Starting Lineup for the NASCAR Cup Series’ Go Bowling at the Glen 2025

Well, well, well. Ryan Blaney decided to spice things up in the NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen International, snapping Shane van Gisbergen’s trendy streak of pole positions on road courses. Blaney didn’t just take the top spot. He made sure everyone knew he meant business by clocking an impressive 71.960 seconds during the Group B qualifying session. Van Gisbergen, who ran in Group A, locked in 71.993 seconds, but it didn’t hold a candle to Ryan Blaney. Blaney’s pole position isn’t just another notch in his belt.

It’s a pretty big deal because it’s his second pole of the season, with the first dating back to February at EchoPark Speedway. Furthermore, Blaney is hunting for his 15th career NASCAR Cup Series win and his first road course victory in almost seven years.  The last time he dominated on a road course was at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in 2018. Is redemption finally on the menu? Stay tuned for Sunday’s race.

Go Bowling at The Glen Starting Lineup Highlights

Here’s your cheat sheet for the NASCAR Cup Series top qualifiers:

Ryan Blaney (71.960)

The man of the hour. Can Blaney convert this stellar qualifying performance into a victory? Or will history repeat itself, leaving him on the “close but not quite” list?

Shane van Gisbergen (71.993)

No stranger to pole positions, Van Gisbergen still managed a killer lap. Will he shrug off Blaney’s interference and take control on race day?

Chase Briscoe (71.997)

Just barely trailing the top two, Briscoe remains a force to be reckoned with. A win is definitely not off the table for him.

Ross Chastain (72.081)

Known for being in the middle of some wild finishes, you can bet Chastain will make things interesting.

Kyle Busch (72.144)

Is there a race where this guy doesn’t show up on the radar? Probably not. Expect Busch to stir the pot, as always.

From fan favorites to rising talents, the NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup boasts a mix of the usual heavy-hitters and potential wildcards, making Sunday’s “Go Bowling at The Glen” more of a wildcard lottery than anything else.

Go Bowling at the Glen: Full Starting Lineup

NASCAR Cup Series

(i) indicates drivers ineligible for series driver points

• 1. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 2. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 3. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 4. Ross Chastain, No. 1 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 5. Kyle Busch, No. 8 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 6. Michael McDowell, No. 71 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 7. Alex Bowman, No. 48 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 8. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 9. Christopher Bell, No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 10. William Byron, No. 24 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 11. Joey Logano, No. 22 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 12. Chris Buescher, No. 17 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 13. Austin Cindric, No. 2 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 14. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 15. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 (23XL Racing, Toyota)
• 16. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 17. Ryan Preece, No. 60 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 18. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 19. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 20. Chase Elliott, No. 9 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 21. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 (23XL Racing, Toyota)
• 22. Denny Hamlin, (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 23. Justin Haley, No. 7 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 24. Josh Berry, No. 21 (Wood Brothers Racing, Ford)
• 25. Connor Zilisch (w), No. 87 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 26. Austin Dillon, No. 3 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 27. Kyle Larson, No. 5 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 28. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 29. Riley Herbst, No. 35 (23XL Racing, Toyota)
• 30. Erik Jones, No. 43 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
• 31. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
• 32. Cole Custer, No. 41 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
• 33. Ty Dillon, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 34. Zane Smith, No. 38 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 35. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 (HYAK Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 36. Noah Gragson, No. 4 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 37. Cody Ware, No. 51 (Rick Ware Racing, Ford)
• 38. Katherine Legge, No. 78 (Live Fast Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 39. J.J.Yeley (i), No. 44 (NY Racing Team
• 40. Josh Bilicki (i), No. 66 (Garage 66 Ford)

The Bigger Picture

The Watkins Glen NASCAR race isn’t just about fast cars and sweet lap times. It’s a chess game on wheels where strategy, split-second decisions, and sheer gutsy racing will decide the victor. Throw in a tight, technical track with a sprinkle of unpredictability, and you’ve got a pressure cooker ready to blow.

Blaney has laid down the gauntlet, but we all know how unpredictable NASCAR road courses can be. A slip, a spin, or even an untimely caution could easily mix things up. And let’s not forget the depth of talent chomping at the bit just behind him. From Chastain’s penchant for chaos to Busch’s uncanny race IQ, it’s anyone’s race.

Why Fans Should Tune In

Here’s why fans should tune in to Sunday’s Go Bowling at the Glen NASCAR Cup Series Race:

1. High-Stakes Racing: With playoff positions hanging by a thread, every point matters. Expect aggressive driving and bold moves.
2. Track Drama: Watkins Glen isn’t for the faint of heart. Its challenging layout often leads to some friendly bumper-to-bumper action.
3. Blaney’s Redemption Quest: Almost seven years since a road course victory.

The green flag waves at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 10. Tune in on USA Network, MRN, or SiriusXM NASCAR Radio to catch the action. Don’t forget to keep an eye on the NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup to see if Blaney can hold his ground or if chaos will reign supreme.