Robby Gordon's most recent Cup win came at Watkins Glen. Credit: Autostock

This time, Mother Nature on Gordon's side at Glen

Strong qualifying effort doesn't get rained out this time around

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- Robby Gordon is no weather man, but he's glad the skies were blue on Friday.

Gordon qualified his No. 7 Chevrolet sixth for Sunday's AMD at The Glen (1 p.m. ET, NBC), nearly a complete turnaround from last season when he started at the rear of the field.

Credit: Autostock

Lineup AMD at The Glen Pos. Driver Time Speed 1. Ku. Busch 71.727 122.966 2. K. Kahne 72.387 121.845 3. R. Newman 72.508 121.642 4. J. Gordon 72.633 121.432 5. J. Johnson 72.789 121.172 6. R. Gordon 72.806 121.144 7. K. Harvick 73.026 120.779 8. T. Stewart 73.126 120.614 9. Ky. Busch 73.129 120.609 10. D. Hamlin 73.197 120.497 Complete lineup, click here Pole sitterKurt Busch wins the pole for Sunday's race at Watkins Glen Hit or missBiffle slams wall, Dale Jr. clocks good time Need for speedTony Stewart wonders where his speed went Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Of course, last year wasn't his fault.

"We were on the front row last year when it got rained out with about three cars to go," Gordon said as he looked into the warm sun.

The rain washed away last year's qualifying with three cars remaining. Because the session was not completed, Gordon's time didn't stick and the field was set by owners' points. He started 39th.

It didn't matter, because Gordon drove around the field, led a hard-to-come-by two laps and finished second to a dominant Tony Stewart.

On Friday, it wasn't the rain that kept Gordon from a front-row starting spot. It was his draw.

"It was a nice day," said Gordon, who was the first car on the track to qualify in the 71-degree clear weather. "The only thing bad about it was the number I drew. That is the worst spot to go out."

"If we end up getting second, I'll be pretty bummed that we went out first because I had to sweep the track for everybody else."

Gordon's lap of 121.144 mph was topped by Jimmie Johnson before Gordon could make it back to the garage. By the time the sun began setting, Gordon had been bumped off the front two rows and will follow Kurt Busch (122.966 mph) to the green on Sunday from Row 3.

He still thinks he'll be in good shape.

"I think our road-car stuff is pretty good, and I think we'll be OK when it's time to go racing," he said.

In seven races at The Glen, he's got five top-fives. In three of the last four years he's finished in the top three, including his most recent victory in 2003 while driving for Richard Childress. And he's led laps in six of his seven trips to the 2.45-mile road course.

Two of his three victories have come at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. And as he proved last year, just because he doesn't start near the front doesn't mean he can't finish there.

"I don't know why we're so decent at the road courses," Gordon said. "We know this car well."

The chassis he's driving this weekend is the same one his team has turned into a long-term, road-course project.

"We've stuck with it -- it's the same chassis that we've worked with for a long time now," Gordon said. "We'll work on it on long runs [Saturday], make sure the rear tires don't fall off or the brakes don't fade -- all the things that can happen."

Gordon was referring to his tire mishap two months ago at Sonoma, when a blown tire made him smack the wall before he could get to pit road on Lap 76. The damage ended his day early and left him with a 40th-place finish.

His team went to work on the car and got it ready for this weekend at The Glen. The only thing changed on the machine were the brakes, which Gordon said still need some adjusting.

"I had to stomp the brake pedal during qualifying," he said. "So we'll have to work through and find out why it's like that."

A brake issue, however, is certainly a better problem to have than raindrops falling on the windshield.

"We kind of have a recipe for this car that we can take it to Watkins Glen or Sonoma," Gordon said, "and it runs good."