{"id":57199,"date":"2026-04-11T18:40:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T23:40:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=57199"},"modified":"2026-04-11T21:11:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T02:11:35","slug":"ryan-blaney-charges-to-nascar-cup-pole-position-at-bristol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/11\/ryan-blaney-charges-to-nascar-cup-pole-position-at-bristol\/","title":{"rendered":"Ryan Blaney charges to NASCAR Cup pole position at Bristol"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

BRISTOL, Tenn.\u2014Ryan Blaney, seeking his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway, got off to a flying start in Saturday\u2019s time trials at the 0.533-mile high-banked concrete track.<\/p>\n

\"\"

BRISTOL, TENNESSEE – APRIL 11: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Discount Tire Ford, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 11, 2026 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Finding the speed he needed on the second of two qualifying laps, Blaney covered the distance in 15.101 seconds (127.064 mph) to edge Tyler Reddick for the top starting spot in Sunday\u2019s Food City 500 (3 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).<\/p>\n

Driving the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, Blaney was 0.023 seconds faster than Reddick (126.871 mph), who will try to win his fifth race of the season in the No.45 23XI Racing Toyota.<\/p>\n

The Busch Light Pole Award was Blaney\u2019s second at Bristol, his first of the season and the 13th of his career.<\/p>\n

\"\"

BRISTOL, TENNESSEE – APRIL 11: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Discount Tire Ford, drives during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 11, 2026 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI just kind of got free on Lap 1, landing into (Turn) 1,\u201d said Blaney, who recovered through Turns 3 and 4 to set up his second lap. \u201cLuckily, the rear tires came in better the second lap in (Turns) 1 and 2, and then 3 and 4 I thought was a really good corner\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood start to the weekend. Now we\u2019ve got to do 500 laps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blaney has finished sixth or better in his last three starts at Bristol, but on Sunday, Cup Series drivers will be adjusting to both a new tire combination from Goodyear and a new short-track competition package featuring higher horsepower and lower downforce.<\/p>\n

\"\"

BRISTOL, TENNESSEE – APRIL 11: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Discount Tire Ford, drives during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 11, 2026 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI think just being ready for the track to change is the biggest thing for me,\u201d Blaney said. \u201cIt\u2019s going to run one way for a little bit, but it\u2019s going to change eventually\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow, we\u2019re going to be everywhere, \u2018cause the top (lane) is going to come in tomorrow, and that\u2019s going to be completely different from what you need to run the bottom. It\u2019s been a pretty decent place for us. Hopefully, tomorrow we can contend for the win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chase Briscoe qualified third at 126.779 mph in his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Riley Herbst (125.679 mph), the third driver to make a qualifying run, was fourth, giving 23XI two of the top four starting positions.<\/p>\n

Ty Gibbs, who led 201 laps in his last Bristol start, was fifth, followed by Ross Chastain in the fastest Chevrolet. Chris Buescher, three-time Bristol winner Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric and Carson Hocevar filled out positions seven through 10 on the grid.<\/p>\n

The cars of Larson and Chastain\u2014along with those of Cole Custer and Chad Finchum\u2014failed pre-race inspection twice, resulting in the ejection of their respective car chiefs and loss of pit selection for Sunday\u2019s race.<\/p>\n

The No. 71 Chevrolet of Michael McDowell also failed twice, resulting in the ejection of an engineer and loss of pit selection.<\/p>\n

NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – Food City 500<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bristol Motor Speedway<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bristol, Tennessee<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday, April 11, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    1. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 127.064 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    2. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 126.871 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    3. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 126.779 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    4. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 126.679 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    5. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 126.537 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    6. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 126.445 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    7. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 126.320 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    8. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 126.303 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    9. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 126.237 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    10. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 126.229 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    11. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 126.030 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    12. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 125.980 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    13. (7) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 125.963 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    14. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 125.732 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    15. (38) Zane Smith, Ford, 125.601 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    16. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford, 125.584 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    17. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 125.559 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    18. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 125.535 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    19. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 125.486 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    20. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 125.322 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    21. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 125.313 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    22. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 125.224 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    23. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 125.158 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    24. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 125.052 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    25. (21) Josh Berry, Ford, 124.889 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    26. (88) Connor Zilisch #, Chevrolet, 124.857 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    27. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 124.857 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    28. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 124.776 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    29. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 124.686 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    30. (41) Cole Custer, Chevrolet, 124.565 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    31. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 124.058 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    32. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 123.810 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    33. (97) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 123.682 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    34. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 123.364 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    35. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 123.055 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    36. (51) Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 122.898 mph.<\/p>\n

\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002    37. (66) Chad Finchum(i), Ford, 122.131 mph.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn.\u2014Ryan Blaney, seeking his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway, got off to a flying start in Saturday\u2019s time trials at the 0.533-mile high-banked concrete track. Finding the speed he needed on the second of two qualifying laps, Blaney covered the distance in 15.101 seconds […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":57204,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[177,16,435],"class_list":["post-57199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-bristol-motor-speedway","tag-nascar","tag-ryan-blaney"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270907405.jpg?fit=2280%2C1520","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-eSz","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57199"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57205,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57199\/revisions\/57205"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}