Denny Hamlin Secures Pole in Las Vegas; JGR Dominates Top Three Positions
Denny Hamlin has achieved a significant milestone by securing the pole position at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the upcoming Cup race. This event marks a dominant performance by Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), with their drivers occupying the top three spots.
Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Dominance
Hamlin recorded an impressive lap speed of 184.849 mph, marking his fourth pole of the season. His accomplishment underscores the strength of JGR at this stage of the championship.
- 1st Place: Denny Hamlin – 184.849 mph
- 2nd Place: Chase Briscoe – 184.622 mph
- 3rd Place: Christopher Bell – 184.584 mph
This marks the first occurrence since Pocono in 2020 that JGR cars have secured the top three positions in a Cup race.
Top Contenders in the Race
In addition to JGR’s strong showing, Hendrick Motorsports also placed well in qualifying. The next three starting positions are filled by their playoff drivers:
- 4th Place: Chase Elliott – 184.559 mph
- 5th Place: William Byron – 184.275 mph
- 6th Place: Kyle Larson – 184.124 mph
23XI Racing’s drivers secured positions in the fourth row:
- 7th Place: Bubba Wallace – 183.667 mph
- 8th Place: Tyler Reddick – 183.592 mph
Notably, Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney will start in less favorable positions, with Logano qualifying ninth and Blaney starting fourteenth out of a 38-car field.
Round of 8: Championship Implications
This race is the first event in the Round of 8. Winning here is crucial, as any of the remaining playoff drivers who win will secure a spot in the championship race scheduled for Phoenix next month.
Historically, the winner of the Round of 8 opener has gone on to claim the championship title in three of the last four seasons. Fans can catch the pre-race coverage starting at 5 p.m. ET on USA Network.
