WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) – Starting from the pole at Watkins Glen International usually is a good omen in Nextel Cup. But racing the Car of Tomorrow for the first time on the high-speed road course without much practice promised a few surprises for Sunday’s Centurion Boats at The Glen.

Although the race winner has started from the pole eight times in the previous 21 Cup races, there’s a feeling that hardened road racers, such as Canada’s Ron Fellows and crowd favorite Boris Said, might have their best chance yet of securing that elusive victory.