Jimmie Johnson nipped Kurt Busch in Friday’s qualifying at Watkins Glen International to take the pole position for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen.
Johnson lapped the 2.45-mile, 11-turn road course at 123.633 m.p.h. (71.340 seconds) in his No.48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for his 20th career Sprint Cup Series pole, but his first since November 2008 at Phoenix. The three-time defending series champion also recorded his first pole in his 16th road course event. kansas City Star
“It was a really cool day for us, to get the pole,” Johnson said. “We were close at Sonoma once or twice and lost it by small margins. But to get it done, hopefully, shows the progress that I’m making and the team is making on road courses.
“[Friday] was just one lap, and there’s a lot of laps to be made and a lot of racing on Sunday, but hopefully this is a sign of good things to come for us.” NASCAR
Busch, who won the pole here three years ago, finished just 0.01 second behind Johnson. Denny Hamlin, fresh from an emotional victory at Pocono on Monday, qualified third. Marcos Ambrose of Tasmania was fourth, followed by David Stremme. Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, Boris Said, and Juan Pablo Montoya rounded out the top 10.
Points leader Tony Stewart qualified 13th, while four-time Glen winner Jeff Gordon will go off 31st, one spot ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. It’s the worst qualifying effort of Gordon’s career at The Glen. The Associated Press
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Heluva Good! at The Glen - Race Line-Up
It is worth repeating that Johnson and Cale Yarborough, who probably will become a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in the future, are the only drivers to win Cup series titles three consecutive years.
Johnson is 15th on the series all-time wins list with 43 in seven seasons. He has been a contender to win the series championship each of those seasons.
Mark Martin, whose career is being celebrated at each turn this year, has referred to Johnson as Superman.
“I don’t think Superman needs a road course win to complete that,” Martin said about Johnson’s NASCAR résumé. “He doesn’t have to win on a road course to continue to be Superman in my book.
“He’s fast. He’s fast on a road course.” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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