET Friday morning. Live coverage starts at 11:30 a.m. ET on FS2. Qualifying follows shortly afterwards.
Coverage of the Mission 176 at the Glen will begin at 5 p.m. ET Friday on FOX Sports 1. The green flag should fly around 5:20 p.m. ET.
The Trucks serve as the second half of a doubleheader with the ARCA Menards Series. They have also been in Watkins Glen since early Thursday morning.
Teams will have a 45-minute practice session starting at 10 a.m. ET Friday. Qualifying will follow immediately afterwards. Neither session will be televised.
Coverage of the General Tire 100 at the Glen is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET Friday afternoon on FS2. The green will fly around 2:10 p.m. ET.
Finally, outside of Watkins Glen, ARCA Menards Series West teams will be in action Saturday at Tri-City Raceway in West Richland, Wash. There is an optional pre-race practice at 10 p.m. ET Friday night that would serve as an open test session.
The race day begins with an hour of practice at 5:45 p.m. ET. Qualifying is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. ET. None of the pre-race sessions will be televised.
Coverage of the NAPA AutoCare 150 is scheduled to begin at 10:45 p.m. ET Saturday night on FLORacing. The green flag will fly around 11 p.m. ET.
TV Ratings Update — Iowa
USA Network’s broadcast of the NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 Sunday had 2.17 million viewers, down 19.5% from last year. Last year’s race was also USA Network’s season debut with the NASCAR Cup Series, but the race was held on June 15. There is no comparison for last year’s weekend since that was in the middle of the Olympic Break.
The CW’s coverage of Saturday’s Hy-Vee Perks 250 had 1.008 million viewers. This is up 16% from last year’s Iowa race on USA Network (once again, that was run in June).
Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the Frontstretch email newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the Frontstretch Sports Car racing editor.
Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.
Truck event on SPEED.