Race Weekend Central

Joey Logano Wins XFINITY Pole at Watkins Glen

It’s a Team Penske sweep atop the boards in XFINITY Series qualifying at Watkins Glen International.

Then again, it’s nothing new.

Performing the 1-2 sweep for the third consecutive year at The Glen, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski will lead the field to green in Saturday’s Zippo 200.

In fact, Logano’s 1:10.824-second lap time – a new qualifying lap record for the series – gave Team Penske a fifth straight XFINITY pole from The 2.45-mile road course.

“Overall, it’s awesome for our Snap On team,” Logano said. “This No. 12 team, they don’t race too much so it’s awesome for them. It’s a great pick-me-up for the XFINITY side for Team Penske.”

The defending Watkins Glen winner hopes to bring Team Penske back to Victory Lane in the XFINITY Series.

“If you expect to be fast, you’re not going to work hard,” he said. “I think we always like thinking we’re behind and being able to get ahead. That’s, at least, the way I approach things.”

The quickest non-Ford was Paul Menard, who finished third quick in his No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch completed the top 5.

Not everyone came out happy in the three-round session, however, as Cody Ware and Chris Cook made significant contact on pit road while one attempted to exit their pit stall. They qualified 34th and 35th, respectively.

Last week’s winner, Erik Jones, got bumped from Round 2 in the final seconds before finishing 13th quick. Though it’s solid, the result stands as his first start outside the top 5 all year as well as the worst in Jones’ 45-race XFINITY career.

The other side of the rock has Scott Heckert, who qualified 17th in his Rick Ware No. 15, earning the team’s best qualifying effort since 2014 at Mid-Ohio.

Click Here for full qualifying results

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