Carson Hocevar secured the 2026 Brickyard 400 pole with a blistering 48.232‑second lap, averaging 186.598 mph at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He edged teammate Daniel Suarez by 0.056 seconds to mark his third career pole and second of the season.
Qualifying Highlights
Hocevar’s lap earned him an emotional “unbelievable” reaction from Spire Motorsports. “I’m super pumped,” he said, noting the cheers after beating Denny Simmons at Michigan and the camaraderie among the Spire crew.
The record lap demonstrated the effectiveness of Spire’s “own notes” strategy over the past two years, turning the No. 77 Chevrolet into a battle‑ready contender for the home track.
Grid Overview
- 1st – Carson Hocevar, 77 Spire – 48.232 s (186.598 mph)
- 2nd – Daniel Suarez, Spire – 0.056 s slower
- 3rd – Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing – Toyota on the rise
- 4th – Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing – Ford
- 5th – Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing – Ford
- 6th – Michael McDowell, Spire – fierce contender
- 7th – Corey Heim, 23XI Racing – part‑time standout
- 8th – Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports – Chevy leader
- 9th – A.J. Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing – strong push
- 10th – Kyle Larson – disciplined pace
Fellow Ford, Ryan Blaney, began 13th, while defending champion Joey Logano qualified 19th. William Byron, Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, Shane van Gisbergen, Chase Elliott, and Bubba Wallace’s positions spanned 21st to 29th. Austin Cindric, the final Chase entrant, locked in 35th, and Todd Gilliland started 36th, eyeing the $1 million challenge against Blaney.
With the grid formed, fans can look forward to a showdown that calls for momentum, reliability, and precision at the storied Speedway.
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