Austin Hill notched the first pole position of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season for the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 14.
The event’s qualifying format consisted of two single-car qualifying rounds. In the first round, each of the 42 competitors entered to bid for 38 starting spots cycled around Daytona through a single-timed lap. At the conclusion of the first qualifying round, the top-10 fastest competitors transferred to the second and final round, where they each ran a single qualifying lap while battling for the pole position.
During the qualifying session’s first round, Hill, a 31-year-old native of Winston, Georgia, and driver of the No. 21 Bennett Transportation/Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro entry, posted the third-fastest qualifying lap at 182.065 mph in 49.433 seconds. After being one of 10 competitors to transfer to the final round, he posted a pole-winning lap at 182.223 mph in 49.390 seconds.
With the pole, Hill notched his seventh career pole in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series division, his third at Daytona, his fifth on superspeedway tracks and his first since Texas Motor Speedway in May 2025.
The 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season is scheduled to mark Hill’s fifth consecutive campaign in the series. As he continues the pursuit of his first series’ championship, Hill is set to strive for his fourth Daytona opener victory after previously winning the event in three consecutive seasons (2022-24).
Currently, 10 of Hill’s 14 O’Reilly victories occurred on superspeedway tracks as he looks to add a 15th to commence the 2026 season.
Hill will share the front row with Jesse Love, the reigning NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion and teammate at Richard Childress Racing. Love, who is also the reigning Daytona opener winner, posted the second-fastest qualifying speed at 182.146 mph in 49.411 seconds during the first round. He ended up posting the second-fastest lap during the final round at 182.219 mph in 49.391 seconds.
Should either Love or Hill win Saturday’s 2026 O’Reilly opener at Daytona, Richard Childress Racing would achieve its 11th victory at Daytona and fifth in a row during the opener.
Sam Mayer, driver of the No. 41 Audibel/Haas Factory Team Chevrolet Camaro entry, qualified in third place and he will share the second starting row with William Sawalich. Sawalich, driver of the No. 18 Soundgear/Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra entry, was the fastest qualifier during the first round at 182.157 mph in 49.408 seconds. Ultimately, he ended up the fourth fastest at 182.079 mph in 49.429 seconds.
Corey Day, an O’Reilly Auto Parts Series full-time rookie candidate driving the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro entry for Hendrick Motorsports, will start in fifth place. Sheldon Creed, rookie Rajah Caruth, rookie Patrick Staropoli, Taylor Gray and Ryan Sieg completed the top-10 starting grid.
Notably, the following names that include Carson Kvapil, Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, Giovanni Ruggiero, Jordan Anderson, Carson Hocevar, Jeb Burton, Harrison Burton, Nick Sanchez, Jeremy Clements, Austin Green, Natalie Decker and rookie Lavar Scott will start 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 35th and 37th, respectively.
With 42 competitors vying for 38 starting spots, Garrett Smithley, David Starr, Anthony Alfredo and Joey Gase were the four who failed to qualify for the main event.
Qualifying position, Best speed, Best time:
1. Austin Hill, 182.223 mph, 49.390 seconds
2. Jesse Love, 182.219 mph, 49.391 seconds
3. Sam Mayer, 182,190 mph, 49.399 seconds
4. William Sawalich, 182.079 mph, 49.429 seconds
5. Corey Day, 182.076 mph, 49.430 seconds
6. Sheldon Creed, 182.076 mph, 49.430 seconds
7. Rajah Caruth, 181.921 mph, 49.472 seconds
8. Patrick Staropoli, 181.789 mph, 49.508 seconds
9. Taylor Gray, 181.609 mph, 49.557 seconds
10. Ryan Sieg, 181.422 mph, 49.608 seconds
11. Carson Kvapil, 181.331 mph, 49.633 seconds
12. Sammy Smith, 181.148 mph, 49.683 seconds
13. Justin Allgaier, 181.083 mph, 49.701 seconds
14. Blaine Perkins, 181.057 mph, 49.708 seconds
15. Brandon Jones, 180.966 mph, 49.733 seconds
16. Giovanni Ruggiero, 180.945 mph, 49.739 seconds
17. Jordan Anderson, 180.945 mph, 49.739 seconds
18. Dean Thompson, 180.723 mph, 49.800 seconds
19. Patrick Emerling, 180.697 mph, 49.807 seconds
20. Carson Hocevar, 180.607 mph, 49.832 seconds
21. Mason Maggio, 180.585 mph, 49.838 seconds
22. Jeb Burton, 180.534 mph, 49.852 seconds
23. Luke Fenhaus, 180.382 mph, 49.894 seconds
24. Harrison Burton, 180.332 mph, 49.908 seconds
25. Brennan Poole, 180.278 mph, 49.923 seconds
26. Caesar Bacarella, 180.260 mph, 49.928 seconds
27. Parker Retzlaff, 180.213 mph, 49.941 seconds
28. Nick Sanchez, 180.115 mph, 49.968 seconds
29. Jeremy Clements, 179.942 mph, 50.016 seconds
30. Austin Green, 179.781 mph, 50.061 seconds
31. Josh Williams, 179.734 mph, 50.074 seconds
32. Ryan Ellis, 179.702 mph, 50.083 seconds
33. Daniel Dye, 179.630 mph, 50.103 seconds
34. Josh Bilicki, 179.601 mph, 50.111 seconds
35. Natalie Decker, 179.154 mph, 50.236 seconds
36. Kyle Sieg, 179.104 mph, 50.250 seconds
37. Lavar Scott, 178.359 mph, 50.460 seconds
38. Carson Ware
The 2026 United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to occur on Saturday, February 14, and air at 5 p.m. ET on the CW Network, PRN Radio and SiriusXM.
