Hamlin wins pole for NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen
Denny Hamlin will start from the pole at Watkins Glen International today, the third time the NASCAR driver will lead the Cup Series field to the green flag at a road course this season.
Hamlin turned the two fastest laps in the final round of qualifying Saturday to edge William Byron for the top spot. Hamlin covered the 14-turn course in 70.392 seconds and reached a top speed of 125.298 mph. Byron was second at 124.961 mph.
“There were a few spots where I feel like I still could have got a little but more,” said Hamlin, who earned the 40th pole of his Cup career. “But you can't nitpick when you're that good.”
Starting near the front is usually advantageous on road courses, where passing can be difficult. Hamlin, though, is 0 for 2 from the prime spot on NASCAR's serpentine courses this season. He started from the pole in Sonoma and finished 36th, and he started first at Chicago
and came home 11th.
Michael McDowell, one of the best drivers on road courses this season, will start third a week after winning for the second time in his career. McDowell dominated the Indianapolis Grand Prix.
Ty Gibbs, likely needing a win to make the playoffs, will start fourth. Two-time defending Watkins Glen winner Kyle Larson will start fifth as he tries to join Mark Martin (1993-95) and Jeff Gordon (1997-99) as the only drivers to win three straight in upstate New York.
AJ Allmendinger, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch and Corey LaJoie round out the top 10.
Chase Elliott, the 2020 Cup Series champion, will start 15th in the penultimate race of NASCAR's regular season. Elliott has two wins at the Glen. He also has seven career victories on NASCAR's winding tracks, two more than any other active driver.
Elliott needs a win to make the postseason for the eighth consecutive year. The Hendrick Motorsports
star has two races remaining to get it done — in New York or next week at the unpredictable Daytona International Speedway.
Thirteen drivers have clinched berths in the 16-driver postseason field, including former series champs Busch, Larson, Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr.
Two more past champions, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski, have solid holds on two of the remaining three playoff spots. Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suàrez are on the bubble and need a victory or help. Wallace leads Suàrez by 28 points.
NASCAR Xfinity
Sam Mayer spun race leader Ty Gibbs following a late restart in the Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International on Saturday and went on to win for the second time in four weeks.
Gibbs, a Cup Series regular and a rising star at Joe Gibbs Racing, dominated the roadcourse race in upstate New York. He led 70 of 86 laps, but a late caution bunched up the field and gave Mayer a shot.
Mayer took advantage by nudging Gibbs out of the way as they entered the first turn. Mayer said the contact was accidental.
“I wheel-hopped it,” said Mayer, whose first Xfinity win came last month at Road America. “I feel bad for doing that, obviously. You don't want to take out a Gibbs car like that or any car like that. But just trying to get another win in the Xfinity Series. I got a lot of catching up to do.”
Sheldon Creed finished second, with Parker Kligerman, Ross Chastain and Connor Mosack rounding out the top five.
John Hunter Nemechek was sixth and took over the points lead from Austin Hill, who spun late and faded to 14th.
Gibbs collected his car after the spin and came home a disappointing 17th.
He had the field covered all afternoon on the 2.45-mile, multielevational track. He blew past Hill on one restart and skated by Mayer and Justin Allgaier on another with four laps to go.
With less than two weeks before the season opener, the starting quarterback has yet to be determined, according to head coach Chip Kelly.
“We got two weeks before the first game, so we're right on track with where we want to be,” Kelly said. “Those guys are doing a great job with reps and taking advantage of the opportunities that they have. They know they're just out here competing and playing and it will take care of itself.”
The quarterbacks competing for the starting spot are Kent State transfer Collin Schlee, freshman Dante Moore, sophomore Justyn Martin and redshirt junior Ethan Garbers, the only one of the four to take a snap for the Bruins last season.
Special-teams update
Special teams is one of the most difficult areas to evaluate during camp, Kelly said.
The team is looking to replace Kazmeir Allen, who led the team last year with 442 return yards on 18 kickoff returns.
“You're never really going live in kickoff and punt returns,” Kelly said. “You know, it's a matter of how comfortable, and I think DeShaun (Foster) does a great job with the returners. We've got some guys that have done it before, but you lost Kaz and Kaz was obviously a really good weapon back there.”
Senior wide receiver Logan Loya is a candidate to fill in on kick returns. He led the team with eight punt returns last season.
SEASON OPENER
Sept. 2: Coastal Carolina at UCLA, 7:30p.m., ESPN