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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying – Cheez-It 355
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen, New York
Saturday, August 08, 2015
1. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 127.839 mph.
2. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 127.569 mph.
3. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 127.481 mph.
4. (4) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 127.416 mph.
5. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 127.181 mph.
6. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 126.948 mph.
7. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 126.912 mph.
8. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 126.868 mph.

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9. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 126.828 mph.
10. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 126.788 mph.
11. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 126.112 mph.
12. (51) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 125.980 mph.
13. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 126.826 mph.
14. (41) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 126.790 mph.
15. (19) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 126.677 mph.
16. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 126.610 mph.
17. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 126.595 mph.
18. (15) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 126.584 mph.
19. (55) David Ragan, Toyota, 126.533 mph.
20. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 126.488 mph.
21. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, 126.092 mph.
22. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 126.068 mph.
23. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 126.040 mph.
24. (9) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, 125.995 mph.
25. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 125.923 mph.
26. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 125.890 mph.
27. (83) Matt DiBenedetto #, Toyota, 125.849 mph.
28. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 125.781 mph.
29. (13) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 125.775 mph.
30. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 125.616 mph.
31. (95) Michael McDowell, Ford, 125.573 mph.
32. (34) Chris Buescher(i), Ford, 125.452 mph.
33. (35) Cole Whitt, Ford, 125.217 mph.
34. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 124.744 mph.
35. (33) Alex Kennedy #, Chevrolet, 124.615 mph.
36. (40) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 124.068 mph.
37. (38) David Gilliland, Ford, Owner Points
38. (32) Boris Said(i), Chevrolet, Owner Points
39. (7) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, Owner Points
40. (46) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, Owner Points
41. (26) Jeb Burton #, Toyota, Owner Points
42. (23) JJ Yeley(i), Toyota, Owner Points
43. (98) Timmy Hill(i), Chevrolet, Owner Points
1 drivers failed to qualify.
44. (62) TJ Bell(i), Chevrolet, 123.607 mph.

–30–

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cms_051614_kahneKasey Kahne wrecked on Lap 4 at Pocono and could not get back out on the track, dooming him to a 43rd-place finish. Fifteenth on the Chase Grid prior to the race, 50 points above the cutoff line, Kahne is now 16th, 25 points above the cutoff line.

Although Kahne holds the 16th and final spot right now, he will get bumped if/when Kyle Busch enters the top 30 in points. As it stands now, Kahne would trail Clint Bowyer by 15 points for the final Chase spot.

If the season ended today, the following winless drivers 11th-16th on the Chase Grid would make NASCAR’s playoffs: 11. Jamie McMurray (+97) 12. Jeff Gordon (+83) 13. Paul Menard (+57) 14. Ryan Newman (+50) 15. Bowyer (+40) 16. Kahne (+25). McMurray and Menard would make the Chase for the first time in their careers.

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TSS_NSCS_Gordon_050115For periods of time, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart dominated the competition at Watkins Glen International. Stewart owns a track-record five wins (2002, 2004-05, 2007, 2009), while Gordon comes in second with four (1997-99, 2001).

Both could use a return to their winning ways at the Central New York road course on Sunday. Stewart needs a visit to Victory Lane in the next five races to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. At 12th on the Chase Grid, a comfortable 83 points above the cutoff line, Gordon will likely make the postseason. Still, a win would give him momentum. Also, if/when Kyle Busch makes the top 30, Gordon’s cushion shrinks. A DNF could doom him.

While Gordon’s loop stats at The Glen are mediocre by his standards (10th-best driver rating, 85.4; 12th-best average running position, 17.075) Stewart’s are elite by any measure. The No. 14 Chevrolet driver boasts series-best totals in average running position (5.661), driver rating (120.4) and average green flag speed (120.785 mph).

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nascar_nationwide_mid_ohio_aj_allmendinger_victory_lane_81713Road course maven AJ Allmendinger provided arguably the most feel-good moment of the 2014 season when he won at Watkins Glen. The victory – the first for Allmendinger and JTG Daugherty Racing – secured the single-car team a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Sunday’s Cheez-It 335 at The Glen may be Allmendinger’s last legitimate shot to make NASCAR’s playoffs. Similar to last year, he needs a win to get in.

In six career starts at Watkins Glen, Allmendinger boasts one win, two top fives and four top 10s. He claims the second-best average finish (7.8333), third-best driver rating (100.5), third-best average running position (12.288) and fourth-fastest green flag speed (120.332 mph).

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Kyle Busch Days of thunderKyle Busch was on his way to his fourth consecutive victory when he ran out of fuel while he was leading on the final lap in Sunday’s Windows 10 400 at Pocono Raceway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver finished 21st..

With his performance, Busch gained 10 points on 30th-place (the position he needs to ascend to in order to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup) and is now only 13 points behind David Gilliland who currently mans the 30th position. Busch has five races left until the Chase to get into the top 30.

Despite being unable to close the deal at Pocono, Busch has won four of the last six races dating back to Sonoma. He gets the chance to sweep the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ road courses in Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 at The Glen (2 p.m. ET at NBCSN). Busch has won at Watkins Glen twice (2008, 2013) and in 2008 was the last NSCS driver to sweep the road courses.