In a stunning turn of events at Watkins Glen, Ross Chastain, the first driver outside the playoff field, grabbed the pole position for Sunday’s Go Bowling at the Glen. Chastain’s blistering lap of 72.130 seconds (122.279 mph) earned him the second pole of his Cup Series career, his first coming at Nashville Superspeedway last year. With no wins during the regular season, Chastain sits 17th in points but is making a strong statement heading into the final races of the year.
Among the playoff contenders, Martin Truex Jr. led the charge by qualifying second with a time of 122.052 mph. Truex, the 2017 Cup champion, faces mounting pressure, entering the weekend 19 points below the Round of 12 cutline. A strong run at Watkins Glen is essential for him to keep his championship hopes alive in what may be his last playoff campaign.
Shane van Gisbergen, the sensational street circuit star from Chicago, qualified third for Kaulig Racing with a lap at 121.864 mph, followed closely by Hendrick Motorsports‘ Alex Bowman in fourth, who led his team’s effort on a tough qualifying day. Bowman was the sole Hendrick driver to make the final round, an unexpected result for a team that has dominated Watkins Glen in recent years.
Austin Cindric rounded out the top five, while playoff hopefuls like AJ Allmendinger, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Noah Gragson, and Michael McDowell completed the top 10.
Van Gisbergen set the fastest time in Group A, leaving several playoff contenders struggling. Seven of the eight playoff drivers in that group failed to advance to the final round, including Chase Briscoe, who will start 12th after a last-ditch effort in Q1.
In contrast, Group B was kinder to playoff drivers. Truex led the group with a speed of 122.82 mph, with Bowman, Cindric, and Suarez all advancing to the final round. Allmendinger also secured his spot in the top 10.
Rookie Carson Hocevar caused a stir in the session after missing the exit of the carousel and momentarily entering the Boot section, adding a dash of chaos to the closing minutes of qualifying. Race control and remaining drivers had to navigate the awkward situation, though no penalties were issued.
Notably, defending Watkins Glen winner William Byron will start 11th, with other big names like Chase Elliott (14th), Tyler Reddick (16th), and Kyle Larson (20th) all outside the top 10. Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski also had difficult qualifying sessions, starting 22nd and 28th, respectively, while Ryan Blaney and Harrison Burton will start deep in the pack, with Blaney rolling off 30th and Burton 33rd.
Adding a historic touch to the grid, Juan Pablo Montoya will make his return to the Cup Series, starting 34th in his first race since 2014. Montoya previously won at Watkins Glen in 2010.
With Chastain leading the field to green and Truex looking to stay in championship contention, Sunday’s race promises plenty of drama.
