Ryan Blaney had a message for Shane van Gisbergen after beating him to the pole at Watkins Glen International. The #12 Team Penske driver said he’d already topped SVG once this weekend, hinting that his opponent should be ready to put up a fight for the win in Sunday’s race.Blaney will start the Go Bowling at The Glen in front of the grid. That will mark the 150th pole for Team Penske in NASCAR history, joining Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Petty Enterprises. He will be in row one alongside SVG, who won three of the first four road course races this year (Mexico, Chicago, and Sonoma).In a pre-race interview in upstate New York, the 2023 NASCAR champion spoke about being the fastest driver on the track to edge road course ace Shane van Gisbergen for the pole position.“‘Beat him once this weekend.’ That’s the message from polesitter Ryan Blaney on beating SVG today,” Davey Segal wrote on X.Since joining the Cup Series full-time with Wood Brothers Racing in 2016, Ryan Blaney has recorded just one top-five finish—a fifth place in 2019. He is entering the Watkins Glen race after a disappointing DNF in last year’s event that left his playoff hopes hanging by a thread. He initially wished to return to the track, but the previous ruling under the DVP (Damaged Vehicle Policy) ruled him out on lap one.Shane van Gisbergen, meanwhile, scored a second-place finish as a part-time driver last year. He was running in first place on the final lap, but Chris Buescher bumped him after the bus stop in turn five, causing him to give up the lead.The Go Bowling at The Glen will begin on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET. The 90-lap race will mark the fifth of six road course events this year, with the Charlotte Roval concluding this type of racing in the Round of 12.“Surprising I was able to run that fast”: Ryan Blaney on his lap for pole position at Watkins GlenRyan Blaney reflected on his qualifying effort to secure the pole position at Watkins Glen International. The 31-year-old was surprised by the result, considering he made a mistake at the bus stop after a smooth run in the esses.Blaney, who posted a 71.960-second lap time (0.033 seconds faster than Shane van Gisbergen), said (via Cup Scene on YouTube):“I thought it was going to be pretty good. I didn't know if it was going to run in the 90s. I thought it was going to be an 0 or something like that. But judging off the first lap, I was like, ’Man, I think I can run... compete for the first handful of spots. But, yeah, surprising I was able to run that fast.” [3:18]As mentioned, Ryan Blaney will be starting at the front alongside Shane van Gisbergen. Chase Briscoe will start in third, followed by Chevrolet drivers Ross Chastain, Kyle Busch, Michael McDowell, Alex Bowman, and Carson Hocevar. Christopher Bell and William Byron round out the top-10.