What started as a clear afternoon at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta took a strange turn during qualifying for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400. Just when the fastest laps began rolling in, the skies interrupted everything. A weather delay paused the action, but that was only the beginning. By the end, the front row looked much different than expected—and one manufacturer stood out more than the rest. Even some of the biggest names were left far behind.
Key Highlights – Quaker State 400 Starting Grid Drama
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Joey Logano and Josh Berry posted identical times, but owner points gave Logano the pole.
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Team Penske drivers qualified first, third, and fourth, dominating another superspeedway-style session.
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Lightning delay paused qualifying mid-round; session resumed after a 30-minute hold at EchoPark Speedway.
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Trackhouse Racing’s struggles continued with all three drivers qualifying outside the top 30.
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Denny Hamlin, who would’ve started first under metric formula, starts a surprising 33rd.
Lightning Strikes as Ford Strikes First
What began under clear skies quickly turned tense as NASCAR was forced to halt qualifying due to lightning within eight miles of the speedway. At that point, only 14 cars had taken time, with Cole Custer holding the provisional top spot.
After a 30-minute safety hold, qualifying resumed, and that’s when the Penske-powered Fords pounced. Logano, Berry, Ryan Blaney, and Austin Cindric all laid down fast laps, bumping Custer from the top of the board. Ryan Preece, driving RFK’s part-time No. 60 entry, completed the top-five lockout.
In total, Ford drivers claimed each of the top eight positions—a rare feat that speaks volumes about their qualifying setup and Roush-Yates engine program.
“They’ve got these cars figured out for single-lap speed. Now we’ve got to back it up in the race.” – Joey Logano
Full Lineup– Ford Leads the Way
Here’s a look at the starting positions for the Quaker State 400:
| Pos | Car | Driver |
| 1 | 22 | Joey Logano |
| 2 | 21 | Josh Berry |
| 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney |
| 4 | 2 | Austin Cindric |
| 5 | 60 | Ryan Preece |
| 6 | 6 | Brad Keselowski |
| 7 | 41 | Cole Custer |
| 8 | 38 | Zane Smith |
| 9 | 48 | Alex Bowman |
| 10 | 19 | Chase Briscoe |
| 11 | 5 | Kyle Larson |
| 12 | 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 13 | 17 | Chris Buescher |
| 14 | 10 | Ty Dillon |
| 15 | 9 | Chase Elliott |
| 16 | 54 | Ty Gibbs |
| 17 | 34 | Todd Gilliland |
| 18 | 24 | William Byron |
| 19 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek |
| 20 | 35 | Riley Herbst |
| 21 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 22 | 7 | Justin Haley |
| 23 | 45 | Tyler Reddick |
| 24 | 23 | Bubba Wallace |
| 25 | 1 | Corey LaJoie |
| 26 | 43 | Erik Jones |
| 27 | 4 | Noah Gragson |
| 28 | 20 | Christopher Bell |
| 29 | 8 | Kyle Busch |
| 30 | 77 | Carson Hocevar |
| 31 | 99 | Daniel Suarez |
| 32 | 71 | Michael McDowell |
| 33 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 34 | 1 | Ross Chastain |
| 35 | 88 | Shane van Gisbergen |
| 36 | 87 | Connor Zilisch |
| 37 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 38 | 78 | BJ McLeod |
| 39 | 51 | Cody Ware |
| 40 | 66 | David Starr |
Alex Bowman is the highest-starting non-Ford driver, breaking up what nearly became a Ford monopoly in the front five rows.
Star Drivers Stuck in the Back
Not every big name found speed in qualifying. The back half of the grid reads like a who’s who of elite Cup drivers caught off guard by the changing conditions or unable to adapt to the single-round format.
Denny Hamlin, who would have started on pole under NASCAR’s standard qualifying metric if lightning had fully canceled the session, ended up 33rd after an off-the-pace lap. Christopher Bell (28th), Kyle Busch (29th), and Carson Hocevar (30th) also qualified far below expectations.
The Trackhouse Racing trio—Ross Chastain, Daniel Suárez, and Shane van Gisbergen—all start 31st or worse, compounding what’s been a frustrating stretch for the Chevrolet camp.
“We missed it today.”
“There’s still time to recover, but we’ve got work to do.” – Denny Hamlin
Incidents and Near Misses
Though the session was relatively clean, there were a few tense moments:
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Michael McDowell grazed the outside wall while coming to green on his qualifying run.
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Chase Elliott, always a favorite at his home track, got loose in Turns 3 and 4.
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No major incidents were reported, but several drivers lifted or aborted fast laps due to changing wind conditions.
It’s worth noting that David Starr in the No. 66 was the only driver to post a time over 34 seconds. He’ll roll off 40th, rounding out the field.
News in Brief: NASCAR Cup Atlanta Qualifying Results
For Joey Logano, a two-time Atlanta winner, starting up front is nothing new—but finishing there is what matters most. Saturday night’s Quaker State 400 will test Ford’s speed not just over a single lap, but across 400 miles of pack racing, pit strategy, and late-race chaos.
With Ford in control early, Chevrolet and Toyota teams will have to claw back valuable track position under the lights. The last time the Cup Series raced here, Christopher Bell and Carson Hocevar battled for the win. This time, they’ll start side-by-side—from the 14th row.
ALSO READ: Full Entry List Set for 2025 Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway
