Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Busch Light Chevrolet, drives during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on September 14, 2024 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

NASCAR News: Chastain wins Cup pole at Watkins Glen

Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain won his first pole position of the 2024 season — and second of his career — Saturday afternoon at the historic Watkins Glen International road course.

Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet turned in a fast lap of 122.279 mph around the 2.45-mile, seven-turn course in upstate New York to edge former race winner Martin Truex Jr. for the top position by a mere 0.134 seconds. Ranked 15th of the 16 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers, it was an important result for Truex as well.

Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Reser's Fine Foods Toyota, drives during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on September 14, 2024 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota, drives during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on September 14, 2024 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

The two will lead the field to green in Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), the second of the series’ 10 playoff races and the first of two road courses on the postseason schedule.

“It wasn’t any one thing, just so many years of trying to learn how to do this, it was just a career moment, a lifetime achievement to go faster than everybody in the Cup Series, just unbelievable for Trackhouse to do,” Chastain said.

It was an interesting qualifying session with Chastain among five non-playoff drivers who advanced to the final qualifying round on Saturday. Kaulig Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen, who will start third, his Kaulig teammate AJ Allmendinger, who will start sixth, and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Noah Gragson and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell, who line up ninth and 10th, respectively, completed that group of drivers not eligible for the championship.

In addition to Truex, the playoff drivers to advance to final qualifying were Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman (fourth), Team Penske’s Austin Cindric (fifth) and Joey Logano (seventh) and Chastain’s Trackhouse Racing teammate Daniel Suárez (eighth).

Sunday’s race is the second of the three first-round races. The lowest-ranked four of the 16 drivers will be eliminated from championship eligibility after next week’s race at the famed Bristol Motor Speedway half-mile.

Qualifying has proven to be especially important at the Watkins Glen course with the race winner starting seventh or better on the grid in 16 of the last 19 races.

Logano, who won last week’s playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway, is the only driver to have secured his second-round position in the Round of 12. His Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney, who holds a five-point edge over Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell in the championship points standings, will start 30th. Bell will roll off 17th.

23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, the Regular Season Champion, is fourth in the standings and will start 16th. Hendrick Motorsports William Byron, the defending race winner who is ranked fifth in the playoff standings, will start 11th. His teammate Chase Elliott — a two-time Watkins Glen winner — will roll off 14th. Their teammate Kyle Larson — another two-time Watkins Glen winner — will start 20th.

Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Busch Light Chevrolet, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on September 14, 2024 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Busch Light Chevrolet, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on September 14, 2024 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

JGR’s Denny Hamlin, also a former Watkins Glen winner, will start 22nd. His JGR teammate Ty Gibbs, who holds that 12th and final transfer position by a mere one point over Brad Keselowski, will roll off 15th.

The veteran and former series champ RFK Racing co-owner Keselowski will start 28th. Harrison Burton, who is ranked 17th — 16 points below the elimination line — will start 33rd Sunday. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe, who is 16th in the Playoff standings and 21 points below Gibbs, had an encouraging qualifying session and will start 12th.

Juan Pablo Montoya, a former Watkins Glen race winner, will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start in 10 years and will roll off 34th in the No. 50 23XI Racing Toyota.

Starting Lineup

Pos No. Driver Team Time Speed
1 1 Ross Chastain Busch Light Chevrolet 72.13 122.279
2 19 Martin Truex Jr. (P) Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota 72.264 122.052
3 16 Shane Van Gisbergen(i) WeatherTech Chevrolet 72.376 121.864
4 48 Alex Bowman (P) Ally Chevrolet 72.388 121.843
5 2 Austin Cindric (P) Autotrader Ford 72.426 121.779
6 13 AJ Allmendinger(i) Go Bowling Chevrolet 72.482 121.685
7 22 Joey Logano (P) Shell Pennzoil Ford 72.658 121.391
8 99 Daniel Suarez (P) Freeway Insurance Chevrolet 72.757 121.225
9 10 Noah Gragson Bed Bath & Beyond Ford 72.982 120.852
10 34 Michael McDowell Benebone Ford 73.052 120.736
11 24 William Byron (P) Liberty University Chevrolet 72.148 122.249
12 14 Chase Briscoe (P) HighPoint.com Ford 72.619 121.456
13 8 Kyle Busch zone Chevrolet 72.188 122.181
14 9 Chase Elliott (P) NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 72.62 121.454
15 54 Ty Gibbs (P) CW Sports Toyota 72.229 122.112
16 45 Tyler Reddick (P) The Beast Unleashed Toyota 72.626 121.444
17 20 Christopher Bell (P) DEWALT Outdoor Solutions Toyota 72.388 121.843
18 7 Corey LaJoie Gainbridge Chevrolet 72.701 121.319
19 71 Zane Smith # Focused Health Chevrolet 72.452 121.736
20 5 Kyle Larson (P) HendrickCars.com Chevrolet 72.704 121.314
21 41 Ryan Preece Mohawk Northeast Ford 72.517 121.627
22 11 Denny Hamlin (P) FexEx Toyota 72.759 121.222
23 3 Austin Dillon Get Bioethanol Chevrolet 72.52 121.622
24 17 Chris Buescher BuildSubmarines.com Ford 72.86 121.054
25 43 Erik Jones Family Dollar Toyota 72.742 121.25
26 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kroger/Old El Paso Chevrolet 72.905 120.979
27 31 Daniel Hemric Cirkul Chevrolet 72.879 121.023
28 6 Brad Keselowski (P) King’s Hawaiian Ford 73.067 120.711
29 77 Carson Hocevar # Mattress Warehouse Chevrolet 72.961 120.887
30 12 Ryan Blaney (P) Menards/Pennzoil Ford 73.076 120.696
31 4 Josh Berry # Bed Bath & Beyond Ford 73.114 120.634
32 23 Bubba Wallace Mobil 1 Toyota 73.136 120.597
33 21 Harrison Burton (P) Freightliner Ford 73.154 120.568
34 50 Juan Pablo Montoya Mobil 1 50th Anniversary Toyota 73.204 120.485
35 42 John Hunter Nemechek Dollar Tree Toyota 73.213 120.47
36 51 Justin Haley Pinnacle Home Improvement Ford 73.468 120.052
37 38 Todd Gilliland Boozy Jerky! Ford 73.46 120.065
38 15 Kaz Grala # MEAT N’ BONE Ford 73.825 119.472