Front Row Motorsports made headlines at Talladega, showcasing a remarkable performance as Zane Smith claimed his first career pole position in the NASCAR Cup Series. Driving the No. 38 Ford Mustang, Smith’s outstanding qualifying effort saw him clock the fastest lap in both rounds, marking a significant milestone during his 55th career start. The excitement was palpable on pit road, where crew chief Ryan Bergenty celebrated enthusiastically as Smith’s speed propelled him to the top of the time charts.
In the Cup Series, Smith’s previous highest starting position was seventh, achieved earlier this season at Atlanta. However, his lap time at Talladega was nothing short of extraordinary, as he outpaced the No. 8 Chevrolet driven by Kyle Busch of Richard Childress Racing by a substantial margin of over a tenth of a second (0.132s).
Reflecting on his achievement, Smith humbly credited his team’s hard work and the exceptional performance of the FRM Ford. “I wish I could take a lot of the credit for it, but truthfully, just a really fast FRM Ford,” he remarked. He expressed his enthusiasm about being a pole-sitter in the Cup Series, stating, “That’s awesome. Just a huge shoutout to all of these guys. They’ve been doing an awesome job this year. Long race tomorrow, but a great starting spot, so I’m super stoked for this.”
Joining Smith in the front row is Kyle Busch, who earned the highest qualifying spot among Chevrolet drivers. Busch’s performance marks his return to the front row for the first time since he secured the pole position at Dover last year. He expressed satisfaction with his qualifying run, saying, “That feels pretty good. Great job by these guys … great start for RCR and our Chevrolet.” He acknowledged the importance of starting strong, stating, “It’s good to start up front. Hopefully, you can hold that position and keep it up front.”
Busch emphasized the strategic aspect of the race, focusing on collecting stage points and avoiding any potential chaos that often arises during superspeedway events. “All about trying to score some stage points and stay out of the melee. You never know where that comes from. Heck, it could even come from behind you and you can be in it,” he noted. His positive outlook was a testament to the hard work put in by the RCR team, particularly in plate racing.
As for the rest of the contenders, Joey Logano secured the third starting position, followed closely by Ryan Preece in his Ford and Austin Dillon in fifth place. The remainder of the top ten was filled by Chris Buescher, Austin Cindric, Josh Berry, Ryan Blaney, and Ty Gibbs. Notably, Gibbs was the sole representative for Toyota in the final round of qualifying, managing to edge out his teammate Christopher Bell by just 0.012 seconds.
Joe Gibbs Racing had previously earned the pole position at this year’s Daytona 500, but Chase Briscoe, who started from the pole at Daytona, faced a tough qualifying session at Talladega, finishing in 17th place.
Several well-known drivers found themselves starting deeper in the field, which could pose challenges in the race. Bubba Wallace will start from 20th place, while Brad Keselowski will line up in 22nd. Other notable placements include Kyle Larson in 25th, Tyler Reddick in 26th, Chase Elliott in 30th, and Ross Chastain in 32nd. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who recently won at Talladega, faced a setback, qualifying 35th.
However, it is worth mentioning that Stenhouse has previously demonstrated the ability to perform well from lower starting positions, having won a race at Talladega last fall after starting outside the top 30. As the drivers prepared for the race, the absence of mechanical issues or on-track incidents during single-car qualifying at the 2.66-mile superspeedway was a positive sign for the teams.
The anticipation surrounding the race at Talladega is heightened by the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing, where fortunes can change rapidly. With the drivers’ varying starting positions, the strategies they employ will be crucial in navigating the challenges that the track presents.
As the race day approaches, fans and teams alike are eager to see how the dynamics play out on the track. The excitement surrounding Zane Smith’s pole position serves as a reminder of the competitive spirit and unpredictability that defines NASCAR racing, particularly at iconic venues like Talladega.
In summary, the qualifying session at Talladega highlighted the impressive performance of Zane Smith and his Front Row Motorsports team, as they aim to capitalize on their pole position. With strong contenders like Kyle Busch and Joey Logano also in the mix, the race promises to deliver thrilling moments and fierce competition. Fans will be watching closely to see how the race unfolds, as drivers navigate the challenges of superspeedway racing and strive for victory.
