Chase Briscoe wins Busch Light Pole at Nashville Superspeedway, narrowly outpacing his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin by just 0.049 seconds during Saturday’s qualifying for the Cracker Barrel 400. The showdown took place at Nashville Superspeedway, setting the stage for Sunday’s main event starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Briscoe Shatters Track Record for Third Pole of 2024
Briscoe was one of the last drivers to take on the 1.33-mile concrete track and clinched the pole position with a blazing lap at 164.395 mph in the No. 19 JGR Toyota, which is his third pole victory this season and his second in as many weeks. Hamlin, who has previously secured the Nashville pole twice, will join Briscoe at the front row when the race begins. Right behind them will be NASCAR Cup Series points leader William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports and Tyler Reddick from 23XI Racing.
Reflecting on the razor-thin margin that secured his spot over Hamlin, Briscoe joked,
“I guess I just pushed my head farther forward as I was coming to the line,”
—Chase Briscoe, Pole Winner.
Briscoe added that the key to his strong performance was simply keeping things smooth, highlighting his Saturday as a success for Bass Pro Shops Toyota and noting the importance of translating this qualifying speed into a strong performance on Sunday.
The Importance of Track Position at Nashville
Drivers anticipate that holding position on Sunday will be crucial due to the characteristics of the Nashville Superspeedway. Briscoe emphasized,
“Track position is going to be really, really big here tomorrow and that’s the name of the game most every place we go, certainly at this place. So hopefully we can maintain track position and keep it up front all day long.”
—Chase Briscoe, Pole Winner.
Denny Hamlin, who will start next to Briscoe in his No. 11 JGR Toyota, echoed the importance of a good grid spot and the challenges posed by minimal tire wear during the race. He shared,
“Certainly going to be a track position-type race, and with very minimum [tire] falloff, even in practice I kept having to back up from the guys that I was catching,”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver.
Hamlin praised his team’s efforts to earn an advantageous pit stall, admitting he would have preferred to take the pole but expressed satisfaction with locking in the front row for Joe Gibbs Racing. He quipped,
“I would have loved to have number one, but Chase just ruined that,”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver,
then added,
“Really happy for the whole Joe Gibbs Racing team to get the whole front row there. I definitely think we can race from that spot.”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver.
Strong Qualifying Field and Notable Performances
Tyler Reddick, co-owner of Hamlin’s 23XI Racing team, set the early standard in qualifying before Briscoe, Hamlin, and Byron posted faster laps. Reddick also topped practice in both single-lap and 10-lap average speeds, demonstrating race-day potential. Last week’s Charlotte winner, Ross Chastain—a past Nashville champion—posted the fifth fastest lap in his Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet.
Joining Chastain in the top six was RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski, who led the Ford contingent and seeks to convert potential into a strong finish. Additional drivers in the top 10 included Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing), Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports), Joey Logano (Team Penske), and Christopher Buescher (RFK Racing).
Notably, former Nashville winners saw mixed results in qualifying. Kyle Larson, the 2021 race victor, will start from 28th, while his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott, who won in 2022, will line up 11th.
Practice Sessions Highlight Key Contenders
The day kicked off with two 25-minute practice group sessions. Carson Hocevar paced Group 1 at 160.338 mph, while Tyler Reddick dominated Group 2 at 161.337 mph. The combined top-10 from practice featured Reddick, Hamlin, Elliott, Byron, Briscoe, Keselowski, Chastain, Hocevar, Bubba Wallace, and McDowell.
Reddick also led both practice groups in 10-lap average times, followed by Hamlin, Chastain, Briscoe, and Keselowski. Incidents were minimal; in Group 2, Kyle Busch slid on exit from Turn 4 but avoided trouble, and moments later, Josh Berry experienced a similar scare over the track’s bumps but recovered without damage.
What to Expect in the Cracker Barrel 400
With Chase Briscoe wins Busch Light Pole at Nashville Superspeedway, fans can expect an intense battle for position among top drivers like Briscoe, Hamlin, Byron, and Reddick. Track position, minimal tire degradation, and strategic moves by seasoned teams such as Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and RFK Racing will be critical on race day. The event will test the ability of pole sitters to convert Saturday momentum into a victory, as the challenge of the Nashville Superspeedway provides little margin for error or recovery for those starting deeper in the field.
As anticipation builds for Sunday’s Cracker Barrel 400, all eyes will be on Briscoe and the front runners to see if their qualifying form can carry through to triumph in the main event.
