Kyle Busch will take the lead at the start of the 68th Daytona 500, clocking in a remarkable time of 49.006 seconds at an impressive speed of 183.651 mph. This achievement secures him the pole position, where he will be joined on the front row by Chase Briscoe, who drives the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.
This marks Busch’s 21st entry in the Daytona 500, a prestigious race that has eluded him thus far. Notably, it’s also his inaugural pole position for this iconic event, having outpaced Briscoe by a narrow margin of 0.016 seconds during the final qualifying round. Busch demonstrated his speed throughout the qualifying sessions, leading both rounds.
Richard Childress Racing (RCR) celebrates its seventh pole in the history of the Daytona 500, with this being the first since Austin Dillon secured the pole at the beginning of the 2014 season.
“Qualifying for my first pole position in the Daytona 500 is a significant milestone for me,” Busch remarked, noting the fresh dynamic of working with new crew chief Jim Pohlman this season. “I’ve had one other pole at a speedway in Daytona for the summer race, but this achievement feels special. It’s a great moment for RCR as well; everyone at ECR Engines, led by Bob Fisher, deserves thanks. Our partnership with Nicotine Pouches and Lucas Oil has definitely contributed to our performance today. It’s just a tremendous effort from the whole team, and I hope to be celebrating a win this Sunday night.”
Following Busch and Briscoe, Ryan Preece, the winner of the Bowman Gray Clash, qualified in third place, with Denny Hamlin taking fourth. Corey Heim made an impressive debut by securing fifth place in his first Daytona 500 qualification.
The rest of the top ten concludes with Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott, and Joey Logano.
Next, the field will be divided for the Duel qualifying races, which will determine the remaining positions on the grid behind the frontrunners. Busch will lead the pack in Duel #1 alongside Preece, while Briscoe will guide the second duel with Hamlin at his side.
During the initial qualifying round, Busch stood out as the only driver to break into the 48-second range, nearly achieving an average of 184 mph for his lap. Logano managed to be the final driver to progress to the pole-deciding round, while Ty Gibbs narrowly missed his chance, falling just 0.011 seconds short of moving forward.
A new regulation for the 2026 season prohibits drivers from using their hands against the window opening to manipulate airflow during qualifying. Noah Gragson, however, forgot this rule, resulting in his time being disqualified. He later expressed his frustration, dubbing himself an ‘idiot’ for the oversight, but remained optimistic about his chances to maneuver through the field at superspeedways.
Heim and Allgaier Secure Their Spots
In the context of open entries, Corey Heim, the reigning NASCAR Truck Series champion, successfully locked himself into the race as a fourth entry for 23XI Racing. This will be his inaugural appearance in the Daytona 500.
“It was definitely nerve-wracking for me,” Heim admitted, recalling his experience as the first driver on the track for qualifying. “Once we realized that all the other cars would advance except ours, it confirmed our spot. For a moment, I thought three of us might make it to the final round and compete for the spot. I’m extremely grateful to 23XI Racing and Toyota for including an open car and expanding their team. It’s a remarkable achievement from everyone involved, and I feel blessed to be part of it.”
Additionally, for the second consecutive year, JR Motorsports secured a place in the 500 with Justin Allgaier, a former champion of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, leading to jubilant celebrations in the Earnhardt family’s pit area.
Allgaier edged out LaJoie by a mere 0.004 seconds to clinch the final locked-in position in qualifying, leaving LaJoie to compete among the remaining six open entries for the last two spots on the grid in the upcoming Duel races.
“This feels incredible,” Kelley-Earnhardt Miller shared with FOX Sports 1 following Allgaier’s qualification. “While I can’t say it’s less stressful, we are immensely proud of Justin.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. added, “Participating in this sport is a thrill. It’s exciting to come here and chase our goals, although it is stressful, which makes it all the more rewarding.”
