MLBInjury Update
Giants ace Logan Webb goes on 15-day IL with right knee bursitis, ending consecutive start streak
Giants ace Logan Webb goes on 15-day IL with knee bursitis, ending his streak.
Yahoo Sports1 min read
SportsPreview
Shane van Gisbergen starts Watkins Glen defense with pole-winning run
TL;DR
Shane van Gisbergen secured the pole position for the Go Bowling at the Glen with a time of 71.165 seconds, outperforming Michael McDowell by 0.259 seconds. The race is set to take place at Watkins Glen International.
Key points
- Shane van Gisbergen won the pole for the Go Bowling at the Glen.
- He qualified with a time of 71.165 seconds.
- Michael McDowell was the second fastest qualifier.
Mentioned in this story
Watkins Glen International
Shane van GisbergenMichael McDowellGo Bowling at the Glen
Watkins Glen, N.Y. — The Bus Stop chicane at Watkins Glen International is designed to slow drivers down.
In Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session, however, it was the section of the 2.45-mile road course where defending race winner Shane van Gisbergen gained light years over the competition, relatively speaking, in securing the pole for Sunday's Go Bowling at the Glen (3 p.m. on FS1).
NASCAR Cup Series driver Shane Van Gisbergen stands with the Busch Light Pole Award after winning the pole for the Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International.
The New Zealander, celebrating his 37th birthday, navigated the seven-turn circuit in 71.165 seconds (123.937 mph) on the first of two qualifying laps to beat Spire Motorsports' Michael McDowell (123.488 mph) for the top starting spot by 0.259 seconds.
"I did nail it on my first lap," van Gisbergen said of the Bus Stop at the end of the long backstretch, where he gained more than two tenths of a second on the field. "The first half of the lap was pretty average, I thought.
"My second lap, I had less tire grip, but it was a better lap, so I think I was ahead until the Bus Stop, and then I mucked it up. My first lap was really good there — probably got it right, and maybe the others got it wrong. But generally, that is a really strong point for me."
Team Penske's Austin Cindric (123.452 mph) claimed the third starting spot, followed by van Gisbergen's teammates at Trackhouse Racing, Ross Chastain (123.445 mph) and Connor Zilisch (123.386 mph).
Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, last year's pole winner, were sixth and seventh, giving Team Penske three of the top seven starters. The Joe Gibbs Racing trio of Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs completed the top 10.
van Gisbergen expects tire wear to play a major role in Sunday's race, which has been lengthened from 90 to 100 laps, featuring stage lengths of 20, 30 and 50 laps.
"The fall-off was insane," van Gisbergen said. "I didn't expect that. The marbles and the fall-off was extreme today. It's kind of like Bristol when it's cold. The tires would fall apart. It was very interesting. We fell off four seconds or so.
Q&A
What time did Shane van Gisbergen qualify for the Go Bowling at the Glen?
Shane van Gisbergen qualified with a time of 71.165 seconds.
Who did Shane van Gisbergen beat for the pole position at Watkins Glen?
He beat Michael McDowell, who qualified at 123.488 mph.
When is the Go Bowling at the Glen race scheduled?
The Go Bowling at the Glen race is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. on FS1.
