AJ Allmendinger earned the pole position for the upcoming Bass Pro Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking his first pole in 10 years and across 225 race starts. He clocked a lap in 15.117 seconds at 126.930 mph, earning the top qualifying spot for tomorrow night’s event.
Allmendinger’s last pole was at Watkins Glen in 2015, breaking a long drought in qualifying success.
Top Contenders Lined Up Behind Allmendinger
Ryan Blaney will start alongside Allmendinger after posting a lap time of 15.120 seconds at 126.905 mph. Following Blaney, Austin Cindric, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson complete the top five starters.
Other playoff drivers filling key positions include William Byron in seventh, Bubba Wallace eighth, and Christopher Bell ninth. Erik Jones sits tenth, while Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick, and Alex Bowman start 13th, 14th, and 15th respectively. Chase Elliott will take the green flag from 16th place.
Playoff Drivers Face Challenging Starting Spots
Joey Logano is set to start 22nd, with Anthony Dillon 23rd and Shane van Gisbergen 28th. Chase Briscoe has the most difficult starting position among playoff drivers, beginning in 31st place. Dillon, Van Gisbergen, Bowman, and Bell are below the elimination cut line and face pressure in this must-win race. Bowman and Bell, in particular, are in critical positions but still have a path to advance based on points with some external help.
Race Overview and Schedule Details
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race is divided into three stages ending on laps 125, 250, and 500, demanding strategic planning from all drivers and teams throughout the night.
