Ryan Blaney qualifies 1st at Richmond for 2nd consecutive NASCAR pole position

Richmond, Va. (AP) — Ryan Blaney secured his second consecutive NASCAR pole position at Richmond Raceway on Friday, marking his third of the past five races and the 16th of his career in the Cup Series. The Team Penske driver achieved a lap time of 22.225 seconds at 121.485 mph around the 0.75-mile oval. Despite attributing his recent success to Mother Nature, Blaney acknowledged that he isn't typically considered an exceptional qualifier.

He and crew chief Jonathan Hassler have been working to improve their qualifying performance. With 12 races remaining after Saturday's event, Blaney now holds a career-best four pole positions in a single season, tying points leader Denny Hamlin for the 2026 series lead. Chase Briscoe, Josh Berry, Ty Gibbs, and William Byron followed Blaney on the starting grid.

Virginia driver Denny Hamlin qualified 14th, marking the most recent winner from the pole at Richmond in 2016. Blaney expressed cautious optimism that his qualifying speed would translate to race day, noting the significant tire wear that occurs at Richmond. Tyler Reddick, who qualified 32nd after a practice spin, had the worst starting position since March 2023 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.