Joey Logano is heading to the front of the field at Kansas Speedway after securing the pole position for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400. Rain washed out NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying on Saturday, forcing NASCAR to determine the starting lineup using its performance-based metric.
For Logano, the timing couldn’t be much better.
The Team Penske driver is coming off a victory at Bristol Motor Speedway and will now lead the field to the green flag at Kansas as the NASCAR Cup Series Chase continues. Logano’s recent win, combined with his position in the championship standings, earned him the top starting spot.
Logano Gets Another Opportunity to Make a Statement
Logano enters the Kansas race third in the Chase standings, sitting 16 points behind championship leader Kyle Larson.
The three-time Cup Series champion will have Larson right beside him on the front row, setting up an important start to Sunday’s race. With the championship battle tightening, getting out front early could give Logano an opportunity to collect valuable stage points and gain ground in the standings.
Logano has already shown he can get the job done in the postseason, capturing the victory at Bristol last weekend. Now, he’ll look to carry that momentum into Kansas.
Although the rainout prevented teams from getting valuable practice time, Logano expressed confidence in the No. 22 team’s preparation and improvements since the previous Kansas race.
Chase Drivers Dominate the Front
Logano and Larson aren’t the only championship contenders starting near the front.
Christopher Bell will start third, followed by Carson Hocevar in fourth and Ty Gibbs in fifth. Denny Hamlin, who sits just one point behind Larson in the standings, will roll off sixth.
In total, Chase drivers occupy the first nine starting positions, making the opening laps especially important for the championship battle.
Can Logano Make It Two Straight?
Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 gives Logano another opportunity to build on his Bristol triumph and strengthen his championship position.
Starting on the pole doesn’t guarantee a victory, especially at a track where teams will have to make adjustments without practice. But Logano has momentum, track position and a chance to put pressure on the drivers ahead of him in the standings.
The green flag is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.
After conquering Bristol, Logano will look to keep rolling at Kansas and make another statement in the Chase.