Their manner of performance has varied at times – checkered flags versus consistent excellence – but Team Penske’s Joey Logano and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch have made the regular season Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title, an intriguing “race within the races.”

Logano holds a six-point edge on Busch atop the points standings entering this weekend’s Watkins Glen race. The driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford has led the standings for the last seven weeks and for 10 weeks total on the 21-race season.  The lowest he’s been ranked is fourth – following races at Martinsville, Va. and Texas.

Busch, the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, has led the points for nine weeks, and been second to Logano for the last seven weeks. In that seven-race stretch, Busch has been as close to Logano as a single point (following Sonoma, Calif,) and as far off as 18 points (after races in Chicago and Daytona) during this time period.

Their statistics on the season are equally as competitive. Logano has two race wins, won two pole positions, has nine top-five and 14 top-10 finishes through the opening 21 races. Busch has four wins, 11 top-fives and 18 top-10s. Neither driver has suffered a DNF.

The leader of the points standings following the regular season finale at Indianapolis will receive a 15-point bonus to start the Playoffs as the regular season champion, while second in the points earns 10. Additionally, each win throughout the season is worth five Playoff points and a stage win nets a single Playoff point. So, as it stands now Busch would receive 28 points (for his four wins and eight stage wins) and Logano would receive 17 bonus points (for his two wins, seven stage wins).

The regulars season champion 15-point bonus is significant for either of these two competitors, who have consistently dominated the top of the season standings.

And both drivers have been good at this week’s venue, in particular. Logano has four wins here – one in the Monster Energy Series (2015) and three in the Xfinity Series (2015-16, 2018). Busch has a pair of Cup wins at Watkins Glen (2008 and 2013) and one Xfinity win (2017).

The pair come into the weekend off ninth place (Busch) and 13^thplace (Logano) showings at Pocono last week.

“Watkins Glen has obviously been a really good place for me over the years and a place I really enjoy,’’ Busch said. “We’ve just got to keep coming to the track and executing like we have. 

“There are a lot of factors in strategy that affect a road course race and hope we can execute like we have been and get another win. Certainly, the bonus points from that and trying to win the regular season championship could be a big deal in the playoffs.’’