AJ Allmendinger secured the No. 1 starting position for Saturday night’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking his first NASCAR Cup pole in nearly a decade. The pole was clinched with a lap speed of 126.930 mph, delivering Allmendinger his first Cup pole since August 2015 at Watkins Glen and his first front-row start at Bristol since March 2012.
Kaulig Racing Gains Another Cup Pole
This achievement represents the second career Cup pole for Kaulig Racing, highlighting the team’s growing competitiveness on the circuit. Reflecting on the milestone, Allmendinger said,
“I know it’s Friday night qualifying and at the end of the day it doesn’t pay any points or money, but it’s small victories like this for our race team that’s continually trying to grow. … Days like today are important to me as well because it proves that I can be here.”
—AJ Allmendinger, Driver
Starting Lineup Highlights Key Playoff Contenders
Ryan Blaney will start second with a lap of 126.905 mph. Austin Cindric, currently holding the final playoff transfer spot, qualified third at 126.804 mph, breaking a streak of starts outside the top 20 in recent Bristol races. Cindric noted,
“Honestly, I think my car is probably the best driving car I’ve had at Bristol with the Next Gen car, Proud of the guys for making adjustments and we’ve been able to creep up on this place. It’s not been the easiest place for our company.”
—Austin Cindric, Driver
Other front-row and top-10 qualifiers include Ty Gibbs in fourth (126.720 mph), Kyle Larson fifth (126.670 mph), and Denny Hamlin sixth (126.312 mph), who is continuing a streak of 12 consecutive top-10 starts at Bristol. Larson remains strong on this track, having won the past two Bristol races and dominated many laps during those events.
Playoff Drivers Dominate But Some Face Challenges
Eight of the top 10 starters are playoff drivers, emphasizing the competitive nature of the field. Josh Berry, needing a win for advancement, qualified ninth. On the other hand, drivers below the playoff cutline will face uphill battles, with Austin Dillon starting 23rd, Shane van Gisbergen 28th, and Alex Bowman 15th.
Broadcast and Upcoming Race Details
The Bristol race will be broadcast on USA Network, with pre-race coverage set to begin at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday. The qualifying results and starting positions shape a highly anticipated race that could impact playoff standings significantly, especially for drivers fighting to secure their spots in the next playoff round.
