Ryan Blaney captured the Ryan Blaney Watkins Glen pole position in a dramatic NASCAR Cup Series qualifying on Saturday, narrowly beating Shane van Gisbergen by a mere 0.033 seconds. The feat secured the 150th Cup pole for Team Penske and positioned Blaney ahead of a highly competitive field at Watkins Glen International.
Blaney Claims Front Row in a Tense Battle
The qualifying round saw several major contenders vying for the top spot on the grid. Ryan Blaney, driving for Team Penske, managed to outpace Shane van Gisbergen, the formidable New Zealander, who just signed a multi-year contract extension with Trackhouse Racing. Blaney’s performance marked his twelfth career pole and was his first at the challenging Watkins Glen circuit.
After the session, Blaney reflected on the moment, saying,
“I’m happy I’m talking to you,”
expressing his excitement following the tense qualifying. He continued,
“Man, what a cool pole. I would say I’m a pretty average road racer, and I work really hard to try and get better at it, so I’m really proud of the whole #12 group. Fun day just get better. We gotta find a little bit of race pace for tomorrow, but it’s nice to have one-lap pace in it. It’s pretty cool.”
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR driver
Blaney also commented on beating van Gisbergen, stating,
“I mean, take the little wins when you can get them. Bubba [Wallace] came up to me and said, ‘Well that was a bad idea, because now he’s really going to wax you tomorrow.’ But hey, beat him once this weekend. You gotta start somewhere.”
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR driver
Van Gisbergen and Key Qualifiers Stand Out
Shane van Gisbergen, noted for his prowess on road and street courses, was aiming for his fourth consecutive pole on such tracks this season. Although he controlled Group A qualifying and posted a blistering lap of 1:11.993 seconds, Blaney edged him out, with van Gisbergen settling for the outside of the front row. Kyle Busch, with a fast run at 1:12.144, was the next closest in Group A but missed a front row start and will begin the race fifth.
The Group B session featured other major names, including Chase Briscoe, who has led the series in poles this year. Briscoe’s effort left him just 0.004 seconds behind van Gisbergen and 0.037 off the pole, putting him in a strong starting position. Ross Chastain, last year’s Watkins Glen pole winner, secured the fourth spot on the grid. The rest of the top ten included Michael McDowell, Alex Bowman, Carson Hocevar, Christopher Bell, and William Byron.
Surprises and Setbacks for Top Drivers
Several noted competitors faced challenges in qualifying. Defending race winner Chris Buescher will line up in twelfth, while Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson will start from twentieth, twenty-first, twenty-second, and twenty-seventh respectively. This shuffle sets up an unpredictable contest for Sunday’s main event, with many NASCAR Cup Series regulars needing to mount a charge through the field.
Implications Moving Forward
With Ryan Blaney starting from the pole at one of NASCAR’s most technical road courses, Team Penske celebrates a milestone while Blaney seeks to convert his one-lap speed advantage into a coveted win. The narrow margins throughout qualifying—especially against standout drivers like van Gisbergen, Busch, and Briscoe—promise an action-packed race. The blend of seasoned road racers and hungry title hopefuls ensures that the upcoming race at Watkins Glen will be closely contested, with the final result still very much up for grabs.
