Sam Mayer scores second career win at Watkins Glen

Final nuggets from Watkins Glen

Here are some takeaways from the race at Watkins Glen.

Kaulig Racing encounters more adversity

The race at Indianapolis last week was a battle of attrition for the three Kaulig Racing drivers.

Daniel Hemric and Chandler Smith had speed, but they finished outside of the top 25 after sustaining damage in an incident involving Connor Mosack. AJ Allmendinger had the dominant car early, but he finished third after a slow pit stop and handling issues caused by damage.

Watkins Glen continued this trend. Kyle Busch lost third gear during the final stage of the race. He remained in the top 10 as the laps continued, and he lined up fourth with four laps to go. Busch had to be pushed to the garage after a multi-car incident sent the race to overtime.

Daniel Hemric was able to complete the race as he continued the pursuit of a playoff spot, but he was 23rd and two laps down after heading to the garage with a potential track bar issue.

Chandler Smith finished eighth, but he dealt with his own issues. He spun early in the race and then fell one lap down after a pit stop. He also received a penalty for driving through too many pit stalls.

Smith has a secure spot in the playoffs after a win at Richmond while Hemric is currently in on points. The organization has the goal of making a deep playoff run, but it will have to avoid similar setbacks in order to achieve this.

Jeb Burton quietly puts together consistent performances

Jeb Burton has quietly delivered a consistent season. He has finished every race while delivering five top-10 finishes, one top five and one win. He has also regularly raced inside of the top 15 while avoiding mistakes.

Jeb Burton punched his ticket to the playoffs with a win at Talladega Superspeedway. He has since gone about business while preparing for his second playoff appearance since 2021 when he drove for Kaulig Racing.

The race at Watkins Glen was the latest example. Burton finished 10th after avoiding incidents in the Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet. Now he will prepare for a trip to Daytona, the track where he finished 11th to start the season.

Burton will work alongside teammate Parker Retzlaff as he tries to continue his consistency. He will also potentially work with Jordan Anderson as the team owner attempts to qualify for the Xfinity race.