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Pocono Raceway, PA – Denny Hamlin, driving the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, has once again demonstrated his prowess at Pocono Raceway, capturing the pole position for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race with a commanding performance in Saturday’s qualifying session. Hamlin was the sole competitor to break the 51-second barrier, setting a blistering lap of 51.948 seconds to secure the top starting spot. This marks Hamlin’s 51st career pole, a milestone that ties him with Ryan Newman for sixth all-time in NASCAR Cup Series history. It is also his sixth pole at the Pennsylvania oval, reinforcing his reputation as a track specialist.
Joining Hamlin on the front row will be Kyle Larson, piloting the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Larson qualified second, narrowly missing out on the pole by a mere 0.055 seconds. The front-row lockout for Hamlin and Larson sets the stage for a highly anticipated battle at the Tricky Triangle.
Reflecting on his performance, Hamlin attributed his success to the team’s strategic adjustments and his own execution on track. "Because of the sun, the track heated up so much from the middle of the session to the end," Hamlin commented. "We just didn’t have the clouds, but certainly had the grip. This whole team did a great job with adjustments, making it a little better from practice. I didn’t execute a very good lap there in Turn 2, but overall, I thought I hit (Turns) 3 and 1 pretty decent. Just good enough."
The second row will feature Daniel Suarez in the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet starting third, followed by Ty Gibbs in the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in fourth. Chase Briscoe rounds out the top five, qualifying fifth in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.
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Other notable starting positions include Chris Buescher, leading the Ford contingent in sixth place for RFK Racing. Erik Jones will start seventh for Legacy Motor Club, with John Hunter Nemechek in eighth for Joe Gibbs Racing. William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports qualified ninth, and Ryan Blaney of Team Penske secured the tenth spot.
The championship picture remains a focal point as the season progresses. Tyler Reddick, the current championship leader, has seen his once substantial points advantage over Hamlin diminish significantly over the past three races. Reddick’s lead has shrunk from a commanding 129 points to a more slender 51 points. Reddick will start the Pocono race from the 16th position.
Christopher Bell, despite enduring a significant crash at Michigan International Speedway last weekend, will compete with a fractured left wrist. Bell qualified 22nd for Joe Gibbs Racing. His resilience in competing after a reported 63G impact underscores the determination of the sport’s athletes.
The qualifying session itself was not without its drama. Early in the first half, RFK Racing encountered difficulties. Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 6 Ford, reported a suspected cylinder issue and took his car to the garage. His teammate, Ryan Preece, in the No. 60 Ford, struggled for pace and was significantly off the competitive times. However, Chris Buescher later found improved performance for the team.
Several drivers who qualified poorly, including Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, and Chase Elliott, were notably slower than expected, a contrast to their usual qualifying performances. Alex Bowman in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet initially set a strong pace, briefly topping the charts before being surpassed.
As the second half of qualifying commenced, Ty Gibbs quickly unseated Bowman, taking the provisional pole. His teammate, Daniel Suarez, then delivered an impressive lap to claim the top spot. However, the session took a turn for the worse for Trackhouse Racing teammates Carson Hocevar and Bubba Wallace.
Carson Hocevar, driving the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, experienced a significant slide in Turn 1 and subsequently lost control at the exit of the Tunnel Turn. Hocevar made contact with the outside wall but managed to regain control of his machine. Moments later, Bubba Wallace, in the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota, spun in the same area of the track and made hard contact with the inside wall, damaging the nose of his car. Both Hocevar and Wallace will start from the rear of the field due to their incidents.
The session was briefly halted for track cleanup following the incidents involving Hocevar and Wallace. Kyle Larson’s qualifying run was interrupted by the caution period. NASCAR granted Hendrick Motorsports permission to change tires on Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet during the delay.
Upon the resumption of qualifying, Denny Hamlin delivered his decisive lap, surpassing Suarez by a full tenth of a second. Kyle Larson then moved into second place, bumping Suarez back to third and solidifying the front-row lockout for Hamlin and himself.
In anticipation of potential inclement weather, NASCAR has announced a change to the start time for Sunday’s race. The green flag will now drop two hours earlier than originally scheduled, with the race set to commence shortly after 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. This proactive measure aims to ensure the race can be completed before forecasted rain impacts the Pocono Raceway.
The field for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is now set, with Denny Hamlin leading the pack. The strategic battles, the resilience of drivers overcoming adversity, and the ever-present threat of weather will undoubtedly contribute to another thrilling chapter in the sport’s history at this iconic venue.
Pocono Raceway Qualifying Results (Top 10):
- Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
- Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
- Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
- Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
- Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
- John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
- William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
- Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Notable Incidents:
- Carson Hocevar (No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) spun and made contact with the wall.
- Bubba Wallace (No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota) spun and made heavy contact with the inside wall. Both will start at the rear.
Championship Standings Context:
- Tyler Reddick (No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota) remains the points leader but saw his advantage over Denny Hamlin reduced to 51 points.
Driver Status:
- Christopher Bell (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) will compete with a fractured left wrist.
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