Christopher Bell is on fire! The Joe Gibbs Racing driver just grabbed his third Busch Light Pole of the year, securing the top spot for Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Clocking in a hot lap at 185.344 mph, Bell edged out fellow playoff contender Tyler Reddick by a razor-thin 0.013 seconds, making it his 13th career pole.
But here’s the kicker: despite starting from the top spot multiple times, Bell has never snagged a win from pole at Vegas. And while history isn’t exactly on his side, as the last driver to win here from pole was Kyle Busch back in 2009, Bell’s optimism is sky-high.
Christopher Bell on Getting Pole
“I feel really good, really comfortable,” Bell shared. ““In practice, I don’t think the pace showed what we had but inside the car I felt super, super comfortable so I know we’ll have a shot tomorrow.”
Though Christopher Bell’s been in this position before, he’s yet to seal the deal. But this year might end up different. Bell’s in great form and sitting second in the playoff standings, just behind Kyle Larson. Could this finally be his day?
Playoff Contenders Stack Up, Big Crash in Practice
Bell wasn’t the only one making moves in qualifying. Six out of the eight playoff drivers made it to the final round. Denny Hamlin, Bell’s teammate, will roll out fourth. Kyle Larson, who’s got two straight Vegas wins under his belt, starts fifth. William Byron and Joey Logano, two other heavy hitters, round out the top 10.
On the flipside, Chase Elliott, surprisingly, couldn’t make it past the first qualifying round and will start 18th. But perhaps the unluckiest driver of the day was reigning champion Ryan Blaney. After cutting a tire and hitting the wall in practice, Blaney had to go straight to his backup car and will start from the back in 37th place. Despite the setback, Blaney remains confident.
“It’ll be a big challenge for multiple reasons, but I feel confident,” Blaney said. “We’ve got all race. It’s gonna be a tall one, but I’ve got faith we can make the most of it.”
Other Notable Starters
There’s plenty of talent further back in the grid, too. Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time champ, will roll off 29th, while New Zealand’s Shane van Gisbergen starts 34th in his eighth NASCAR Cup Series race.
With the playoffs heating up and the pressure on, Sunday’s race promises plenty of action. The second-place starter has won the last three Vegas races, so Reddick will be hot on Bell’s heels from the get-go.
But, can Christopher Bell finally break through from the pole and take the win? We’ll find out soon enough!
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