NASCAR lineup at Watkins Glen: Starting order, pole for 2026 Go Bowling at The Glen based on qualifying results
Shane van Gisbergen took the pole at Watkins Glen during Saturday's qualifying session, outpacing Michael McDowell.
NASCAR lineup at Watkins Glen: Starting order, pole for 2026 Go Bowling at The Glen based on qualifying results originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Shane van Gisbergen is the best road course racer in NASCAR.
He'll look to prove as much on Sunday afternoon. The New Zealand-born racer came on the scene -- at least to U. S.
audiences -- in 2023, racing to gold during his first ever Cup Series race in Chicago. In the years that have followed, van Gisbergen has become the sport's finest talent when the turns are ever-present and the course layout is winding, claiming another five wins in 2025 to pace the field. van Gisbergen hasn't quite been able to match his output in 2026, posting just two top-10 finishes thus far.
However, he is expected to dazzle at Watkins Glen on Sunday, just as he did one year earlier. His performance during Saturday's qualifying session indicates that isn't too far-fetched, either. With that, here's what you need to know about qualifying results ahead of Sunday's race, Go Bowling at The Glen.