UNEXPECTED ANNOUNCEMENT: NASCAR Identifies Suspect Following the Deaths of Four Key Drivers.
Alex Bowman continues to show great momentum in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs by winning pole for Saturday’s Bristol Night Race.
Bowman was only 0.003 faster than Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron
Because Bowman and Byron both qualified in Group B, Byron will start third, with fellow Hendrick driver Kyle Larson on the front row beside Bowman.
It’s an important time for Bowman to start executing because Justin Haley is positioning himself for the No. 48 car as soon as 2026 and he very well could be racing for his spot as a result. He has opened his playoff run with a fifth at Atlanta and 18th at Watkins Glen, good for fourth in the standings and 41 points above the cutline before the first round eliminations following Bristol on Saturday
After Saturday’s race, the bottom four winkess drivers in points will be eliminated from championship eligibility.
“In qualifying, I had a lot of grip,” said Bowman, who won his first pole at Bristol and the fifth of his career. “I was a little bit too tight. It was one of those situations where you run a lap, and it’s either going to be really good or really slow. When you’re tight, you slow down so you can turn.
“Obviously, after the first round, I felt really good about it. Thankful to start up front and qualify well. Obviously, qualifying has been not our strongest suit over the years, so being the cutoff race and everything, starting up front is really important.”
Martin Truex Jr., who starts the Night Race 15th in the standings and 14 points below the cut line, helped his chances with a qualifying effort that earned the fourth starting spot.
Similarly, teammate Denny Hamlin—six points on the wrong side of the bubble—hopes to make good use of his eighth-place qualifying effort. Hamlin has won the last two races at Bristol.
Briscoe will start fifth, one position ahead of points leader Christopher Bell. Non-Playoff drivers Carson Hocevar and Corey LaJoie, both of Spire Motorsports, will take the green flag from the seventh and ninth positions, respectively.
