Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing captured the NASCAR pole position at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) during Saturday’s qualifying for the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne. With this achievement, Reddick continues his strong start to the season, placing himself at the center of attention for NASCAR fans and enhancing 23XI Racing’s prospects in Sunday’s main event.
Tyler Reddick Leads Qualifying at Circuit of The Americas
Reddick, the most recent NASCAR at COTA winner, delivered an impressive lap time of 97.76 seconds, averaging 88.380 mph around the 17-turn, 2.4-mile National Course. By securing his 12th career pole and his third pole at COTA—his first came in 2021 when he drove for Richard Childress Racing—he cements his reputation as one of the strongest drivers on road courses this season. This is Reddick’s second consecutive COTA pole and puts him in a prime position as he tries to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win the opening three Cup Series races of a season.
On Sunday, Reddick will be at the front of the 37-car grid, steering his team toward what could be a historic victory at the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix. The race will be broadcast live starting at 2:30 p.m. Central Time on FOX and HBO Max, with additional coverage on PRN and SiriusXM radio.
Competitors Secure Top Positions
Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing, who won the 2022 NASCAR at COTA, finished closely behind Reddick in qualifying with a lap of 88.256 mph (97.897 seconds). This marks Chastain’s third top-10 start at COTA out of six attempts, though it is his first such start this season. The diversity of teams in the top five was notable, with Chase Briscoe of Joe Gibbs Racing qualifying third (88.242 mph, 97.913 seconds), Ryan Blaney of Team Penske coming in fourth (88.179 mph, 97.982 seconds), and Chase Elliott, the 2021 COTA winner from Hendrick Motorsports, rounding out the top five (88.161 mph, 98.002 seconds).
Difficult Session for Road Course Specialists
The qualifying session proved challenging for several drivers known for their road racing abilities. Shane van Gisbergen of Trackhouse Racing, who dominated road and street courses last season with five wins, qualified 13th at 87.748 mph (98.464 seconds). His rookie teammate, Connor Zilisch—who excelled in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series last year with multiple road course victories, including one at COTA—qualified 25th at 87.365 mph (98.895 seconds).
Brad Keselowski of RFK Racing, still recuperating from a broken right femur suffered in December, participated despite uncertainty about his condition and placed 26th in qualifying (87.346 mph, 98.917 seconds). Should Keselowski require a substitute during the race, Ford reserve driver and road-course specialist Joey Hand is available as a relief driver.
Additional NASCAR and IMSA Highlights
Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing, who won the previous DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix at COTA, secured eighth position and will start the event in the fourth row. The day also featured IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge action, with Wyatt Brichacek of Toney Driver Development winning the P3 class from pole position. Oscar Tunjo of Gebhardt Motorsport USA Inc. secured second, and Danny Soufi of Zone 4 Racing from Austin completed the podium for the P3 class. In the GSX class, Westin Workman of RAFA Racing claimed victory, with Courtney Crone of CarBahn Motorsports taking second and Tyler Hoffman, alongside Jon Brel of Kingpin Racing, finishing third.
What Lies Ahead at COTA
Saturday’s schedule continues with the Focused Health 250 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race and the second and final 45-minute IMSA event later in the day. All coverage will be available on TV and radio via CW, PRN, SiriusXM, and Peacock. The weekend will conclude with the high-profile DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne, where Reddick’s pole position places him at the center of Sunday’s action.
With Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing starting from the front, anticipation is building for a competitive and potentially historic race at COTA. Fans can keep up with the latest developments via NASCAR’s social channels and official sites throughout the weekend.
