AUSTIN, Texas — Tyler Reddick captured the pole position in Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Circuit of the Americas, completing a lap of the 2.4-mile road course in 97.760 seconds (88.380 mph). This achievement awards him the Busch Light Pole Award for the third time in six attempts at this venue and places him at the front of the pack for Sunday’s DuraMAX Grand Prix Powered by Reladyne, scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Reddick Aims to Extend Winning Streak After Atlanta Victory
The stakes are high for Reddick beyond just leading the race at COTA. Last Sunday’s victory at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta marked his second consecutive win to open the season. This feat makes him the sixth driver in the Cup Series to achieve back-to-back wins so far this year. No competitor has ever managed to start a season with three straight wins, a milestone Reddick now targets eagerly.
Driving the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing, Reddick recognized the advantage his 12th career pole position offers. “It helps the chances, certainly,” he noted. His record at COTA is impressive, boasting a series-best average finish of 4.6, which includes a win last year.
“I think starting up front is huge,”
Reddick added.
Performance Highlights of Other Top Qualifiers
Michael McDowell initially led the first qualifying group with a lap at 88.031 mph. However, his time was eventually surpassed, and he will start in sixth place. Ross Chastain, the 2022 COTA winner and Reddick’s teammate at Trackhouse Racing, posted the second-fastest qualifying time of 97.897 seconds (88.256 mph), securing the front row alongside Reddick.
Unexpectedly, two other Trackhouse Racing drivers, Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch—both known for road course expertise—did not perform as hoped. Van Gisbergen qualified 13th with his best lap on the third attempt, while Zilisch recorded a 25th place starting position, failing to make the top 10. Van Gisbergen is pursuing a potential sixth consecutive road course victory, which would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon’s record for most straight wins on road courses.
Other Contenders and Road Course Specialists
Chase Briscoe will start in third place after posting a lap at 88.242 mph, trailed by Ryan Blaney (88.179 mph) in fourth and Chase Elliott (88.161 mph) in fifth. Elliott leads among active drivers with seven wins on road courses, marking him as a significant competitor to watch. Behind McDowell in sixth, AJ Allmendinger qualified seventh. Defending race winner Christopher Bell starts eighth, followed by Ty Gibbs in ninth and William Byron in tenth.
Reddick Reflects on Competition and Race Strategy
Tyler Reddick expressed cautious optimism about the competition and race conditions ahead.
“We’ll see how it gets going,”
he said.
“Certainly, Ross, Shane, Ryan Blaney—there’s a number of good drivers who were really strong in practice today. We’ll try to understand what that all looks like and make our best decisions on the car and everything.”
Significance of Reddick’s Pole and What to Expect
Reddick’s pole position places him in an excellent position to potentially make history by winning three consecutive races to start the NASCAR season, a feat none have achieved before. Success at COTA would not only reinforce his strong performance on road courses but also elevate his status among the sport’s top contenders. As the DuraMAX Grand Prix unfolds, fans and analysts alike will closely monitor whether Reddick can maintain his momentum, while other skilled drivers such as Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen, and Chase Elliott challenge for the win on this demanding Texas track.
