Ross Chastain nabbed the final Busch Light Pole Award of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series regular-season stretch for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, August 28.
The event’s starting lineup was determined through a two-round qualifying session. The first session featured 41 competitors battling for 40 starting spots, all of whom cycled once around the track to post the fastest lap. At the end of the first session, the top-10 fastest qualifiers moved on to the second and final round, where they contested pole position.
During the session, Chastain posted the fourth-fastest lap at 183.831 mph in 48.958 seconds in the first round. After being one of 10 competitors to transfer to the second and final qualifying round, he posted a lap at 184.396 mph in 48.808 seconds. The lap was enough for the 2025 Coca-Cola 600 champion from Alva, Florida, to claim the top-starting spot at the World Center of Racing for Saturday night’s main event.
With the pole, Chastain achieved his third career pole in the Cup Series division, his first on a superspeedway venue and his first since Watkins Glen International in September 2024. Chastain’s pole was also the third of the 2026 season for Trackhouse Racing and the organization’s first at Daytona International Speedway.
Chastain’s pole award eased the sting for him and his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team, with the driver eliminated from contention for making the 2026 Cup Series’ Chase. It also left him pleased with the rebound following last weekend’s last-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway due to a mechanical issue as he sets his sights on contending for race victories, starting this Saturday night’s 400-mile event at Daytona.
“I’m not sure that we expected [the pole] leaving the shop, to be honest,” Chastain said. “You’re always trying to be efficient. You’re trying to have the least amount of drag when you’re coming to Daytona. You’re trying to put the most grip in it with this new package. Hats off to Trackhouse, ECR. To have our issues last week [at New Hampshire], to come right back and redeem all of us, with steam under the hood and to take both poles this year at Daytona for ECR out of the Welcome [North Carolina] shop. It’s a Busch Light pole award, and as a Busch Light driver, this means a lot.”
Chastain will share the front row with Chris Buescher, the latter of whom won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in 2023 and is one 13 competitors who have clinched berths to this year’s Chase. Buescher posted the second-fastest lap during Friday’s qualifying session at 184.204 mph in 48.859 seconds.
Austin Hill, who is set to drive for Richard Childress Racing for the entire 2027 Cup Series season, qualified in third place with a lap of 184.188 mph in 48.863 seconds. Ryan Preece, who was the fastest during the first qualifying session, posted the fourth-overall fastest lap at 184.121 mph in 48.881 seconds in the final round. Preece is currently scored 31 points below the top-16 cutline to make this year’s Chase as he attempts to race his way above it for this weekend’s main event.
Riley Herbst qualified in fifth place ahead of top-10 starters Shane van Gisbergen, Connor Zilsich, Austin Cindric, Joey Logano and Kyle Larson, respectively.
Notably, van Gisbergen and Cindric, both of whom currently possess two of three vacant spots to the Chase, will start in the top 10. Bubba Wallace, who holds the third vacant spot, will start in 26th place. Wallace is currently scored 75 points above the cutline while Cindric and van Gisbergen are 44 and 31 points above, respectively. Brad Keselowski, who is 66 points below the cutline, will start in 21st place.
With 41 competitors vying for 40 starting spots, Gray Gaulding was the lone competitor who did not make the main event.
Daytona – Qualifying Position, Best Speed, Best Time:
- Ross Chastain, 184.396 mph, 48.808 seconds
- Chris Buescher, 184.204 mph, 48.859 seconds
- Austin Hill, 184.188 mph, 48.863 seconds
- Ryan Preece, 184.121 mph, 48.881 seconds
- Riley Herbst, 183.763 mph, 48.976 seconds
- Shane van Gisbergen, 183.602 mph, 49.019 seconds
- Connor Zilisch, 183.599 mph, 49.020 seconds
- Austin Cindric, 183.408 mph, 49.071 seconds
- Joey Logano, 183.397 mph, 49.074 seconds
- Kyle Larson, 183.367 mph, 49.082 seconds
- Corey Heim, 183.296 mph, 49.101 seconds
- Chase Briscoe, 183.284 mph, 49.104 seconds
- William Byron, 183.236 mph, 49.117 seconds
- Ty Gibbs, 183.214 mph, 49.123 seconds
- Erik Jones, 183.150 mph, 49.140 seconds
- Cole Custer, 183.135 mph, 49.144 seconds
- Tyler Reddick, 183.132 mph, 49.145 seconds
- Michael McDowell, 183.117 mph, 49.149 seconds
- Ryan Blaney, 183.098 mph, 49.154 seconds
- Alex Bowman, 183.016 mph, 49.176 seconds
- Brad Keselowski, 182.912 mph, 49.204 seconds
- Chase Elliott, 182.808 mph, 49.232 seconds
- Daniel Suarez, 182.778 mph, 49.240 seconds
- Josh Berry, 182.622 mph, 49.282 seconds
- Cody Ware, 182.548 mph, 49.302 seconds
- Bubba Wallace, 182.445 mph, 49.330 seconds
- John Hunter Nemechek, 182.426 mph, 49.335 seconds
- Carson Hocevar, 182.423 mph, 49.336 seconds
- Austin Dillon, 182.397 mph, 49.343 seconds
- Denny Hamlin, 182.334 mph, 49.360 seconds
- Ty Dillon, 182.330 mph, 49.361 seconds
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 182.278 mph, 49.375 seconds
- Todd Gilliland, 182.231 mph, 49.388 seconds
- Zane Smith, 182.179 mph, 49.402 seconds
- Christopher Bell, 181.873 mph, 49.485 seconds
- AJ Allmendinger, 181.873 mph, 49.485 seconds
- Noah Gragson, 181.818 mph, 49.500 seconds
- Casey Meras, 181.745 mph, 49.520 seconds
- Daniel Dye, 181.616 mph, 49.555 seconds
- Joey Gase, 180.242 mph, 49.933 seconds
The 2026 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for Saturday, August 29, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM, and HBO MAX.
