Date: Aug. 6, 2016
Event: Qualifying for the Cheez-It 355k at The Glen (Round 22 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (2.45-mile, 11-turn road course)
Pole Winner: Carl Edwards (69.689 seconds at 126.562 mph)
SHR Lineup: Tony Stewart (3rd, 69.902 seconds at 126.177 mph)
Kevin Harvick (15th, 70.652 seconds at 124.837 mph)
Kurt Busch (17th, 70.795 seconds at 124.585 mph)
Danica Patrick (31st, 71.481 seconds at 123.389 mph)
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS, led the four-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent Saturday at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International by setting the third-fastest lap in qualifying for Sunday’s Cheez-It 355k at The Glen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Stewart turned a lap of 69.902 seconds at 126.177 mph on the 2.45-mile, 11-turn road course in the final qualifying round.
Qualifying consisted of two rounds. The first was 25 minutes, with every driver on the track vying to set the fastest lap. The fastest 12 drivers from that session advanced to the final, 10-minute round of qualifying where they battled for the pole. Positions 1-12 were set by speeds in the final round. The remaining 40-car field was set by speeds posted by those who did not advance past the first round.
Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Beer Chevrolet SS, qualified 15th with a time of 70.652 seconds at 124.837 mph.
Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified 17th with a time 70.795 seconds at 124.585 mph.
Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 Nature’s Bakery Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified 31st with a time of 71.481 seconds at 123.389 mph.
Carl Edwards led the final round of knockout qualifying by taking the pole with a lap of 69.689 seconds at 126.562 mph. It was his 20th career Sprint Cup pole, his second at Watkins Glen and his fourth of the season.
Kyle Larson will start on the outside of row one after clocking in at 69.871 seconds at 126.233 mph.
The 10 other drivers who made it to the final round of qualifying were Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman, A.J. Allmendinger, Jamie McMurray, Michael McDowell and Brad Keselowski. All are listed in the order they’ll start the race.
The Cheez-It 355k at The Glen gets underway at 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday with live coverage provided by USA.
-SHR-