Denny Hamlin Secures Busch Light Pole Award at Pocono Race

Hamlin has already claimed three wins this NASCAR Cup Series season and has finished either first or second in five of the last eight Cup races at Pocono’s unique 2.5-mile, three-turn track. Hamlin described how the right adjustments helped his team recover from a practice session where he didn’t place inside the top 10.

He joked about being well-rested after his week off and remarked that his team understands exactly what he needs from the car. The No. 11 crew’s approach carried them to a strong qualifying performance and a promising outlook for race day.

In contrast, current Cup Series points leader William Byron had a tough session; his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet crashed late in qualifying, ending his pole bid. Several other contenders joined Hamlin near the top of the order.

Hamlin’s teammates, Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs, will start sixth and seventh. Tyler Reddick, who drives for 23XI Racing—the team co-owned by Hamlin—qualified eighth.

Christopher Bell put his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota ninth, followed by Daniel Suarez for Trackhouse Racing in tenth. Notably, six of the top 10 qualifiers drove Toyotas. Defending race winner Ryan Blaney placed his Team Penske Ford 20th in the field.

Four drivers did not set qualifying laps, including Bubba Wallace, Reddick’s teammate at 23XI Racing. Josh Berry from Wood Brothers, Cody Ware of Rick Ware Racing, and Brennan Poole representing NY Racing also missed out on qualifying.

In the practice session earlier, William Byron clocked the fastest lap at 170.758 mph, while Bubba Wallace, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, and Chris Buescher rounded out the top five on the speed chart. Byron was also quickest over five and ten-lap averages before his qualifying incident.

Christopher Bell faced trouble in practice due to a mechanical issue that limited him to three laps, putting him 13th on the practice leaderboard. With Hamlin’s record at Pocono and a strong qualifying performance, all eyes are on Sunday’s race to see if he can convert this pole position into another win at a track where he already holds so many records.

The unique layout of Pocono Raceway often brings a different set of challenges compared to other tracks, similar to how specialized setups influence performance in Formula 1 events like the Spanish Grand Prix.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.