Ryan Blaney ended Shane van Gisbergen’s road course pole streak with a blistering lap at Watkins Glen International. In Saturday’s qualifying for the Go Bowling at The Glen, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion clocked a 71.960-second lap in Group B, edging Van Gisbergen’s 71.993 from Group A. Blaney now has his second pole of the year, his first since February at EchoPark Speedway. He will chase his 15th Cup Series win and first road course victory since Charlotte’s ROVAL in 2018.
Key Highlights
Ryan Blaney secured the pole at Watkins Glen with a 71.960-second lap
Shane van Gisbergen starts second with 71.993 seconds after leading Group A
Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, and Kyle Busch complete the top five starters
Blaney’s last road course win came in 2018 at Charlotte’s ROVAL
Sunday’s race starts at 2 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Blaney Breaks the Streak
Blaney’s fast lap brought a halt to Van Gisbergen’s dominance in qualifying on road courses. The New Zealander, who had been untouchable in recent sessions, was relegated to the outside of the front row. The lap not only gave Blaney confidence heading into Sunday but also marked a continuation of his strong one-lap pace this season. His only other 2025 pole came on the high banks of EchoPark Speedway in February. The Team Penske driver aims to convert this one into his first road course win in nearly seven years.
Starting Grid Set for Sunday
Behind Blaney and Van Gisbergen, Chase Briscoe will line up third after clocking in at 71.997 seconds. Ross Chastain’s 72.081 seconds earned him the fourth position, with Kyle Busch securing fifth at 72.144 seconds. Michael McDowell, Alex Bowman, Carson Hocevar, Christopher Bell, and William Byron complete the top ten starters. The competitive balance was evident, with the top 20 all qualifying within just over half a second of each other.
| Car | Driver |
| 12 | Ryan Blaney |
| 88 | Shane van Gisbergen |
| 19 | Chase Briscoe |
| 1 | Ross Chastain |
| 8 | Kyle Busch |
| 71 | Michael McDowell |
| 48 | Alex Bowman |
| 77 | Carson Hocevar |
| 20 | Christopher Bell |
| 24 | William Byron |
| 22 | Joey Logano |
| 17 | Chris Buescher |
| 2 | Austin Cindric |
| 54 | Ty Gibbs |
| 23 | Bubba Wallace |
| 6 | |
| 60 | Ryan Preece |
| 16 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 99 | Daniel Suarez |
| 9 | Chase Elliott |
| 45 | Tyler Reddick |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 7 | Justin Haley |
| 21 | Josh Berry |
| 87 | Connor Zilisch |
| 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 5 | Kyle Larson |
| 34 | Todd Gilliland |
| 35 | Riley Herbst |
| 43 | Erik Jones |
| 42 | |
| 41 | Cole Custer |
| 10 | Ty Dillon |
| 38 | Zane Smith |
| 47 | Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. |
| 4 | Noah Gragson |
| 51 | Cody Ware |
| 78 | Katherine Legge |
| 44 | JJ Yeley |
| 66 | Josh Bilicki |
Road Course Challenge
Watkins Glen International’s 2.45-mile road course is known for high-speed corners and technical braking zones. The Go Bowling at The Glen will test the field’s skill and patience, especially as drivers search for track position before the playoffs. Several contenders, including Chase Elliott starting 20th and Kyle Larson in 27th, will have significant ground to make up. For Blaney, track position could be the key to finally ending his road course drought.
News in Brief: 2025 Go Bowling at The Glen Starting Order
Ryan Blaney will start on the pole for the Go Bowling at The Glen after clocking 71.960 seconds, ending Shane van Gisbergen’s streak of road course poles. Briscoe, Chastain, and Busch round out the top five starters. Blaney’s last road course win came at Charlotte’s ROVAL in 2018. Sunday’s race begins at 2 p.m. ET, with coverage on USA Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Expect a fast-paced battle on the 2.45-mile layout. Tune in for high-speed action and championship implications across the grid. Don’t miss a lap of the thrilling Watkins Glen showdown.
