Chase Briscoe earned the pole position for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs event at Kansas Speedway, achieving his seventh pole of the 2025 season. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver recorded a fastest lap of 180.078 mph on Saturday, edging out teammate Denny Hamlin, who posted 179.474 mph, to claim the top starting slot for the Hollywood Casino 400.
Starting Lineup and Playoff Contenders’ Positions
Spring race victor Kyle Larson will begin the race in third place, with fellow playoff racers Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell securing the fourth and fifth starting positions respectively. Completing the top ten starters are Carson Hocevar, Bubba Wallace, Ty Gibbs, Ross Chastain, and Erik Jones. Other key playoff drivers’ qualifying spots include William Byron in 11th, Tyler Reddick 12th, Austin Cindric 26th, and Joey Logano 35th. Notably, Ryan Blaney, last week’s winner at Loudon, did not post a qualifying lap after a crash in practice.
Practice Highlights and Incidents
In the final practice session on Saturday, RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher posted the fastest time at 176.056 mph, leading both practice groups during their 25-minute sessions. Zane Smith followed at 175.695 mph, while Denny Hamlin was the fastest in Group 2, clocking 175.684 mph. Bubba Wallace and John Hunter Nemechek rounded out the top five in practice, with Erik Jones, Justin Haley, Chase Briscoe, Todd Gilliland, and Ty Dillon completing the top ten.
Early in Group 2 practice, Ryan Blaney encountered a tire failure that caused him to collide with the Turn 2 wall. Despite returning to the garage, he was unable to participate in qualifying. Moments later, his Team Penske teammate Joey Logano also experienced a tire problem exiting Turn 4 but avoided contact with the wall. Group 1 practice proceeded without any incidents.
Implications for the Thanksgiving Weekend Race
Securing the Kansas pole gives Chase Briscoe a strategic advantage as the playoffs intensify at the Hollywood Casino 400. With top competitors like Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Christopher Bell starting near the front, the race promises to be highly competitive. The setbacks for Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano during practice highlight the uncertainties teams face as they prepare for the event. The results here could significantly impact championship standings as the playoffs advance.
