Chase Briscoe will confront a difficult pit-road situation at Atlanta Motor Speedway after NASCAR canceled the Cup Series qualifying session for the Autotrader 400 on February 21 due to rain and lightning. The starting lineup and pit stall selections were instead set by NASCAR’s qualifying metric, which draws on recent race results and owner points.
Stormy weather surrounding the 1.54-mile oval halted all on-track activity under a lightning hold, leading NASCAR to abandon qualifying altogether. To arrange the pit stalls, NASCAR used a formula blending 70% driver finishing position and 30% owner points from the Daytona 500. At a track where pack racing is common and most cars stay on the lead lap for long periods, the position on pit road is critical because smooth entry and exit can significantly influence track position, especially during caution periods when multiple cars pit simultaneously.
Briscoe Prepares for Challenging Pit Position at Atlanta
Briscoe’s pit stall was assigned as number 25, placing him in the middle of the pack on one of the most difficult pit roads of the season. His Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 car will be flanked by Austin Dillon and Alex Bowman, surrounding him with heavy traffic. Starting farther back in such a congested pit lane increases the risk of losing time during pit stops and complicates race strategy.
Daytona 500 winner Tyler Reddick secured the pole and the coveted pit stall 1. Leading drivers such as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carson Hocevar took prime positions near Turn 1, while others including Chris Buescher, Ty Dillon, and Ryan Blaney will pit closer to the Turn 4 end of the pit road.
Discussing the pit road challenge, Briscoe told NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass,
“This track, even if you qualify in the top five, the pits are still in pain. This is the hardest pit road, I think we have… From the standpoint of the room, and when we come down pit road, the whole field is going to be on the lead lap. So, it just makes it where you’re always going to be coming around somebody or have somebody in front of you. So yeah, it will not be ideal at all tomorrow. But that’s the cards that we’re dealt and we make the most out of.”
Early Season Struggles Impact Joe Gibbs Racing at Atlanta
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season began on a challenging note for Joe Gibbs Racing, now celebrating 35 years. At the Daytona 500 last weekend, the team experienced major setbacks. Although Chase Briscoe started from the front row and led 19 laps, he was caught up in a multi-car collision on Lap 85 and finished at the rear of the field. His teammates Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell also suffered from wrecks, while Ty Gibbs was the only team member to finish on the lead lap, placing 23rd.
Atlanta presents an important chance for Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing to regain momentum. Despite 10 previous Cup starts at the track, Briscoe has yet to crack the top 10, although he once secured the pole position there. With no qualifying session this weekend, he will have to depend on strategic race moves and composure navigating the pit-road congestion to improve his results.
The Autotrader 400 is scheduled to begin Sunday at 3:19 PM ET, structured in three stages of 60, 100, and 100 laps. This race offers Briscoe an early opportunity to reset his season and overcome the obstacles posed by his mid-pack pit stall placement and the fierce racing conditions at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
With qualifying canceled, drivers with a bad metric score (70 percent Daytona 500 finish, 30 percent owner points) were impacted. Chase Briscoe is in pit stall 25 between Austin Dillon (who didn't get selection because of tech issue) and Alex Bowman. pic.twitter.com/f9FesrorQ0
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 22, 2026
