Chicago NASCAR Cup Qualifying Report
Chicago, IL – The NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at Chicago revealed a dramatic showdown for the final starting positions. Shane van Gisbergen captured the pole with an impressive lap time, while four drivers contended for the last three spots on the grid amidst a backdrop of tension and unexpected challenges.
Reigning Supercars champion Will Brown secured a spot for Kaulig Racing by qualifying 19th. Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill finished 30th, and Josh Bilicki clinched the last position with a 31st-place run in the Garage 66 Ford.
A notable entry, Corey Heim from 23XI Racing, faced significant pressure due to a wall contact during his first lap that damaged his car’s toe link. Despite improving his time by four tenths, Heim’s effort fell short, leaving him to watch the event from the sidelines.
Katherine Legge, making her Cup debut this year, also encountered challenges, crashing into tire barriers during practice and scraping the wall in qualifying. Nonetheless, she managed to secure a spot in the race, outperforming Heim by just over a tenth of a second. Reflecting on her experience, Legge said, “I tried my best to mess that qualifying up, honestly. It was a lot of pressure… I actually feel pretty good about it now.”
Legge’s qualifying position, 33rd, was a hard-won achievement against the time constraints of a single practice session on a demanding street course. “There’s a level of comfort with Indy… here, it’s very much drinking from a fire hose,” she noted, emphasizing the steep learning curve.
Heim, expressing regret over his missed opportunity, acknowledged, “I made a mistake on my first lap… That’s completely my fault.”
The final starting grid has five international drivers, highlighting the global appeal of the NASCAR Cup Series. The competition intensifies as teams prepare for the upcoming race, brimming with storylines from a compelling qualifying session.
