NASCAR Watkins Glen 2013 qualifying results: Ambrose smashes track-record, secures pole

Marcos Ambrose took a big step toward winning his third consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen when he secured the pole-position in time trials for Sunday's Cheez-It 355.

The No. 1 effort in qualifying was the third of Ambrose's Cup career, but the first of this season. His lap time of 128.241 mph broke the track-record set last year by Juan Pablo Montoya.

"It wasn't perfect, it wasn't the cleanest lap I could have done, but it certainly carried a lot of momentum and it was enough to get the job done," Ambrose said.

With a victory Sunday, Ambrose would join Mark Martin (1993-1995) and Jeff Gordon (1997-1999) as the only drivers to win three straight races on the 2.45-mile road course.

Starting directly behind Ambrose will be a pair of Michael Waltrip Racing drivers in Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. They'll start second and third, respectively, with AJ Allmendinger and Kyle Busch rounding out the top five.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will lineup 25th while Max Papis, who is subbing for the injured Tony Stewart, struggled and posted just the 29th-fastest time.

The Cheez-It 355 at The Glen will take the green flag Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Starting Lineup

1)         Marcos Ambrose

2)         Clint Bowyer

3)         Martin Truex Jr.

4)         AJ Allmendinger

5)         Kyle Busch

6)         Jamie McMurray

7)         Paul Menard

8)         Brad Keselowski

9)         Joey Logano

10)       Matt Kenseth

11)       Juan Pablo Montoya

12)       Michael McDowell

13)       Kurt Busch

14)       Ryan Newman

15)       Brian Vickers

16)       Carl Edwards

17)       Greg Biffle

18)       Jimmie Johnson

19)       Kasey Kahne

20)       Denny Hamlin

21)       David Gilliland

22)       Jeff Burton

23)       Owen Kelly

24)       Ron Fellows

25)       Dale Earnhardt Jr.

26)       Kevin Harvick

27)       Boris Said

28)       Jeff Gordon

29)       Max Papis

30)       Casey Mears

31)       David Ragan

32)       Aric Almirola

33)       Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

34)       Victor Gonzalez Jr.

35)       Danica Patrick

36)       David Reutimann

37)       Alex Kennedy

38)       Travis Kvapil

39)       David Stremme

40)       Dave Blaney

41)       Landon Cassill

42)       Tomy Drissi

43)       Brian Keselowski

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