Penske Leads the Grid for 2026 North Wilkesboro Event
Team Penske will headline the NASCAR Cup Series starting grid for the July 2026 Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Ryan Blaney captured the pole position, with Ty Gibbs joining him on the front row.
Qualifying was called off because of inclement weather, so the starting order was determined by the original qualifying sequence. Christopher Bell and Carson Hocevar will sit on the second row.
A number of notable competitors, including Ryan Preece, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Josh Berry, Chase Briscoe, Connor Zilisch and A.J. Allmendinger, are slated to start 20th or worse, setting up a challenging battle for position.
Weather reshapes the lineup
The unexpected weather delay forced teams to adapt quickly, with the lineup reflecting the order established before the cancellation. Penske’s strong qualifying performance now gives them a strategic advantage early in the race.