Watkins Glen Race Preview

Aug 5, 2021

Hero Card Requests:

Send a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope to: ThorSport Racing Attn: Hero Card Request PO Box 2218 Sandusky, OH 44871
Race: Saturday, Aug. 7 at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1
Radio: MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
 

Johnny Sauter | No. 13 FarmPaint.com Toyota Tundra

Making the Calls: Joe Shear Jr.
Eyes in the Sky: David Pepper
Watkins Glen: Sauter has made three appearances at the road course. Twice in the Xfinity Series and once in the Cup Series in 2007.
Season Stats: In 14 starts, Sauter has one pole, two top-five and four top-10 finishes averaging an 11.6 start and a 17.7 finish to go along with his 33 laps led.
Series Career Stats: 303 starts, 24 wins, 111 top-five and 180 top-10 finishes to go along with nine pole awards and 2,668 laps led.
Playoff Picture: Sauter sits below the cutoff line, 51 points behind 10th place heading into this weekends cutoff race at Watkins Glen.
Starting Position: Johnny Sauter will start from the 14th position.

Paul Menard | No. 66 SunTree Toyota Tundra

Making the Calls: Bud Haefele
Eyes in the Sky: David Pepper
Watkins Glen: Menard has 16 starts in the Cup Series and 11 starts in the Xfinity Series at Watkins Glen.
Series Career Stats: In 13 starts, Sauter has one pole, two top-five and four top-10 finishes averaging an 12.0 start and a 17.5 finish to go along with his 25 laps led.
Starting Position: Paul Menard will start from the 39th position.

 

Matt Crafton | No. 88 Ideal Door / Menards Toyota Tundra

Making the Calls: Carl “Junior” Joiner
Eyes in the Sky: Jason Hedlesky
Season Stats: In 14 starts, Crafton has two top-five and seven top-10 finishes, averaging an 8.6 start and 12.6 finishing position to go along 16 laps led.
Series Career Stats: Crafton has 490 consecutive starts, 15 wins, 127 top-five and 295 top-10 finishes in addition to 16 poles and 2,672 laps led. 
Welcome Back! This weekend we welcome back Ideal Door on the hood of the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra.
Playoff Picture: Crafton looks to punch his ticket to this year’s Playoffs as he sits in seventh, 109 points to the good.
Starting Position: Matt Crafton will start from the fourth position.

 

Christian Eckes | No. 98 TSport / Curb Records Toyota Tundra

Making the Calls: Jeriod Prince
Eyes in the Sky: Chris Monez
Season Stats: In six starts with ThorSport Racing this season, Eckes has tallied one top five and three top-10 finishes to average a 14.3 start and 13.5 finish. 
Series Career Stats: He has 41 starts, 11 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes to go along with six pole awards and 313 laps led.
Starting Position: Christian Eckes will start from the 15th position.
Quotable: “I’m very excited to be in the TSport No. 98 Tundra this weekend. We’ve shown so much speed in our Toyota this year and I’m really looking forward to another chance. I’ve never raced in any professional series in my home-state of New York, so I’m hoping for a good result in front of the home-state crowd.” 

 

Ben Rhodes | No. 99 Bombardier / Learjet 75 Toyota Tundra

Making the Calls: Rich Lushes
Eyes in the Sky: TJ Bell
Watkins Glen: Rhodes has made two appearances at the road course. In 2014 in the K&N Series then in 2015 in the Xfinity Series.
Season Stats: Rhodes has 14 starts, 74 laps led en route to two wins, five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. Rhodes has an averaging start of 7.3 and 8.5 finishing position.
Series Career Stats: 133 starts, five wins, 38 top-five and 71 top-10 finishes to go along with five pole awards and 810 laps led.
Playoff Picture: Rhodes is locked into this year’s Playoffs when he punched his ticket winning the season-opener at Daytona.
Starting Position: Ben Rhodes will start from the fifth position.