Blaney Edges Cindric For Atlanta Cup Series Pole

Ryan Blaney got the better of Team Penske teammate Austin Cindric by .002 seconds to score the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

It was Blaney’s 11th career pole position and his first of the season.

Blaney led a Ford-heavy final round, which featured nine in total out of the 10 spots available in the chase for pole position.

Behind the Team Penske front row was Josh Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 Ford, who shares a technical alliance with Penske.

Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano starts fourth while Front Row Motorsports’ Todd Gilliland completed the top five.

The lone non-Ford in the top 10 was Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch, who starts sixth. FRM had all three cars in the top 10 with Zane Smith (seventh) and Noah Gragson (10th).

RFK Racing drivers Chris Buescher (eighth) and Brad Keselowski (ninth) completed the top 10.

Bubba Wallace was the fastest Toyota driver in 14th for 23XI Racing. Teammate Tyler Reddick (18th) was the only other Toyota inside the top 20.

Daytona 500 winner William Byron starts 16th aboard the famed No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.