NASCAR: Full qualifying order revealed for Watkins Glen race

Watkins Glen International hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race in 1957, and it has hosted a total of 40 races for the top series in its history. But none of those 40 races are what this Sunday afternoon's race is: a playoff race.

The Go Bowling at The Glen is the second of three races on the schedule for the opening round of the four-round, 10-race playoff schedule. It is scheduled to be a 90-lap race around the famed eight-turn, 2.454-mile (3.949-kilometer) natural terrain road course in Watkins Glen, New York.

The 2024 season is the first season in which there are multiple road course races on the playoff schedule, as the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval has retained its usual spot in the second round next month.

Because Sunday's race is a road course race, group qualifying is set to be used. The two groups were determined by the qualifying metric, which is a four-variable formula explained in more detail here.

Because it is a playoff race, each group is set to consist of eight playoff drivers, as they are not factored into the metric until all of the non-playoff drivers are slotted in first.

The fastest five drivers from each of the two groups advance to the second round shootout for the pole position. Because it is not a single-car session, the groups do not matter for the second round shootout itself like they have for oval races since June; the speeds alone determine how the top 10 line up.

NASCAR at Watkins Glen: Full qualifying order

Group A

Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 50 23XI Racing Toyota

Kaz Grala, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford

Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford

Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota

Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Justin Haley, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet

Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota

Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford

Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford

Group B

A.J. Allmendinger, No. 13 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota

Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota

Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford

Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet

Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Tune in to USA Network at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, September 15 for the live broadcast of the Go Bowling at The Glen from Watkins Glen International. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss it!