NASCAR at the Glen 2012: Start Time, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
Marcos Ambrose looks to defend his 2011 crown at the Finger Lakes 355 at the Glen this Saturday, but he'll have to go through the likes of Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart to do it.
Gordon is coming off a big win in the Pennsylvania 400, whereas Stewart has emerged victorious in this race a record five times since 2002, most recently in 2009. Gordon is right behind him with four wins at the Glen.
When Ambrose won last year at the Glen, it was his first-ever Sprint Cup victory, and he became one of just two drivers in history to become a first-time winner on the road course.
Here's where and when you can catch Sunday's Sprint Cup action.
Where: Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, N.Y.
When: Sunday, August 12 at 12 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN
Live Stream: TrackPass
Listen: Motor Racing Network
Starting Order: Qualifying will be held on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. ET. You can see it live on ESPN2.
Full TV Schedule (via NASCAR.com)
Finger Lakes 355 Practice: Friday, August 10 at 12 p.m. ET, SPEED
Finger Lakes 355 Practice: Friday, August 10 at 4 p.m. ET, SPEED
Finger Lakes 355 Qualifying: Saturday, August 11 at 11:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Finger Lakes 355: Sunday, August 12 at 12 p.m. ET, ESPN
Drivers to Watch
Jeff Gordon
He may have the momentum right now, but this season hasn't been an easy one for Gordon, who has experienced far more than his fair share of bad luck. According to the Sporting News, that included a flat tire at Darlington, a blown engine at the Daytona 500 and many more unfortunate turns.
That's why he's going to be so fired up for this weekend's race at the Glen, where he's had an impressive history of success. Now that his season finally seems to be turning around, he's going to be more eager than anyone to make the luck last—especially now that seizing a wild-card berth into the Chase for the Championship is firmly within his grasp.
Of course, that means the pressure is on, too, because if his luck turns downward again, he can bid his Chase chances farewell.
In last year's race, Busch came in third behind Ambrose and Brad Keselowski, but he's going to need to do a lot better than that if he has any hopes of making it into the Chase.
This season, Busch has one win, and like Gordon, he's been on the bad side of luck lately—see last weekend's crash at Pocono for evidence. But if his season is going to turn around anywhere—and in time for the Chase—it will be at the Glen. According to the Corning Leader, Busch has averaged a 5.33 finish in his last six starts at the course, disregarding his rookie season, when he finished 33rd.
Tony Stewart
Does Stewart really have a shot at making it a whopping six wins at the Glen? Maybe—but he's going to have to erase last year from his memory if he hopes to have a chance of winning this year's race.
In 2011, Stewart finished a career-worst 27th at the Glen after losing control of his car on the final lap, according to the Star Gazette's Andrew Legare. He has a history of success here, so pushing last year's struggles out of his consciousness shouldn't be too difficult—and it's also completely necessary. He, like so many others, badly needs a win to push himself into contention for a spot in the Chase, via the Star Gazette.
Predicted Winner: Jeff Gordon
He's had almost as much success here as Stewart—the all-time leader in wins in this event—and plus, he has the momentum, coming off his victory at the Pennsylvania 400. He'll carry that over into this weekend's showdown and tie Stewart for five wins at the Glen.

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