WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Jimmie Johnson will never have a better view at Watkins Glen International. He just hopes he can keep it.
Johnson captured the first road- course pole of his career in qualifying Friday, turning a lap at 123.633 mph in 71.34 seconds over the 11-turn, 2.45-mile circuit to edge Kurt Busch for Sunday’s top spot.
“It’s going to be nice to have a good view from the front,” said the three- time defending Cup champion, who has never won a Cup road race. “It’s going to boil down to track position and the pit stops, so hopefully we can stay up there.”
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.
Points leader Tony Stewart qualified 13th, while four-time Glen winner Jeff Gordon will go 31st, one spot ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. It’s the worst qualifying effort of Gordon’s career at The Glen.
Because of four rainouts in qualifying in the past five years, this was the first time the car of tomorrow was used in qualifying at The Glen. Johnson secured the top spot in spite of a few mistakes.
“I blistered the right front in practice. It was ready to pop, and I locked the brakes in the (tight, four-turn) Bus Stop,” Johnson said. “I let off and bounced off the curbs, and I knew I could charge hard back. It worked out.”
There have been 34 cautions in the past five Cup races at Watkins Glen, including several in the closing laps. And with NASCAR’s double-file restart in effect here for the first time, a rough race seems to be looming.
“There’s going to be a lot of pushing and shoving,” Johnson said. “It’s hard racing. It’s what the fans have been asking for.”
De Ferran ready for change
LEXINGTON, Ohio — Former Indianapolis 500 winner Gil de Ferran, 41, said he will retire as driver of his American Le Mans Series team at the end of the season so he can focus on the business side of his de Ferran Motorsports program.
The Associated Press
