Shane van Gisbergen made a bold statement in his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Charlotte Roval, securing his first-ever pole position on Saturday with a lap speed of 99.246 mph (82.704 seconds). In his first attempt at the Roval in a Cup Series car, the New Zealander showcased his talent, leaving the field in his wake.
Right behind van Gisbergen was Tyler Reddick (P), who clocked in at 99.177 mph, securing the second spot. Defending race winner AJ Allmendinger followed closely in third, with a speed of 98.874 mph.
Joey Logano (P) landed fourth with a 98.694 mph lap, followed by Austin Cindric (P) in fifth at 98.580 mph. Kyle Larson (P) placed sixth at 98.500 mph, while Chase Elliott (P), looking for a much-needed win, came in seventh at 98.389 mph. Brad Keselowski qualified eighth (98.341 mph), and Bubba Wallace ninth (98.219 mph). William Byron (P) rounded out the top 10 at 98.165 mph.
Byron, the only driver already locked into the next round of the playoffs ahead of Sunday’s elimination race, looks poised to keep up his strong form.
A dramatic moment occurred when Kyle Busch was bumped out of the final qualifying round by Brad Keselowski in the closing minute of the first session, relegating Busch to 11th place.
Other playoff contenders had mixed results. Christopher Bell (P) qualified 12th, while Daniel Suarez (P) took 13th. Ryan Blaney (P) will start 15th, Alex Bowman (P) 17th, and Denny Hamlin (P) 18th, with Chase Briscoe (P) enduring the toughest session of the playoff drivers, finishing in 25th.
Veteran Martin Truex Jr. struggled in what will be his final race at the Roval, managing only 30th in qualifying, adding to the pressure heading into the elimination round.
As Sunday’s elimination race looms, the competition will be fierce, with several playoff drivers fighting to advance to the next round. All eyes will be on van Gisbergen as he aims to convert his pole position into a victory on one of NASCAR’s most unpredictable circuits.
