Only two of the four drivers eligible to win the 2023 season title advanced to the final round of qualifying Saturday, but Byron came away with top overall average speed at 132.597 mph to win the pole for Sunday’s season finale.
Whoever finishes highest among Byron, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney will the championship.
The pole is the fourth this season for Byron, but first in the playoffs. It’s also the 12th of his career.
“My team is really going to like this,” said Byron, 25, who will get the first pit stall for Sunday’s race. “It’s going to be fun. All my family and friends are here, all my friends from high school. It’s going to be fun to hang out with them over tonight and just enjoy.
“This is a great opportunity. I want to be here every year. It’s really fun to be a part of and we need to take advantage of it.”
Martin Truex Jr. ended up second fastest (132.509 mph) and Kevin Harvick – making his final career start – will line up third (132.421 mph).
Larson ended up fourth and Bubba Wallace rounded out the top five.
Completing the top-10 lineup are Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones, Ross Chastain, Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick.
During his qualifying lap, Reddick hit the wall between Turns 3 and 4, doing some damage to the right-rear of his No. 45 Toyota.
Reddick pushes it just a bit too much! #BuschLightPole pic.twitter.com/FNFO1ImmSh
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 4, 2023
Bell and Blaney both failed to advance to the final round of qualifying and will start Sunday’s race 13th and 15th, respectively.
| Cla | Driver | # | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Interval | Mph | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  W. BYRONHendrick Motorsports |
24 | Chevrolet | 1 |
27.150 |
132.597 | ||
| 2 | M. TRUEX JRJoe Gibbs Racing |
19 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.018 27.168 |
0.018 | 132.509 | |
| 3 | K. HARVICKStewart-Haas Racing |
4 | Ford | 1 |
+0.036 27.186 |
0.018 | 132.421 | |
| 4 | K. LARSONHendrick Motorsports |
5 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.041 27.191 |
0.005 | 132.397 | |
| 5 | B. WALLACE23XI Racing |
23 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.069 27.219 |
0.028 | 132.261 | |
| 6 | D. HAMLINJoe Gibbs Racing |
11 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.094 27.244 |
0.025 | 132.139 | |
| 7 | E. JONESLegacy Motor Club |
43 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.218 27.368 |
0.124 | 131.540 | |
| 8 | R. CHASTAINTrackHouse Racing |
1 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.236 27.386 |
0.018 | 131.454 | |
| 9 | C. BUESCHERRFK Racing |
17 | Ford | 1 |
+0.308 27.458 |
0.072 | 131.109 | |
| 10 | T. REDDICK23XI Racing |
45 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.807 27.957 |
0.499 | 128.769 |
Round 1 / Group A
Harvick posted the fastest average lap speed at 133.003 mph in Group A – which also turned out to be the fastest of the day.
Title contender Byron was second quick at 132.969 mph while Wallace was third (132.694 mph).
Also advancing to the final round were title contender Larson and Jones.
Among those who failed to move on were Ty Gibbs, Todd Gilliland, Joey Logano and Chase Elliott.
Brad Keselowski did not qualify his No. 6 Ford as he returned to North Carolina for the birth of he and his wife Paige’s third child. Cole Custer qualified the car in the 31st position.
| Cla | Driver | # | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Interval | Mph | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. HARVICKStewart-Haas Racing |
4 | Ford | 1 |
27.067 |
133.003 | ||
| 2 | W. BYRONHendrick Motorsports |
24 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.007 27.074 |
0.007 | 132.969 | |
| 3 | B. WALLACE23XI Racing |
23 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.063 27.130 |
0.056 | 132.694 | |
| 4 | K. LARSONHendrick Motorsports |
5 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.082 27.149 |
0.019 | 132.602 | |
| 5 | E. JONESLegacy Motor Club |
43 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.084 27.151 |
0.002 | 132.592 | |
| 6 |
T. GIBBSJoe Gibbs Racing
|
54 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.114 27.181 |
0.030 | 132.445 | |
| 7 | T. GILLILANDFront Row Motorsports |
38 | Ford | 1 |
+0.138 27.205 |
0.024 | 132.329 | |
| 8 | J. LOGANOTeam Penske |
22 | Ford | 1 |
+0.174 27.241 |
0.036 | 132.154 | |
| 9 | C. ELLIOTTHendrick Motorsports |
9 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.199 27.266 |
0.025 | 132.033 | |
| 10 | A. DILLONRichard Childress Racing |
3 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.208 27.275 |
0.009 | 131.989 | |
| 11 |
C. HOCEVARLegacy Motor Club
|
42 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.213 27.280 |
0.005 | 131.965 | |
| 12 | A. BOWMANHendrick Motorsports |
48 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.228 27.295 |
0.015 | 131.892 | |
| 13 | R. STENHOUSE JRJTG Daugherty Racing |
47 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.249 27.316 |
0.021 | 131.791 | |
| 14 | H. BURTONWood Brothers Racing |
21 | Ford | 1 |
+0.354 27.421 |
0.105 | 131.286 | |
| 15 | A. ALMIROLAStewart-Haas Racing |
10 | Ford | 1 |
+0.393 27.460 |
0.039 | 131.100 | |
| 16 | C. CUSTERKaulig Racing |
6 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.515 27.582 |
0.122 | 130.520 | |
| 17 | J. HALEYKaulig Racing |
31 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.936 28.003 |
0.421 | 128.558 | |
| 18 | B. MCLEODLive Fast Motorsports |
78 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+2.181 29.248 |
1.245 | 123.085 |
Round 1 / Group B
Chastain, who went out relatively early, led the way in Group B with an average lap speed of 132.812 mph.
Hamlin was second fastest at 132.724 mph while Buescher was third at 132.699 mph.
Also advancing to the final round of qualifying were Reddick and Truex.
Among those who failed to advance were both title contenders in the second group – Bell, who was seventh, and Blaney, who was eighth.
Blaney had been the fastest among the Championship 4 drivers in Friday’s lone practice session.
| Cla | Driver | # | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Interval | Mph | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R. CHASTAINTrackHouse Racing |
1 | Chevrolet | 1 |
27.106 |
132.812 | ||
| 2 | D. HAMLINJoe Gibbs Racing |
11 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.018 27.124 |
0.018 | 132.724 | |
| 3 | C. BUESCHERRFK Racing |
17 | Ford | 1 |
+0.023 27.129 |
0.005 | 132.699 | |
| 4 | T. REDDICK23XI Racing |
45 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.044 27.150 |
0.021 | 132.597 | |
| 5 | R. PREECEStewart-Haas Racing |
41 | Ford | 1 |
+0.076 27.182 |
0.032 | 132.441 | |
| 6 | M. TRUEX JRJoe Gibbs Racing |
19 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.076 27.182 |
0.000 | 132.441 | |
| 7 | C. BELLJoe Gibbs Racing |
20 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.097 27.203 |
0.021 | 132.338 | |
| 8 | R. BLANEYTeam Penske |
12 | Ford | 1 |
+0.112 27.218 |
0.015 | 132.265 | |
| 9 |  D. SUAREZTrackHouse Racing |
99 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.126 27.232 |
0.014 | 132.197 | |
| 10 | K. BUSCHRichard Childress Racing |
8 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.140 27.246 |
0.014 | 132.129 | |
| 11 | M. MCDOWELLFront Row Motorsports |
34 | Ford | 1 |
+0.143 27.249 |
0.003 | 132.115 | |
| 12 | C. BRISCOEStewart-Haas Racing |
14 | Ford | 1 |
+0.338 27.444 |
0.195 | 131.176 | |
| 13 | A. CINDRICTeam Penske |
2 | Ford | 1 |
+0.340 27.446 |
0.002 | 131.167 | |
| 14 | C. LAJOIESpire Motorsports |
7 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.451 27.557 |
0.111 | 130.638 | |
| 15 | R. NEWMANRick Ware Racing |
51 | Ford | 1 |
+0.472 27.578 |
0.021 | 130.539 | |
| 16 | A. ALLMENDINGERKaulig Racing |
16 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.493 27.599 |
0.021 | 130.440 | |
| 17 | T. DILLONSpire Motorsports |
77 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.500 27.606 |
0.007 | 130.406 | |
| 18 | J. YELEYRick Ware Racing |
15 | Ford | 1 |
+0.556 27.662 |
0.056 | 130.142 |
