Amid the challenges and chaos of Darlington Raceway, known for testing NASCAR Cup Series veterans, William Byron defied the odds to secure his first pole position of the 2025 season. At 27, Byron will lead the field on April 6 at the Goodyear 400, alongside Ryan Preece. Despite a close effort, Preece couldn’t match Byron’s impressive 28.774-second lap, falling short by nearly a tenth of a second. This demonstrated how precisely dialed in the Hendrick Motorsports driver was during qualifying.
Following the dynamic front row duo is Denny Hamlin, fresh from a dominant win at Martinsville. Aiming for back-to-back victories, Hamlin will start from the second row at Darlington. Next to him is Chase Briscoe, followed by Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric. Wallace has been steadily advancing, achieving his first consecutive top-three Cup Series finishes last weekend. The 23XI driver may finally be close to securing a long-awaited race victory.
Starting sixth, Tyler Reddick will line up beside Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who hopes to clinch his first win since the 2023 Illinois 300. Busch has shown solid performance, increasing his prospects this weekend. Behind Busch, Ryan Blaney and Michael McDowell complete the top 10 for Sunday’s race.
Overall, Byron emerges as a leading contender to seize the Goodyear 400 victory. Success here could extend his lead over rivals in the standings. Yet, challenges remain. Can Byron secure his first win since the 2025 Daytona 500, or will competitors like Wallace, Hamlin, or Cindric impede his path to victory?
