Denny Hamlin hit another milestone in NASCAR Cup Series competition Saturday with his 40th career pole at Watkins Glen.
“I thought I kind of executed those corners pretty good,” Hamlin said of his lap of 125.298mph. “There was a few spots I feel like I still could have got a little bit more, but you can’t nitpick when you were that good.”
It is the fourth pole of the season for Hamlin, which is the most the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has had in a single year since 2018. Sunday will be the second time he’s led the field to the green flag at Watkins Glen.
William Byron qualified second with a lap of 124.961mph, Michael McDowell third at 124.949mph, Ty Gibbs fourth at 124.890mph and Kyle Larson fifth at 124.874mph.
Larson has won the last two years at Watkins Glen.
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AJ Allmendinger qualified sixth at 124.645mph, Christopher Bell seventh at 124.395mph, Tyler Reddick eighth at 124.187mph, Kyle Busch ninth at 124.089mph and Corey LaJoie 10th at 123.835mph.
For LaJoie, it is the second time in his NASCAR Cup Series career (225 starts) he’s qualified inside the top 10. It’s the seventh time in his career that he’s qualified inside the top 15.
Bubba Wallace qualified 12th. Wallace enters Watkins Glen holding the final spot on the playoff grid by 28 points.
Martin Truex Jr., who leads the championship standings, qualified 19th. Truex can clinch the regular-season championship this weekend by being 61 points ahead of the second-place driver in the standings.
Mike Rockenfeller qualified 21st for Legacy Motor Club.
There are 36 drivers set to start the Go Bowling at the Glen.