What separates Watkins Glen from Infineon?
Besides 2,747 miles (according to Mapquest) and slightly fewer vineyards, the Glen allows for more speed and passing than Infineon, which is tighter and asks more of a car’s suspension. Expect much of the strategy to unfold along the 1,839-foot backstraight, which slows to an inner loop before turns 8 and 9. Another straight and turn follow before the frontstretch. A runoff in Turn 1 has been paved over, which should reduce cautions and DNFs (did not finish). “Watkins Glen has much more of a superspeedway feel to it with longer straightaways and not as many corners as Infineon,” Jeff Burton said in his prerace release. “It’s a much faster racetrack. Watkins is a heavier breaking racetrack because of the longer straightaways. They are both road courses, but the similarities end there.” Q: Who’s good at the Glen? A: A grandstand should be named after Mark Martin, who has 12 top-fives and 15 top-10s in 17 starts there, including three consecutive wins from the pole from 1993-95. Gordon ha
