Atlanta NASCAR Cup Qualifying Cancelled; Tyler Reddick Secures Pole Position
Due to inclement weather, NASCAR canceled the Cup Series qualifying session on Saturday. Rain and lightning made it impossible to conduct the event. As a result, NASCAR will utilize a metric system to determine the starting lineup for the race.
Starting Positions for Atlanta Race
The metric system introduced some modifications for 2026. The starting positions will now be calculated based on two factors:
- 30% based on the average of the car’s place in the owner standings
- 70% based on the entry’s finish in the most recent race
As a result of this system, championship leader Tyler Reddick, who also won the Daytona 500, secures pole position. He will drive the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing and has been awarded the optimal pit box for the second race of the season.
Front Row Lineup
Joining Reddick on the front row will be Joey Logano, who won his Duel race, despite crashing and finishing third in the Daytona 500. Logano drives the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske.
Top Ten Starting Positions
The following drivers will make up the top ten starting positions:
- 1. Tyler Reddick (No. 45, 23XI Racing)
- 2. Joey Logano (No. 22, Team Penske)
- 3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- 4. Chase Elliott
- 5. Brad Keselowski
- 6. Zane Smith
- 7. Chris Buescher
- 8. Riley Herbst
- 9. Bubba Wallace
- 10. Josh Berry
Notable Drivers Outside the Top 20
Several prominent drivers will start beyond the top 20, including:
- Ross Chastain – 21st
- Ryan Blaney – 22nd
- Ryan Preece – 26th
- Shane van Gisbergen – 28th
- Denny Hamlin – 29th
- Austin Cindric – 30th
- Connor Zilisch – 31st
- Christopher Bell – 32nd
- Chase Briscoe – 34th
- Alex Bowman – 36th
The Atlanta NASCAR Cup race promises an exciting lineup, with Reddick leading the pack and many unpredictable factors in play as the season progresses.
