Home / Sports / Chastain Grabs Daytona Pole for Playoff Push
Chastain Grabs Daytona Pole for Playoff Push
29 Aug
Summary
- Ross Chastain secures the pole for Daytona's Coke Zero Sugar 400.
- Ryan Preece qualifies fourth, aiming for crucial playoff points.
- Several top drivers will start deep in the field at Daytona.
Ross Chastain earned the pole for Saturday night's Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, his first pole of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. This race is the final opportunity for drivers to secure a spot in the upcoming Chase.
Chastain's lap secured the top starting position over Chris Buescher. Behind them, Ryan Preece qualified fourth, an important position for drivers vying for playoff berths. Shane van Gisbergen will start sixth, and Austin Cindric eighth, both aiming to protect their current Chase standings.
Many prominent drivers face challenges starting deep in the field. William Byron qualified 13th, Tyler Reddick 17th, and Ryan Blaney 19th. Further back, Bubba Wallace starts 26th, Denny Hamlin 30th, and Christopher Bell 35th. Despite these starting positions, Daytona's pack racing dynamics often minimize the impact of grid placement.
