Shane van Gisbergen claimed the pole position for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Sonoma Raceway with a qualifying lap at 95.483 mph, edging out teenager Brent Crews by 0.189 seconds.
Defending race winner Connor Zilisch struggled during qualifying as a tire lost air, forcing him to start from the 30th position.
Taylor Gray of Joe Gibbs Racing posted the fastest lap in Group 2 at 94.947 mph, while Anthony Alfredo secured fourth on the grid with a speed of 94.865 mph. Parker Retzlaff and Corey Day followed closely with 94.662 mph and 94.630 mph respectively.
The qualifying session also featured entries from JR Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Viking Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports, highlighting the depth of competition.
Series leader Justin Allgaier holds a 224‑point advantage over second‑place Jesse Love and has already clinched a spot in the postseason Chase.
Austin Green did not make a qualifying run after a practice crash caused by brake failure.
Points Battle
Allgaier’s lead positions him favorably as the series heads into the final stage, while the battle among Gray, Alfredo and Day promises a tight fight for the remaining playoff spots.
With the grid set, fans will watch to see whether van Gisbergen can convert his pole into a victory on the challenging Sonoma road course.