WATKINS GLEN, NY — Ross Chastain took the pole in Cup qualifying at Watkins Glen International on Saturday, with only five playoff drivers starting in the top 10.
Chastain earned his first pole of the season and second of his Cup career with a lap of 122.279 mph. Martin Truex Jr. is the highest-starting playoff driver, starting second after a lap of 122.052 mph.
Shane van Gisbergen (121.864 mph) is third, playoff driver Alex Bowman (121.843) is fourth and playoff driver Austin Cindric (121.779) is fifth.
MORE: Watkins Glen starting grid
The last six Cup winners at Watkins Glen have started in the top five. Three of the last four Cup winners at this track have started on the front row.
Other playoff drivers in the top 10 are Joey Logano (seventh) and Daniel Suarez (eighth).
Several playoff drivers will start in the middle of the pack or outside of it.
Kyle Larson will start 20th, Denny Hamlin 21st, Brad Keselowski 28th and Ryan Blaney 30th.
Juan Pablo Montoya, who is starting in the Cup for the first time since 2014, will start 34th.
