Logano edges Byron for Cup pole at Charlotte Roval

Rusty Jarrett/NKP/Motorsport Images

Logano edges Byron for Cup pole at Charlotte Roval

NASCAR

Logano edges Byron for Cup pole at Charlotte Roval

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Joey Logano will lead the field to the green flag Sunday at the Charlotte Roval after claiming the pole with a lap of 103.424mph (80.755s).

It is the first time Logano has won a pole on the Roval and the 25th of his Cup Series career. It’s the third pole of the season for him.

“It was OK,” Logano said of his pole-winning lap. “I felt like I screwed up the final chicane here. I screwed up the first run and made it through, and I screwed up half as bad the second time trying to adjust but not over-adjust, and I under adjusted myself at least, but the Shell/Pennzoil Mustang has some speed in it, obviously.

“It was really good through the rest of the racetrack. Starting up front is nice. Hopefully, we can do what we need to do this weekend. Our job is to get into the next round, and we’ll figure out what we need from here, but this is a great starting spot, for sure. We’ve got a good pit stall, and we just need to try to keep that track position. It’s pretty sketchy when you lose your track position here, so we’ll try to keep it.”

William Byron will join Logano on the front row. His best lap was 103.300mph.

Daniel Suarez qualified third (103.103mph), Tyler Reddick fourth (103.088mph), and Austin Cindric fifth (102.743 mph).

Ryan Blaney qualified sixth (102.685mph), AJ Allmendinger seventh (102.295mph), Christopher Bell eighth (102.089mph), Chase Elliott ninth (101.746mph), and Ross Chastain 10th (78.695mph).

Chastain hit the tire barrier during his lap. Through the infield section of the course, the No. 1 went off into the grass and hit the tire barrier with the left side of his Chevrolet.

Three playoff drivers will start outside the top 15, including defending race winner Kyle Larson.

Chase Briscoe qualified 17th, Kyle Larson 18th, and Denny Hamlin 24th. Briscoe is one of the drivers below the cutline going into Sunday’s elimination race.

Noah Gragson starts 29th in his second start with the No. 48 team. He is filling in again for Alex Bowman, who is still sidelined with a concussion.

Aric Almirola did not make a qualifying lap and will start 37th after an engine issue in the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford kept him off track.

Conor Daly will start last in his Cup Series debut. He also did not make a qualifying lap after crashing during practice.

UP NEXT: Bank of America Roval 400 at 2 p.m. ET Sunday.

STARTING LINEUP

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