Ty Gibbs captured the front row at Sonoma with a 1:14.829 qualifying lap in the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, edging Carson Hocevar by 0.025 seconds.
Front‑Row Dominance
Gibbs’ time left no doubt that the Toyota, his third career Busch Light pole, dominated the session. Larson fell behind to start third, followed by McDowell (fourth) and Chastain (fifth). Van Gisbergen, the pre‑race favorite, posted the best group‑1 lap yet slipped to sixth overall.
Qualifying Dynamics
Waiting until late in the session to set a lap allowed drivers to benefit from optimal track temperatures. Bell first opened the window with a 1:15.814 lap before the pack paused for debris; van Gisbergen answered with 1:14.914, then aggressively spun a full 360‑degree turn to hoist his pace. Hocevar followed suit, matching van Gisbergen with a 1:14.854 and briefly taking the lead mark before returning to the pits.
Gibbs, who had already confirmed his pole on the fourth lap, expressed that the re‑runs were “super weird,” noting he felt additional speed on the track after the first run. Hocevar, hearing the pole announcement, decided to head straight to the pits rather than push further.
Grid Movements and Incidents
Denny Hamlin secured ninth on the grid, overtaking Tyler Reddick who qualified 11th. Christopher Bell, still nursing a fractured left wrist, managed a 14th‑place start.
Early in Group B, Bubba Wallace slipped off the track after losing control at the exit of Turn 10, crashing nose‑first into the wall and ending his qualifying run. Cody Ware also spun off into the barriers during the same cluster of incidents.
Looking Ahead
With Gibbs on pole and the front row firmly split between the 54th Toyota and the 95th car, everyone will be watching to see whether the initial speed advantage carries through the numerous turns of Sonoma’s 2.2‑mile course.
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