Reddick continues hot streak with COTA Cup pole

Tyler Reddick will begin his quest for a third straight NASCAR Cup Series victory from the pole at Circuit of The Americas.

Reddick claimed the top spot Saturday afternoon with a lap of 88.380 mph (97.760s). It is his third pole at the road course in Austin, Texas, and his second straight. It was the 12th pole of Reddick’s career.

“I maybe shouldn’t have called my shot earlier, some pressure comes with that,” Reddick said. “But I love going fast, and the road courses are a lot of fun in qualifying. I’m just proud of everyone’s effort here. The 23XI Racing and Chumba Casino Toyota Camry was fast at Daytona, and it seems fast here to start this one off.

“I don’t know where Shane (van Gisbergen) is starting, but I have to try to get as much of a head start as I can and try to stay ahead of him all day.”

Reddick won the season-opening Daytona 500 and then won at EchoPark Speedway last weekend. He did so from the pole position. No driver has won the first three races to start a Cup Series season.

Ross Chastain qualified second to Reddick. Chastain’s fastest lap was 88.256 mph.

Chastain, however, had a shot at knocking Reddick off the pole. The Trackhouse Racing driver was on a flying lap that looked good enough for pole based on the live timing and scoring before he locked up the brakes in one section and ruined the lap.

“I didn’t know it was happening,” Chastain said. “My Busch Light Chevy … I followed Shane (van Gisbergen) out and his Safety Culture colors were actually getting closer. It was something I’ve never experienced on a road course. He’s helped me so much, so to go execute four our No. 1 team, Brandon McSwain, I feel like the car performed how we wanted there. But it’s so cool to follow a teammate.

“I used to follow Justin Marks, now our owner, around these road courses in the O’Reilly Series and now following the best road course racer to ever sit in one of these cars. It’s good to a driver at Trackhouse. You’re talking about nerves? Try being me on a road course weekend at Trackhouse. But, good execution today.”

Chase Briscoe qualified third at 88.242 mph, Ryan Blaney qualified fourth at 88.179 mph, and Chase Eliott qualified fifth at88.161 mph. Michael McDowell, who was fastest in practice, qualified sixth at 88.031 mph.

AJ Allmendinger qualified seventh at 88.027 mph, Christopher Bell qualified eighth at 87.980 mph, Ty Gibbs qualified ninth at 87.931 mph, and William Byron qualified 10th at 87.822 mph.

Bell is the defending race winner.

Shane van Gisbergen qualified 13th. Van Gisbergen won five of the six road course races last year, with COTA being the only one that he didn’t win.

Kyle Larson qualified 15th, Denny Hamlin qualified 19th, and Joey Logano qualified 20th. Bubba Wallace qualified 24th, Connor Zilisch qualified 25th, and Brad Keselowski qualified 26th. Jesse Love qualified 27th, Ryan Preece qualified 29th, and Kyle Busch qualified 30th.

UP NEXT: The DuraMax Texas Grand Prix at 3:30pm ET on FOX.

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