A Cloudy Turn at Richmond
Ryan Blaney captured his third pole position in just five races at Richmond Raceway, posting a blistering lap of 22.225 seconds that translated to 121.485 mph.
The cool cloud that rolled through the track just before his run tightened the surface, giving the car the grip it needed to shave off crucial seconds.
With the pole, Blaney now shares the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series lead with veteran Denny Hamlin, who has already logged four career‑best poles this season and a total of sixteen poles over his career.
Briscoe will line up alongside him in second, while Josh Berry, Ty Gibbs and William Byron round out the top five, and Hamlin, a five‑time Richmond winner, finds himself starting 14th — a position last seen for a pole‑sitter in 2016.
Tyler Reddick, who spun during practice, will start from 32nd, marking his deepest deficit on the grid since March 2023.
Blaney attributes the turnaround to a productive partnership with his crew chief, noting that earlier difficulties in finding consistent lap speeds have finally begun to fade.
The race itself promises to be a test of endurance, as tire wear spikes dramatically, making a single lap behave very differently from a 50‑ to 70‑lap stint.
Despite the unpredictable rubber degradation, Blaney remains confident that the momentum built in qualifying can translate into a strong run, even as the track’s character continues to evolve.