Chase Briscoe secured the top spot in NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Kansas Speedway on Saturday, clinching pole position for the Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet. The achievement highlights Briscoe’s consistency this season and sets the stage for a highly anticipated race, drawing attention to the competitive field and the ongoing developments within the series.
Briscoe Leads Competitive Field at Kansas Speedway
During the latest round of NASCAR Cup Series qualifying, Chase Briscoe clocked an impressive lap speed of 180.078 mph, outpacing his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin by just 0.101 seconds. This marks the seventh instance this season where Briscoe will start from the inside of the front row, reaffirming his strong performance throughout the year. Briscoe’s sense of humor was evident when he quipped to the No. 19 Toyota crew members,
“it seems like forever since we’ve been on the pole,”
— Chase Briscoe, Driver — following his run. Briscoe most recently secured a pole at Iowa Speedway on August 3. After his Kansas Speedway performance, he declared,
“Glad to be back on the pole,”
— Chase Briscoe, Driver.
Kyle Larson finished qualifying in third place, further intensifying the competitive lineup for Sunday’s race. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin, who has been navigating tension with teammate Ty Gibbs after last weekend’s crash, suggested that a strong showing in qualifying could calm things within Joe Gibbs Racing, stating, Yea, I think so, when asked about easing the recent dispute.
Horsepower Boost Set for 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Season
The NASCAR Cup Series is preparing for a significant technical shift in 2026, as cars are expected to get a boost in horsepower. The current NextGen car, introduced in 2022 with a 670-horsepower baseline, has been at the center of ongoing debate among teams seeking higher power outputs to improve racing dynamics and driver experience.
Brad Keselowski, another prominent Cup Series competitor, discussed the impending changes during an appearance on the Stacking Pennies with Corey LaJoie podcast. He revealed plans for NASCAR to implement higher horsepower in the upcoming season, remarking,
“Well, you know, it looks like NASCAR is going to change the rules next year to where we’re like 740, 750 (horsepower),”
— Brad Keselowski, Driver. This adjustment is expected to renew excitement among racers and fans, potentially impacting team strategies and car performance moving forward.
Complete Starting Order for the Hollywood Casino 400
The lineup for the Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet at Kansas Speedway presents a diverse mix of talent and manufacturers. The full starting grid is as follows:
1. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Toyota
2. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota
3. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Chevrolet
4. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Chevrolet
5. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 Toyota
6. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Toyota
7. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Chevrolet
8. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Toyota
9. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Chevrolet
10. Erik Jones, No. 43 Toyota
11. William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet
12. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 Toyota
13. Josh Berry, No. 21 Ford
14. Noah Gragson, No. 4 Ford
15. Chris Buescher, No. 17 Ford
16. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet
17. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Chevrolet
18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Chevrolet
19. Ryan Preece, No. 60 Ford
20. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Chevrolet
21. Michael McDowell, No. 71 Chevrolet
22. Justin Haley, No. 7 Chevrolet
23. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Ford
24. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Chevrolet
25. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Toyota
26. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Ford
27. Cole Custer, No. 41 Ford
28. Zane Smith, No. 38 Ford
29. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Chevrolet
30. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Chevrolet
31. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Ford
32. Riley Herbst, No. 35 Toyota
33. Ty Dillon, No. 10 Chevrolet
34. Cody Ware, No. 51 Ford
35. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford
36. JJ Yeley, No. 44 Chevrolet
37. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford
This starting order features leading contenders such as Kyle Busch, William Byron, Erik Jones, Chris Buescher, and Shane van Gisbergen, as well as series regulars like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ty Dillon, AJ Allmendinger, and Joey Logano. Notably, representation from Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota is strong across the lineup, maintaining the manufacturer rivalry that defines the NASCAR Cup Series.
What’s Ahead for the NASCAR Cup Series
With the playoffs underway and the Hollywood Casino 400 marking a critical stop at Kansas Speedway, all eyes are on drivers such as Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson as they battle for championship points. The expected horsepower increase next season, discussed by Brad Keselowski and anticipated by drivers and teams alike, signals a new era for competition and strategy within the series. Fans and teams are eager to see how changes to engine performance could influence results at iconic tracks such as Iowa Speedway and Kansas, as the Cup Series pushes forward with innovation and thrilling competition.
The Hollywood Casino 400, broadcast with coverage by ESPN Bet, is set to deliver high-intensity racing, while the tweaks to technical regulations and ongoing rivalries promise an evolving landscape for NASCAR Cup Series qualifying and race day action this year and beyond.
Cup qualifying results from @kansasspeedway
P1 – @chasebriscoe
P2 – @dennyhamlin
P5 – @CBellRacing
P8 – @TyGibbs #TeamToyota pic.twitter.com/qjnjMz2WGp— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) September 27, 2025
Stacked a few Pennies with the boys yesterday.
🎧 https://t.co/tF9wLrC5f9 pic.twitter.com/3XNpO38nfW
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) September 23, 2025
The #NASCARPlayoffs are headed to the Heartland. 🌻 pic.twitter.com/AZ5Opib52N
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 23, 2025
