Watkins Glen International, known informally as The Glen, sits at the southern tip of Seneca Lake in upstate New York. The circuit's roots in road racing stretch back to the early postwar era, when public roads through the village served as the original course. A permanent facility was constructed in 1956, and in 1968 the site hosted a six-hour endurance race, the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, as part of the World Sportscar Championship.
The circuit's current fundamental layout has been largely stable since 1971. A chicane was added at the uphill Esses section in 1975 to reduce speeds through corners that had witnessed a fatality during practice at the 1973 United States Grand Prix. That chicane was removed in 1985. In 1992, following J.D. McDuffie's fatal accident at the previous year's NASCAR Winston Cup event, a second chicane called the Inner Loop was installed and has remained part of the layout since.
The circuit held the Formula One United States Grand Prix for twenty consecutive years from 1961 through 1980, a tenure that cemented its international reputation. Beyond Formula One, it has hosted the World Sportscar Championship, Trans-Am, Can-Am, IndyCar, and the International Motor Sports Association, as well as NASCAR's top series for decades.
For 2026, NASCAR announced the race on August 20, 2025, placing it in May rather than the traditional late-summer slot. On December 3, 2025, the event was extended from 90 to 100 laps.
Austin Cindric set the fastest time in practice with a lap of 1:12.208 seconds, equating to a speed of 122.147 mph (196.577 km/h).
Shane van Gisbergen claimed pole position in qualifying with a time of 1:11.165 seconds and a speed of 123.937 mph (199.457 km/h), underlining his affinity for road course competition.
Shane van Gisbergen won the race, converting his pole start into victory. Michael McDowell finished second and Ty Gibbs third. Chase Briscoe and Tyler Reddick completed the top five. Austin Dillon, A.J. Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric, and John Hunter Nemechek rounded out the top ten.
The race featured six lead changes among four different drivers. Four caution periods covered 12 laps. The total race time was 2 hours, 29 minutes, and 11 seconds, at an average speed of 98.536 mph (158.578 km/h).
Television coverage in the United States was carried by FS1. Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and Kevin Harvick called the race from the broadcast booth. Jamie Little, Regan Smith, and Josh Sims served as pit road reporters, with Larry McReynolds providing on-site analysis. Radio coverage was provided by the Motor Racing Network, simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Mike Bagley, and Todd Gordon covered the front straightaway, Dave Moody called the esses, Kyle Rickey covered the Inner Loop and Turn 5, and Tim Catafalmo handled Turns 6 and 7. Steve Post, Brienne Pedigo, and Jason Toy reported from the pits and garage.