Briscoe On IndyCar Pole At Watkins Glen

July 4, 2009 8:34 p.m. EST

Watkins Glen, NY (AHN) - Ryan Briscoe's qualifying effort put Team Penske on the pole at Watkins Glen International for the fifth consecutive year.

Briscoe will roll off from the front Sunday in the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen IndyCar Series race.

Briscoe earned his second pole of the season with a track-record lap of 136.935 mph during the 10-minute session on the 3.37-mile, 11-turn circuit.

"I'm excited for Team Penske," said Briscoe, who also started from the pole at The Glen last year.

Helio Castroneves, on the pole the last three years, was bumped in the first 20-minute segment by Dan Wheldon's final lap.

Castroneves will roll off 14th.

"Needless to say, qualifying was a bit frustrating because the Team Penske car is better than where we qualified," said Castroneves. "It took us a little longer to get up to speed than we thought it would, and we just didn't have enough time to get a fast lap in there at the end of the session. I was hoping we'd be able to get one more lap before the end, but we just didn't have the chance."

Justin Wilson will start on the front row alongside Briscoe followed by Scott Dixon, who won the first three IndyCar Series races at The Glen, and Mario Moraes.

Graham Rahal will start fifth and series points leader Dario Franchitti will join him on the third row.