Ryan Blaney claimed the pole position for the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International, narrowly defeating Shane van Gisbergen by just three hundredths of a second. Blaney recorded a lap time of 1 minute, 11.960 seconds driving his No. 12 Ford, while van Gisbergen in his No. 88 Chevrolet clocked in at 1 minute, 11.993 seconds.
This achievement is particularly significant for Blaney, who has struggled at the 2.45-mile course with only three top 10 finishes. Despite a recent dry spell spanning 22 races without a top-five finish on a road course, he expressed excitement over the pole position, which marks a milestone for Team Penske as their 150th Cup pole. “What a cool pole,” Blaney remarked, highlighting his ongoing efforts to improve his skills on road courses. He acknowledged that while he has secured a strong qualifying position, he would need to focus on enhancing his race pace.
Van Gisbergen, who is on a remarkable streak of three consecutive victories on road and street courses, will start from the second position. “Man, it’s amazing how close it all is for a road course,” he said after his qualifying run, indicating he believed his laps were just decent but acknowledged there was room for improvement.
Chase Briscoe will start third in the No. 19 Toyota, followed by Ross Chastain in the No. 1 Chevrolet and Kyle Busch in the No. 8 Chevrolet, rounding out the top five qualifiers.
This qualifying session sets up an exciting race ahead as both Blaney and van Gisbergen aim to translate their strong performances into a successful race on Sunday. With both drivers showing competitive spirit, fans can anticipate an exhilarating showdown at Watkins Glen.