Hamlin Speeds To WWTR Pole

MADISON, Ill. — Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin earned his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series Playoff pole in record fashion during Saturday’s qualifying for the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Hamlin posted a lap of 139.190 mph (32.330 seconds) on the 1.25-mile oval to establish the track qualifying record that was previously set by Michael McDowell last season (138.598 mph).

Hamlin has now taken both Busch Light poles in the Round of 16 – his previous one came last week at Darlington Raceway – and will lead the 36-car field to the green for Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300.

The pole was his third on the season and 46th of his Cup Series career.

“Very similar to last week, we were able to make some great adjustments from where we were in practice,” said Hamlin, who was 17th fastest in practice. “There’s so much that’s different from practice to qualifying when you’re going for one lap. They gave me all the adjustments that I needed to have a really good handling car, and we were able to capitalize on it.”

Joining Hamlin on the front row is fellow Playoff driver Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports, who missed the pole by .021 of a second with his lap of 139.099 mph/32.351 secs.

A front-row start could come with a significant advantage as the last two winners – Kyle Busch in 2023 and Austin Cindric last season – started there and all three winners (Joey Logano was the other in ’22) have qualified among the top seven.

Hamlin and Larson led a playoff driver qualifying parade where they secured the top nine starting positions and 13 of the top 15.

They were followed by Chase Briscoe of Joe Gibbs Racing (3rd, 138.902 mph), Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing (4th, 138.855 mph), Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (5th, 138.752 mph), William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports (6th, 138.602 mph), Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing (7th, 138.457 mph), Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing (8th, 138.410 mph) and Cindric of Team Penske (9th, 138.160 mph).

The only non-playoff driver to crack the top 10 was Zane Smith of Front Row Motorsports (137.724 mph).

Playoff drivers Josh Berry of Wood Brothers Racing, Logano of Team Penske, Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing and Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing were 12th through 15th, respectively. Shane van Gisbergen of Trackhouse Racing was 18th, Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports 19th and teammate Alex Bowman 25th to round out the 16 playoff drivers.