Hendrick Garage: Watkins Glen

Credit: Patrick McGhee/Getty Images for NASCAR

Welcome to road course racing at Watkins Glen. While some Hendrick Drivers have success at road courses others don’t.  Did the Hendrick drivers race the trickiness of this road course or will the bus stop get them?

Mark Martin

Martin had a rough day after starting in the back in addition to dealing with a loose car. The highest Martin ever got was 16th but a long pit stop cost him some positions. However when the caution came out for the No. 11 car of Denny Hamlin, Martin got the lucky dog position. He wasn’t able to miss the last caution when everything went crazy and Mark finished the day 25th and is currently 18th in points.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Earnhardt’s day was a long one as well. After he started 25th and given the fact that road courses are not easy to pass, the day was difficult for the No. 88 team. Earnhardt had a fast car and he was moving and passing cars left and right. At lap 28 he pitted and just as he was pitting a caution came out, Earnhardt was already on pit road before the caution flag, so he didn't lose any spots and restarted 5th.

Earnhardt was in the contention for the rest of the day when he had to pit and never recovered back to his previous standings. Earnhardt also had to make a double pit stop which cost him even more spots. However a green, white, checkered flag got him up to 16th at the conclusion of the race. Even though Earnhardt and his crew argued he finished 14th, NASCAR scored him as 15th in the final standings but have no fear Earnhardt gained a lot of points even went up a spot he’s now 9th in the Chase standings.

Jeff Gordon

Gordon has many wins on road courses, 9 all together. Gordon had a pretty good car all day and he showed why he excels at road courses, Gordon led twice for 6 laps. Gordon had a pretty good car getting it back in the top he was in the top 13th when the everything was said and done. Gordon thought he finished 11th but NASCAR scored him as 13th upon the checkered flag, he is 7th in points.

Jimmie Johnson

Johnson had a great day and remained in the top all day, the exception was when pit strategy worked against the No. 48 team. Johnson would have to work his way from the back to the front in which he did. Johnson was in the top-10 when the final caution/checkered flag happened, Johnson barley missed the No. 6 car. Johnson closed out the day 10th and is now 3rd in points.

Also a very special and touching moment this weekend, all Hendrick cars had a special decal on their cars which read "In Loving Memory of Mary Hendrick." Mrs. Mary as she was known, was the mother to team owner Rick Hendrick, who passed away recently.