Joey Logano is putting himself in a prime position for another strong NASCAR Cup Series Chase run.
The Team Penske driver delivered a dominant qualifying performance Saturday at World Wide Technology Raceway, earning the pole for Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300. Logano put the No. 22 Ford at the top of the charts with a lap at 137.124 mph, beating the rest of the field by a significant margin.
Logano’s qualifying lap was especially impressive considering how tight the margins typically are in Cup Series qualifying. His lap was reportedly 0.276 seconds faster than Kyle Larson, giving him one of the largest pole margins in recent NASCAR Cup Series qualifying.
A Huge Opportunity For Logano
The pole could not come at a better time for Logano.
The 2026 Chase is already underway, and Logano entered the Gateway weekend tied with Chase Elliott for eighth in the championship standings, 72 points behind the lead. Starting first gives the three-time Cup Series champion a major opportunity to collect valuable stage and race points.
Logano has also been particularly strong at Gateway. He won at the track in 2022 and has finished no worse than fifth in his last four visits, making him one of the drivers to watch when the green flag drops Sunday.
Can He Finish The Job?
Now the challenge begins.
Qualifying first gives Logano clean air and control of the opening laps, but Gateway can produce difficult battles and strategy calls throughout the race. Kyle Larson will start alongside him on the front row, setting up a potentially intense battle from the very beginning.
For Logano, though, the goal is simple: turn an incredible qualifying lap into a Chase-defining victory.
After putting the entire field behind him in qualifying, Logano has given himself exactly the kind of starting position he needs to make a serious move in the championship fight.