AUSTIN, Texas — Tyler Reddick captured the pole position during Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Circuit of the Americas, positioning himself to lead the field in Sunday’s DuraMAX Grand Prix Powered by Reladyne. Driving on the 2.4-mile road course, Reddick posted a lap time of 97.760 seconds (88.380 mph) in the second qualifying group, earning his third Busch Light Pole Award in six attempts at this track.
Reddick, driving the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing, is building momentum after winning last Sunday’s race at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta. That victory marked his second consecutive win of the season, joining five other Cup competitors who have started a season with back-to-back victories. No driver in NASCAR history has won three straight races to open a season, a feat Reddick now has in his sights.
Strong Performances and Surprises Among Top Qualifiers
Michael McDowell led the initial qualifying group with a lap at 88.031 mph but ultimately slipped to sixth after the second group’s times were set. Ross Chastain, last year’s winner at COTA and a Trackhouse Racing teammate, secured the second-fastest lap at 88.256 mph (97.897 seconds) and will share the front row with Reddick. Their impressive speeds put them in strong positions heading into the race.
However, some notable surprises occurred during qualifying. Both Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch, teammates with Chastain known for their road-course prowess, fell short of the top 10, with Van Gisbergen finishing 13th and Zilisch 25th. Van Gisbergen is aiming to extend his winning streak on road courses to six, which would tie the record for most consecutive victories on road courses held by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.
Following Chastain in third is Chase Briscoe (88.242 mph), with Ryan Blaney (88.179 mph) and Chase Elliott (88.161 mph) rounding out the top five. Elliott is the current leader among active drivers with seven career road-course wins. McDowell starts sixth, with AJ Allmendinger seventh, and defending race winner Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs, and William Byron completing the top 10 qualifiers.
Reddick Reflects on Pole and Upcoming Challenges
Reddick expressed optimism about starting from the front, emphasizing its importance for his chances of achieving a historic third win in a row this season. He noted the competitiveness of several drivers based on practice performances and the need to make smart decisions for race day.
“I think starting up front is huge,”
Reddick said regarding his pole position and its potential impact on the race outcome.
“We’ll see how it gets going. Certainly, Ross, Shane, Ryan Blaney—there’s a number of good drivers who were really strong in practice today. We’ll try to understand what that all looks like and make our best decisions on the car and everything.”
—Tyler Reddick, NASCAR driver
What to Expect from Sunday’s Race
With the NASCAR Cup Series event set to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, all eyes will be on Reddick to see if he can make history by winning three consecutive races to start the season. His consistent performance at Circuit of the Americas, including a career-best average finish of 4.6 and a previous victory in 2023, suggests a favorable outcome is possible.
The competition will be intense, particularly from Trackhouse Racing drivers Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen, as well as seasoned road-course racers like Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, and others seeking to disrupt Reddick’s streak. The race’s developments will reflect the strategies and adaptability of these top drivers on one of NASCAR’s most challenging tracks.
