Ross Chastain surged to the top of the time sheets at Daytona International Speedway, posting a lap of 48.809 seconds that translated to an average speed of 184.396 mph. His effort secured the pole position for the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet and placed him alongside Chris Buescher, who finished just 0.051 seconds behind.
The front row will feature Austin Hill, who recorded his best qualifying result to date by starting third, and Ryan Preece, a contender for the upcoming Chase, who locked in fourth position. Both drivers expressed confidence that their early speed could translate into a strong race performance.
Further down the grid, Shane van Gisbergen claimed sixth spot, guaranteeing himself the final Chase berth, while Corey Heim, the highest‑qualified open‑car entry, settled into 11th place. The qualifying hour also saw Ty Gibbs given a second chance after a caution period activated mid‑lap, allowing him to improve to 14th.
Qualifying Drama
The session was not without drama; Gray Gaulding was unable to take the green flag and was officially DNQ’d after a mechanical issue struck his car, leaving one of the 41 entries without a spot in the 40‑car field.
Open‑car drivers Daniel Dye, Joey Gase and Casey Mears rounded out the grid, filling the remaining positions.
In a post‑qualifying interview, Chastain outlined his race strategy, emphasizing the need to minimize drag while maximizing grip on the high‑banked track. He noted that the recent engine reliability fixes by Trackhouse Racing and ECR had given his team the confidence to attack the aerodynamic balance without fear of a power‑unit failure.
With 41 cars initially entered and only 40 slots available, the competition for grid positions remained fierce, but the final lineup now reflects a blend of seasoned veterans and rising talent, setting the stage for a potentially unpredictable Cup race.
Among the established stars, Austin Cindric, Joey Logano, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell also turned in solid laps, positioning themselves within the top ten.
Veteran drivers such as Denny Hamlin, Tyler Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also featured prominently, while newcomers like Zane Smith and AJ Allmendinger demonstrated strong pace, hinting at a competitive mid‑field battle.