Tyler Reddick seized the pole position for the 2025 Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, narrowly surpassing Shane van Gisbergen in a tense NASCAR Cup Series qualifying round, putting both drivers at the center of attention. The fierce battle in Shane van Gisbergen NASCAR qualifying reflects the high stakes as contenders fight for Playoff survival in the season’s crucial Round of 12 elimination event.
Reddick’s Standout Performance in Tense Qualifying Session
In a pivotal moment for his championship run, Reddick captured the Busch Light Pole Award on Saturday, October 4, with a lap speed of 95.510 mph, clocking in at 85.939 seconds. The starting order for the Charlotte Roval was determined in a single qualifying round, where drivers, including prominent names like van Gisbergen, Ty Gibbs, and Kyle Larson, were split into two groups following a split 25-minute practice. Each group’s competitors had a 20-minute window to deliver their best lap, with the overall fastest time securing the pole.
Reddick, who had been 25th in practice and started in the second group, delivered when it mattered most, outpacing established road-course experts such as Shane van Gisbergen to clinch the top spot. On landing pole, Reddick, a two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion from Corning, California, and pilot of the No. 45 Jordan Brand/23XI Racing Toyota Camry XSE, claimed his 11th Cup Series career pole and his second at the Charlotte Roval. In addition, this marked a significant milestone for 23XI Racing with their 10th pole in Cup Series history.
Quotes From the Track: Reddick Reflects on the Day
Following his landmark qualifying run, Reddick expressed pride in his team’s resilience and focus under pressure:
“Incredible effort by this [No. 45] team,”
– Tyler Reddick, Driver
He elaborated on the team’s overcome adversity and outlined the mindset heading into Sunday’s critical race:
“It’s been a difficult week. It’s nice we got the job done today. We obviously have some work to do tomorrow, but we did a good job of getting the track position. I’ll try and keep Shane [van Gisbergen] behind me and see if we can get it done tomorrow.”
– Tyler Reddick, Driver
Playoff Drama: The Stakes at Charlotte’s Roval
Heading into the weekend’s eliminator at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Reddick was 29 points beneath the top-eight cutoff in the Playoff standings. With the Roval serving as the final event in the Playoffs Round of 12, only the highest-performing competitors will advance, as four drivers face elimination. Reddick, who has averaged a 7.8 finish at this venue, remains determined to climb above the cutline and secure a crucial first victory of the year.
Front Row Battle: Shane van Gisbergen Remains a Threat
Sharing the front row, Shane van Gisbergen, the reigning Charlotte Roval pole winner, continued his strong road-course form. His best effort of 95.474 mph (85.971 seconds) was just fractions behind Reddick, underscoring the close competition between the drivers. Van Gisbergen, who has been in the hunt for multiple road-course poles this season, remains a significant challenger for Sunday’s event.
The Rest of the Field: Key Qualifying Performances
Ty Gibbs, who led the charts in the first group, secured third place on the grid with a run at 95.265 mph (86.160 seconds). Playoff heavyweight Kyle Larson landed fourth, while Chris Buescher rounded out the top five. Michael McDowell starts from the sixth spot, followed closely by Playoff contender Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe. AJ Allmendinger and Ross Chastain completed the top 10 for Sunday’s main event. Out of the 12 Playoff drivers, five placed themselves in the top 10—a critical advantage for their championship aspirations.
Other Playoff hopefuls start deeper in the field, with Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace claiming 11th and 12th, William Byron in 13th, Denny Hamlin in 14th, Chase Elliott in 15th, Joey Logano in 17th, and Austin Cindric in 19th. Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott already secured Round of 8 spots by winning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway, respectively. The remainder will face intense pressure, with every point likely to matter as the elimination cut looms after Sunday’s race.
Complete Starting Grid for the Roval 400
The qualifying results showcase the fierce level of competition, with all 37 entered drivers making the event. Here’s the final grid, along with best lap speeds and times:
1. Tyler Reddick – 95.510 mph, 85.939 sec
2. Shane van Gisbergen – 95.474 mph, 85.971 sec
3. Ty Gibbs – 95.265 mph, 86.160 sec
4. Kyle Larson – 95.103 mph, 86.306 sec
5. Chris Buescher – 94.912 mph, 86.480 sec
6. Michael McDowell – 94.812 mph, 86.571 sec
7. Christopher Bell – 94.790 mph, 86.591 sec
8. Chase Briscoe – 94.780 mph, 86.601 sec
9. AJ Allmendinger – 94.772 mph, 86.608 sec
10. Ross Chastain – 94.689 mph, 86.684 sec
11. Ryan Blaney – 94.595 mph, 86.770 sec
12. Bubba Wallace – 94.595 mph, 86.770 sec
13. William Byron – 94.552 mph, 86.809 sec
14. Denny Hamlin – 94.422 mph, 86.929 sec
15. Chase Elliott – 94.362 mph, 86.984 sec
16. Ty Dillon – 94.269 mph, 87.070 sec
17. Joey Logano – 94.264 mph, 87.075 sec
18. Cole Custer – 94.257 mph, 87.081 sec
19. Austin Cindric – 94.253 mph, 87.085 sec
20. Daniel Suarez – 94.188 mph, 87.145 sec
21. Justin Haley – 94.154 mph, 87.176 sec
22. Brad Keselowski – 94.042 mph, 87.280 sec
23. Riley Herbst – 93.956 mph, 87.360 sec
24. Zane Smith – 93.937 mph, 87.378 sec
25. Alex Bowman – 93.877 mph, 87.434 sec
26. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – 93.865 mph, 87.445 sec
27. Carson Hocevar – 93.831 mph, 87.476 sec
28. Kyle Busch – 93.765 mph, 87.538 sec
29. Ryan Preece – 93.653 mph, 87.643 sec
30. Noah Gragson – 93.580 mph, 87.711 sec
31. Todd Gilliland – 93.553 mph, 87.736 sec
32. Cody Ware – 93.119 mph, 88.145 sec
33. Josh Berry – 92.974 mph, 88.283 sec
34. Josh Bilicki – 92.630 mph, 88.611 sec
35. John Hunter Nemechek – 91.891 mph, 89.323 sec
36. Austin Dillon – 83.723 mph, 98.038 sec
37. Erik Jones – 0.000 mph, 0.000 sec
What Comes Next for The Contenders
The 2025 Bank of America Roval 400 takes place Sunday, October 5, at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. Coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN Radio, SiriusXM, and HBO Max. With every lap threatening to upend the Playoff picture, the grid led by Tyler Reddick and Shane van Gisbergen promises an intense battle where only the sharpest drivers will secure their place in the advancing Round of 8. The fates of Playoff contenders such as William Byron, Denny Hamlin, and Ross Chastain, as well as established stars like Kyle Larson, will hinge on the outcome in North Carolina.
