WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- On the heels of his first Xfinity Series victory at Watkins Glen International, Kyle Busch continued his winning streak Sunday by capturing the pole position for Sunday’s Cup race.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver turned a 126.925 mph lap on the track, besting Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott and Daniel Suarez.
It’s the third consecutive pole position for Busch, who won at Pocono Raceway last week and at Indianapolis Motor Speedway the week before that.
MORE: Click here for qualifying results
The green flag for the race is at 3:18 p.m. on NBCSN, which also has the prerace show until then.
Erik Jones was sixth in qualifying at the Glen, followed by AJ Allmendinger, Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray and Jimmie Johnson rounding out the top 10.
Defending race winner Denny Hamlin, who could be making a quick exit today if the call comes that his girlfriend will be giving birth, was 11th in qualifying. He failed to make a lap in the final round of qualifying because of a brake problem.
Hamlin told NBCSN’s Marty Snider that his No. 11 Toyota likely would start at the rear after replacing the brakes on his car.
Clint Bowyer will start 12th after also failing to record a speed because of a brake problem, according to NBCSN’s Dave Burns.
Elliott was fastest in the first of two qualifying rounds, turning a 126.076 mph lap. Truex was second, followed by McMurray, Suarez, Busch, Keselowski, Larson, Hamlin, Jones, Bowyer, Johnson and Allmendinger advancing to the final round.
Joey Logano, who swept the weekend at the 2.45-mile course in 2015, just missed advancing to the final round in 13th.
Among other notables who didn’t advance: Matt Kenseth (15th), Ryan Blaney (16th), Kurt Busch (18th), Kasey Kahne (19th), Kevin Harvick (20th), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (22nd), Ryan Newman (23rd), Danica Patrick (25th), Austin Dillon (27th) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (28th).