Chase Briscoe Leads Stewart-Haas Front Row at Daytona

(DAYTONA BEACH, FL – AUG 25, 2023 – RIS) Chase Briscoe and Aric Almirola clinched the front row for Stewart-Haas Racing by qualifying one-two for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona in the final regular season race for NASCAR’s Cup Series, leading up to the Playoffs for the season championship. Briscoe’s lap of 49.4999 seconds was 0.035 second quicker than Almirola’s, after the pair ran first and seventh in the first round of qualifying.

Chandler Smith ran first at 50.432 sec, followed by Austin Hill, pole-winner for the Xfinity race later on Friday, who was over two-tenths of a second quicker. Riley Herbst, next racer on the track, was a further half second quicker, with the first three drivers also racing in the Xfinity event. BJ McLeod only ran a 50.597 second lap, with JJ Yeley next on the track at 50.411 seconds before Ty Dillon’s lap of 50.320, then Riley Herbst jumpd to the top of the pylon at 40.683 seconds, and Josh Berry’s first lap in a Next Gen car stopped the clock at 50.272 seconds, third on the table so far.

Harrison Burton tripped the timers only 0.022 behind Herbst’s lap, with Chase Briscoe’s Mustang over an eighth of a second quicker than Herbst, at 49.526 seconds and 181.723 mph. Aric Almirola, next on the track, clocked a lap of 49.728 seconds, followed by Erik Jones at 50.102, then Austin Dillon moved into the tenth spot so far, at 50.053 seconds, followed by Michael McDowell, winner at Daytona in 2020, but only able to clock a lap at 50.712 seconds as Justin Haley eased into eighth at the time with a lap of 50.253 seconds. Alex Bowman’s lap in the No. 48 Chevy was a slightly surprisingly slow 50.355, with Chase Elliott, trying to ensure a spot in the Playoffs, next, clicking off a lap of 50.079 seconds.

Daniel Suarez clocked in just two thousandths of a second behind Austin Dillon, then Corey LaJoie ran the 2.5-mile track 50.474, well out of the top ten. Austin Cindric lapped at 49.943 seconds, then Ryan Preece pipped his time with a 49.813 second lap, with Kevin Harvick, retiring at the end of th season, well into the top ten times at 49.808, dropping Jones out of the top ten. Todd Gilliland only lapped at 50.421 seconds, then Kyle Larson bumped Elliott out of the top ten and a shot at the second session, with a lap of 49.698 seconds. Bubba Wallace leaped into second on the chart at 49.678 seconds, with Ross Chastain out of the top ten at 50.108 seconds and Ricky Stenhouse Jr lapping at 50.382 seconds. Joey Logano’s Mustang pushed Austin Dillon out of the top ten, his lap of 49.922 seconds edging into ninth place with ten cars left to qualify. 

Kyle Busch was only able to qualify in the eleventh spot, at 49.953 seconds, then Brad Keselowski took the No. 6 Ford on the track and clocked in at 49.876 seconds before Ryan Blaney stopped the clocks at 49.738 seconds moving into the top ten, and Tyler Reddick lapped at 49.987 seconds, then AJ Allmendinger went out and ran a 49.951-second lap.
Ty Gibbs, trying to point into the playoffs, managed to qualify in the top ten and the second round of qualifying, with a lap of 49.687 second and fourth on the field. Chris Buescher’s 49.852-second lap was just out of the top ten, with Martin Truex Jr still seeking his first superspeedway victory, setting a time of 49.892 for 13th so far. Christopher Bell’s lap of 49.928 seconds was only 15th, then William Byron, five-time winner in the 2023 season, set a time of 50.231 seconds, with Denny Hamlin, final car on the track, only lapped in 49.961 seconds, for 19th on the chart.

Round 2 of qualifying had the top ten from round 1 making another single-lap shot at the pole, with Harvick, Larson, Almirola, Blaney, Briscoe, Burton, Wallace, Preece, Gibbs and Herbst lining up for their second attempt. 

Ryan Preece was first out and hugged the inside line for a lap of 49.741 seconds and 180.937 mph. Harvick ran next, at 49.772 seconds and 180.825 mph, with Ryan Blaney third on the track at a few thousandths quicker than Preece at 49.709 seconds and 181.054. Aric Almirola hit the track next and was a couple of ticks quicker and faster than the pole for the Daytona 500 this year, at 49.534 seconds and 181.693 mph. Harrison Burton 49.613, followed by Kyle Larson, just over a tenth of a second slower than Almirola and Burton, at 49.654 second.

Ty Gibbs clocked third fastest so far, at 49.642 seconds, with Riley Herbst eighth out on the track and set a lap of 49.648 seconds and 181.276 mph. Bubba Wallace bumped Gibbs out of third at 49.639 seconds, with Chase Briscoe the only racer with a shot at pole and took advantage of it, jumping to the pole with a lap of 49.499 seconds and 181.822 mph for his second career pole position.

“It feels good,” said Briscoe on TV.

Qualifying Results: Coke Zero Sugar 400, Daytona International Speedway
Round 1:
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed, -Fastest, -Next
1) Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford, 49.526 sec, 181.723 mph, ---, ---
2) Bubba Wallace, No. 23 Columbia Sportswear Company Toyota, 49.678, 181.167, 0.152, 0.152
3) Riley Herbst*(i), No. 36 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford, 49.683, 181.148, 0.157, 0.005
4) Ty Gibbs #, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota, 49.687, 181.134, 0.161, 0.004
5) Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, 49.698, 181.094, 0.172, 0.011
6) Harrison Burton, No. 21 DEX Imaging Ford, 49.705, 181.068, 0.179, 0.007
7) Aric Almirola, No. 10 Smithfield Ford, 49.728, 180.985, 0.202, 0.023
8) Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford, 49.738, 180.948, 0.212, 0.010
9) Kevin Harvick, No. 4 GEARWRENCH Ford, 49.808, 180.694, 0.282, 0.070
10) Ryan Preece, No. 41 RaceChoice.com Ford, 49.813, 180.676, 0.287, 0.005
11) Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford, 49.852, 180.534, 0.326, 0.039
12) Brad Keselowski, No. 6 King's Hawaiian Ford, 49.876, 180.448, 0.350, 0.024
13) Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Bass Pros Shops/Ducks Unlimited Toyota, 49.892, 180.390, 0.366, 0.016
14) Joey Logano, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, 49.922, 180.281, 0.396, 0.030
15) Christopher Bell, No. 20 Yahoo! Toyota, 49.928, 180.260, 0.402, 0.006
16) Austin Cindric, No. 2 Menards/Cardell Cabinetry Ford, 49.943, 180.205, 0.417, 0.015
17) AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Action Industries Chevrolet, 49.951, 180.177, 0.425, 0.008
18) Kyle Busch, No. 8 Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet, 49.953, 180.169, 0.427, 0.002
19) Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Cares Toyota, 49.962, 180.137, 0.436, 0.009
20) Tyler Reddick, No. 45 The Beast Unleashed Toyota, 49.987, 180.047, 0.461, 0.025
21) Austin Dillon, No. 3 BREZTRI Chevrolet, 50.053, 179.809, 0.527, 0.066
22) Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway.com Chevrolet, 50.055, 179.802, 0.529, 0.002
23) Chase Elliott, No. 9 LLumar Chevrolet, 50.079, 179.716, 0.553, 0.024
24) Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Chevrolet, 50.102, 179.634, 0.576, 0.023
25) Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Chevrolet, 50.108, 179.612, 0.582, 0.006
26) Austin Hill*(i), No. 62 United Rentals/Beard Oil Chevrolet, 50.206, 179.261, 0.680, 0.098
27) William Byron, No. 24 RaptorTough.com Chevrolet, 50.231, 179.172, 0.705, 0.025
28) Justin Haley, No. 31 Celsius Chevrolet, 50.253, 179.094, 0.727, 0.022
29) Josh Berry(i), No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet, 50.272, 179.026, 0.746, 0.019
30) Ty Dillon, No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet, 50.320, 178.855, 0.794, 0.048
31) Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Arena Chevrolet, 50.355, 178.731, 0.829, 0.035
32) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Boost by Kroger/Entenmann's Chevrolet, 50.382, 178.635, 0.856, 0.027
33) JJ Yeley(i), No. 51 Biohaven/Jacob Co. Ford, 50.411, 178.532, 0.885, 0.029
34) Brennan Poole(i), No. 15 Finance Pro Plus Ford, 50.415, 178.518, 0.889, 0.004
35) Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Boot Barn Ford, 50.421, 178.497, 0.895, 0.006
36) Chandler Smith*(i), No. 13 Quick Tie Products Inc. Chevrolet, 50.432, 178.458, 0.906, 0.011
37) Corey LaJoie, No. 7 NEGU Chevrolet, 50.474, 178.310, 0.948, 0.042
38) BJ McLeod, No. 78 B'laster Chevrolet, 50.597, 177.876, 1.071, 0.123
39) Michael McDowell, No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford, 50.712, 177.473, 1.186, 0.115

Round 2:
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed, -Fastest, -Next
1) Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford, 49.499 sec, 181.822 mph, ---, ---
2) Aric Almirola, No. 10 Smithfield Ford, 49.534, 181.693, 0.035 sec, 0.035 sec
3) Harrison Burton, No. 21 DEX Imaging Ford, 49.613, 181.404, 0.114, 0.079
4) Bubba Wallace, No. 23 Columbia Sportswear Company Toyota, 49.639, 181.309, 0.140, 0.026
5) Ty Gibbs #, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota, 49.642, 181.298, 0.143, 0.003
6) Riley Herbst*(i), No. 36 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford, 49.648, 181.276, 0.149, 0.006
7) Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, 49.654, 181.254, 0.155, 0.006
8) Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford, 49.709, 181.054, 0.210, 0.055
9) Ryan Preece, No. 41 RaceChoice.com Ford, 49.741, 180.937, 0.242, 0.032
10) Kevin Harvick, No. 4 GEARWRENCH Ford, 49.772, 180.825, 0.273, 0.031

Starting Line Up: Coke Zero Sugar 400, Daytona International Speedway
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed
1) Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford, 49.499 sec, 181.822 mph
2) Aric Almirola, No. 10 Smithfield Ford, 49.534, 181.693
3) Harrison Burton, No. 21 DEX Imaging Ford, 49.613, 181.404
4) Bubba Wallace, No. 23 Columbia Sportswear Company Toyota, 49.639, 181.309
5) Ty Gibbs #, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota, 49.642, 181.298
6) Riley Herbst(i), No. 36 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford, 49.648, 181.276
7) Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, 49.654, 181.254
8) Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford, 49.709, 181.054
9) Ryan Preece, No. 41 RaceChoice.com Ford, 49.741, 180.937
10) Kevin Harvick, No. 4 GEARWRENCH Ford, 49.772, 180.825
11) Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford, 49.852, 180.534
12) Brad Keselowski, No. 6 King's Hawaiian Ford, 49.876, 180.448
13) Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Bass Pros Shops/Ducks Unlimited Toyota, 49.892, 180.390
14) Joey Logano, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, 49.922, 180.281
15) Christopher Bell, No. 20 Yahoo! Toyota, 49.928, 180.260
16) Austin Cindric, No. 2 Menards/Cardell Cabinetry Ford, 49.943, 180.205
17) AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Action Industries Chevrolet, 49.951, 180.177
18) Kyle Busch, No. 8 Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet, 49.953, 180.169
19) Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Cares Toyota, 49.962, 180.137
20) Tyler Reddick, No. 45 The Beast Unleashed Toyota, 49.987, 180.047
21) Austin Dillon, No. 3 BREZTRI Chevrolet, 50.053, 179.809
22) Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway.com Chevrolet, 50.055, 179.802
23) Chase Elliott, No. 9 LLumar Chevrolet, 50.079, 179.716
24) Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Chevrolet, 50.102, 179.634
25) Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Chevrolet, 50.108, 179.612
26) Austin Hill(i), No. 62 United Rentals/Beard Oil Chevrolet, 50.206, 179.261
27) William Byron, No. 24 RaptorTough.com Chevrolet, 50.231, 179.172
28) Justin Haley, No. 31 Celsius Chevrolet, 50.253, 179.094
29) Josh Berry(i), No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet, 50.272, 179.026
30) Ty Dillon, No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet, 50.320, 178.855
31) Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Arena Chevrolet, 50.355, 178.731
32) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Boost by Kroger/Entenmann's Chevrolet, 50.382, 178.635
33) JJ Yeley(i), No. 51 Biohaven/Jacob Co. Ford, 50.411, 178.532
34) Brennan Poole(i), No. 15 Finance Pro Plus Ford, 50.415, 178.518
35) Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Boot Barn Ford, 50.421, 178.497
36) Chandler Smith(i), No. 13 Quick Tie Products Inc. Chevrolet, 50.432, 178.458
37) Corey LaJoie, No. 7 NEGU Chevrolet, 50.474, 178.310
38) BJ McLeod, No. 78 B'laster Chevrolet, 50.597, 177.876
39) Michael McDowell, No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford, 50.712, 177.473
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie

Track Qualifying Record: Bill Elliott, 02/15/87, 42.783 sec, 210.364 mph

Race Record: Bobby Allison, 07/04/1980, 173.473 mph

Track Race Record: Bill Elliott, 02/08/87 00:15:10, 197.802