William Byron achieved the William Byron Martinsville pole position at a crucial point in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs on Saturday, becoming the fastest qualifier at Martinsville Speedway just as the stakes escalate. Byron accomplished his first-ever pole at this historic short track, positioning himself strongly for the Xfinity 500 and keeping his championship aspirations alive as one of the four Playoff drivers most in need of a win to advance.
Intense Qualifying Head-to-Head Among Playoff Contenders
Byron completed a lap around the 0.526-mile circuit in 19.286 seconds, with an average speed of 98.185 mph, narrowly edging out Ty Gibbs by just 0.002 seconds. Gibbs, not contending in the Playoffs, was close behind at 98.175 mph, highlighting how tightly contested qualifying was for the Xfinity 500, set to take place on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The pole marks Byron’s third qualification lead of the year and the 16th in his Cup career, but notably his first since the season’s eighth event at Darlington Raceway in 2025.
Despite his success, Byron remains cautious about reading too much into his qualifying speed.
“It’s nice, but it doesn’t count for anything yet,”
said Byron, who pilots the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, starting Sunday’s race from fifth in the Playoff standings and sitting 36 points below the threshold required to reach the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway.
“Yeah, it’s good. We’ve prepared well coming here, and I feel pretty good about my race car…”
— William Byron, Driver
He added,
“You always want track position, and being on the pole is nice. It gives us a good pit stall—that’s probably the biggest key out of it—and it gives us a chance to control the race for a little bit.”
— William Byron, Driver
Teammates and Rivals Fill Out the Grid
Byron’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson secured a strong starting spot as well, qualifying third after clocking a 98.038 mph lap. Larson currently holds fourth place in the overall standings, 36 points above the cut line, placing him in a relatively secure position heading into Sunday’s showdown. Playoff challengers Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin completed the top five, with Logano managing a 98.002 mph run and Hamlin at 97.876 mph during time trials for the last race in the current round.
Logano finds himself 38 points below the cut threshold, making victory at Martinsville nearly essential for his advancement. He spoke optimistically about his prospects,
“You’re never satisfied or never happy until we win, but that’s a good starting spot for our Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang,”
Logano remarked as he readied for the all-important Xfinity 500.
“I can see the front from there, and hopefully we’ll get one of the pit stalls we’re looking for, but we’re all or nothing.”
— Joey Logano, Defending Series Champion
Logano also addressed his team’s performance, adding,
“You just kind of have to keep that attitude all day and see if we can put it up there. It seems like our short-run speed was in the game. Our long run speed was less than great, so we’ve got some work to do there.”
— Joey Logano, Defending Series Champion
Remaining Playoff Hopefuls Face Make-or-Break Race
Cole Custer will start sixth, with Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, and Austin Cindric filling out spots seven through ten. Elliott and 31st-place starter Ryan Blaney, along with Byron and Logano, find themselves in near must-win situations if they hope to advance their Playoff campaigns. Blaney, who triumphed in the last two fall Playoff races at Martinsville, remains a notable contender after his 2023 victory paved his way to a series championship.
Christopher Bell, holding a 37-point advantage above the Playoff elimination line, was the only Playoff driver to qualify outside the top ten, securing twelfth position for Sunday’s event.
Potential Playoff Shakeup and What’s at Stake
With the William Byron Martinsville pole position now secured at this critical juncture, the intensity of the Playoff battle has only grown ahead of Sunday’s Xfinity 500. As key drivers like Byron, Logano, Elliott, and Blaney are all vying to secure a spot in the Championship 4, the outcomes of the upcoming race at Martinsville Speedway will directly determine who competes for the ultimate championship at Phoenix Raceway. The closely matched qualifying speeds and strategic advantages underline just how high the stakes remain in the final laps of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
