Kyle Busch, after two decades of trying, will start Sunday’s Daytona 500 at the front of the grid for the first time, earning the pole position following a dramatic qualifying event. The achievement marks a major milestone for Busch’s Daytona 500 career, as he finally gains a unique edge in NASCAR’s most famous race.
Busch Outpaces Competitors for Career-First Daytona 500 Pole
Kyle Busch secured the top qualifying spot on Wednesday night with a blistering lap time of 49.006 seconds. Edging out Chase Briscoe by a razor-thin margin of just 0.016 seconds, Busch emerged as the fastest among the field of 41 drivers vying for pole. This marks Busch’s second pole at Daytona overall—his first coming during a summer race—but now, he’ll lead the iconic 500 for the first time in his 21st start.
Still radiating excitement after his session, Busch spoke with FOX Sports’ Jamie Little about what the moment meant to him, highlighting the emotional resonance of this long-awaited accomplishment:
“You know, certainly here on Wednesday night and being able to qualify on my first pole for the Daytona 500, that’s pretty special. I’ve had one other pole in my career down here in Daytona for the summer race, but this feels good.”
—Kyle Busch, Driver
The Qualifying Process and Competitive Edge
The qualifying round adopted a single-car format with each of the 41 entrants putting in a solo timed lap. The top ten drivers with the best times progressed to a second round to determine the front row. Busch’s performance delivered not only a personal milestone, but also a tactical advantage: by clinching the pole, he bypasses the stressful duel races, guaranteeing his front-row place in Sunday’s main event at the Daytona track.
Teamwork and Sponsors Drive Success
After the victory, Busch acknowledged the collaborative spirit of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and the role of his team, crew, and major sponsors. Busch openly praised those supporting the effort with a mixture of appreciation and trademark humor:
“It feels really good for RCR as a group,”
—Kyle Busch, Driver
“Everybody from RCR, thanks to Bob and his whole team there. Especially thanks to Zone nicotine pouches for being on board with us. Maybe it was the flames. I don’t know. Maybe it was the flames that brought us all the speed and the heat that we needed for tonight. But also Lucas Oil, obviously their fuel treatments and oil treatments and everything we run in this racecar that give us the speed that we need to be up front.”
—Kyle Busch, Driver
Expressing his hopes for Sunday’s race, Busch added:
“Just a valiant effort by everybody here. It’d be really nice to be doing an interview like this about being No. 1 come Sunday night.”
—Kyle Busch, Driver
What Busch’s Breakthrough Means for Sunday
Now firmly set in the pole position, Busch will not need to scramble for placement in the Duels. This allows him and his team to focus on preparations and strategy, rather than survival. The Daytona 500, NASCAR’s most prestigious event, will take place at 2:30 p.m. ET and air on FOX. With the likes of Chase Briscoe and other top drivers lining up behind him, all eyes will be on Busch as he tries to convert his first-ever Daytona 500 pole into an elusive win at the legendary track.
Date, history, and driver determination converge on Sunday, as Kyle Busch finally takes his shot to control racing’s biggest stage from the front—potentially rewriting his Daytona 500 legacy forever.
Kyle Busch talks with Jamie Little after winning his very first Daytona 500 pole. pic.twitter.com/DMteC6X71H
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 12, 2026
