Daniel Hill Wins Watkins Glen Thriller

The OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup Series rolled into Watkins Glen International for the 24th round of the 2025 season, where 50 laps of high-speed, high-stakes road course action put championship hopes and tempers to the test. When the checkered flag fell, it was Daniel Hill standing tall, collecting his third win of the season after a smooth and mistake-free run in a race where survival was just as important as speed.

From the drop of the green, the Glen proved to be unforgiving. Sean Foltz learned that the hard way, smacking the outside wall early in the race and picking up heavy damage. The trouble didn’t stop there—moments later he looped his car directly in front of Greg Hammond, causing more chaos in the mid-pack. The championship picture also shifted dramatically when points leader Andrew Kotska, enjoying a season with six wins already under his belt, spun out while running strong at the front. That costly moment cracked the door wide open for the rest of the field to pounce.

One of the standout drives of the night came from Courtney Nelson, who started deep in the field and was forced to serve a drive-through penalty early on. Instead of packing it in, Nelson dug deep and consistently clocked some of the fastest laps of the race. Carving through traffic with precision, Nelson powered all the way into the top three by the closing laps, claiming a well-earned podium and leaving fans and competitors alike impressed.

The middle stages of the race were defined by intense, wheel-to-wheel action. Drivers like Tom Ogle, Dwayne McArthur, and James Hislop fought tooth and nail for every inch of track, often separated by less than a car length. Strategy also played a pivotal role, with pit timing proving decisive—Ogle in particular gained valuable ground thanks to a perfectly executed stop that put him in prime position late in the going.

In the end, though, the story was Daniel Hill’s calm, calculated approach. While others battled mistakes, bad luck, or overly ambitious moves, Hill kept his nose clean, hit his marks, and avoided the kind of trouble that claimed so many others. By the final lap, his gap was comfortable, and as the checkered flag waved, Hill crossed the line to secure a statement victory that not only boosts his season stats but could have ripple effects in the championship chase.

Watkins Glen delivered everything fans could ask for—drama, strategy, daring passes, and a few heartbreaks along the way. With the season winding down, the pressure is mounting, and if this race was any indication, the road ahead in the OBRL YesterYear Cup Series is going to be anything but predictable.