Byron Secures Pole Position Ahead of Crucial Elimination Race at Martinsville
William Byron captured the pole for the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway with a lap time of 19.286 seconds (98.185 mph), marking his first pole at the track in his career. Byron, a two-time Martinsville winner, emphasized the importance of the race as a must-win situation. “It’s nice, but it doesn’t count for anything yet,” he stated, reflecting confidence in his team’s preparation.
Ty Gibbs qualified second at 98.175 mph, followed by Kyle Larson (98.038 mph), Joey Logano (98.002 mph), and Denny Hamlin (97.876 mph) rounding out the top five. Larson enters the race on the playoff bubble with a 36-point advantage over Byron, who is fighting for a spot in the title race.
Other notable qualifiers included Kyle Busch at seventh (97.850 mph) and Chase Elliott at eighth (97.845 mph). Christopher Bell qualified 12th and sits precariously just above the playoff cutline, while Ryan Blaney, the defending race winner, struggled with a 31st-place qualifying effort, putting him in a must-win situation.
Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe are the only two drivers already locked into the championship race.
The Xfinity 500 is set to take place at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday.
