NASCAR qualifying results: Denny Hamlin on pole at Watkins Glen ahead of William Byron, Michael McDowell; full starting lineup

NASCAR Cup Series drivers at this weekend’s race at Watkins Glen are likely anticipating the event with wildly varying levels of enthusiasm. Two playoff spots are still up for grabs with two races remaining in the regular season.

For strong road racers on the bubble — such as Chase Elliott and A.J. Allmendinger — it’s another great opportunity. For drivers who don’t fare so well on road courses still hoping to clinch — looking at you, Bubba Wallace — it looks more like a hurdle before a do-or-die Daytona night race to close the regular season on Aug. 26.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Go Bowling at the Glen:

Go Bowling at the Glen starting lineup

1. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

3. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

4. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

5. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

6. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

7. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

8. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

9. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

10. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

11. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

12. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

13. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

14. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

15. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

16. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

17. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

18. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

19. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

20. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

21. Mike Rockenfeller (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

22. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

23. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

24. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

25. Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

26. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

27. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

29. Andy Lally (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

30. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

31. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

32. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

33. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

34. Cole Custer (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

35. Josh Bilicki (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

36. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Go Bowling at the Glen TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Saturday
12:30-1:30 p.m.: Practice (USA, NBC Sports app)
1:30-2:30 p.m.: Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports app)

Sunday
3-6:30 p.m.: Go Bowling at the Glen (USA, NBC Sports app)

Go Bowling at the Glen details

Track: Watkins Glen International Raceway (11-turn, 2.45-mile, permanent racing facility) in New York
Length: 90 laps for 221 miles
Stages: 20, 20, and 50 laps with no breaks
2022 winner: Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

NASCAR Cup Series playoff bubble

Bubba Wallace currently sits on the cut line, 28 points ahead of Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez and 49 points ahead of 23XI Racing rookie teammate Ty Gibbs. Suárez has a Cup Series road course win to his name (last year at Sonoma), and Gibbs has won at Watkins Glen in the Xfinity Series, while Wallace’s average road course finish in Cup is 25th.

16. Bubba Wallace +28
17. Daniel Suárez -28
18. Ty Gibbs -49
19. Chase Elliott -80
20. Alex Bowman -80
21. A.J. Allmendinger -87

Go Bowling at the Glen top drivers and best bets

Chase Elliott’s only chance at a playoff spot is a win in one of the next two races, and given that he’s the winningest active driver on road courses with seven, he’s the favorite this weekend at Watkins Glen, according to BetMGM. Kyle Larson has won the past two races at Watkins Glen and enters the weekend at 5½-to-1 odds. Current points leader Martin Truex Jr. has six career road-course wins to his name and is 7-to-1 entering the weekend. Tyler Reddick, who won earlier in the season at Circuit of the Americas, enters the weekend with 9-to-1 odds.

Best odds to win

• Chase Elliott +300
• Kyle Larson +550
• Martin Truex Jr. +700
• Tyler Reddick +900

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg wrote earlier in the week on the betting forecast and suggests good mid-tier odds on Chris Buescher (+2200), who has won the past two races on the trot, and Austin Cindric (+2400), who has bagged a pair of top-10s on road courses this season at COTA and the Chicago street race. If you want to take flyer on a long shot, Bromberg notes that Erik Jones (+25000) has four top-10s at Watkins Glen in five career starts there.

Go Bowling at the Glen entry list

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Andy Lally (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Mike Rockenfeller (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Cole Custer (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Josh Bilicki (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Go Bowling at the Glen weather

The forecast is partly cloudy for Saturday’s Cup Series practice and qualifying runs, but a 52% chance of rain looms for race day. NASCAR’s short-track and road-course packages include windshield wipers and grooved tires that can run on damp asphalt but not with rain coming down or standing water on the track.