Pole Position Announcement
Ty Gibbs captured the pole position for the 2026 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, marking his first qualifying highlight of the season. The young driver will lead the field alongside Carson Hocevar, who secured the second spot on the grid.
Kyle Larson and Michael McDowell will line up behind the Gibbs‑Hocevar duo on the second row, setting the stage for a competitive early stretch of the race.
Mid‑grid and rear‑grid dynamics
Further back, a cluster of seasoned competitors will start 20th or worse, including Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, Austin Cindric, Bubba Wallace, Austin Dillon and Brad Keselowski. Wallace’s weekend took a turn for the worse when he crashed during his qualifying run, dropping him to the rear of the grid.
The starting lineup reflects a blend of fresh talent and veteran experience, with Gibbs’ pole underscoring his rising momentum and the back‑of‑the‑field shuffle promising overtaking opportunities as the 2026 season progresses.