NASCAR Cup Qualifying Report: Logano Takes Pole at Atlanta
ATLANTA, GA – Ford drivers dominated qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, with Joey Logano securing the pole position for Team Penske. Logano’s time narrowly edged out Josh Berry of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford, although both drivers recorded identical qualifying times. Logano’s superior position in owner points awarded him the top spot on the grid.
Logano, a two-time winner at Atlanta, highlighted the collaborative efforts of Team Penske: "We all have the same thing, and obviously, Team Penske does a great job at building the same cars. Proud of everyone at the shop. Proud of Roush-Yates engines."
Joining Logano and Berry in the top five were Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric, and Ryan Preece. The first two rows were entirely occupied by Ford vehicles, with Brad Keselowski, Cole Custer, Zane Smith, Alex Bowman, and Chase Briscoe completing the top ten. Notably, Bowman was the highest-placed non-Ford driver, securing ninth position.
The qualifying session faced a brief interruption due to lightning detected within eight miles of the speedway. Following a 30-minute delay, the session resumed, which had seen 14 cars complete their runs prior to the hold. Cole Custer temporarily held the fastest time before falling to the rear after Ford drivers began to outpace him.
Despite no serious incidents during qualifying, Michael McDowell made contact with the wall, and Chase Elliott experienced a moment of uncertainty while navigating Turns 3 and 4.
Some prominent names struggled during qualifying, with Trackhouse Racing’s drivers finishing outside the top 30. Denny Hamlin, who might have claimed the pole based on metrics, ended up 33rd. Reigning Atlanta race winners Christopher Bell and Carson Hocevar qualified 28th and 30th, respectively.
The race promises to showcase the competitiveness of Ford, with the potential for strategic maneuvers influencing the outcome as teams adjust to race conditions.
