NASCAR Cup Series
Starting Lineup: NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan
Aug 5, 2023
Christopher Bell Earns Second Pole Position of 2023 at Michigan
Christopher Bell will lead the field to green in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series event at Michigan International Speedway, scoring his second pole of the season, and the seventh of his career at NASCAR's top-level.
For the second time in the last four races, Christopher Bell will lead the NASCAR Cup Series field to green, scoring the pole for Sunday's FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
Bell, who clocked in second-quickest in the series' 20-minute practice, backed up his pace in qualifying on Saturday, posting a quick time of 37.232 seconds (193.382mph) in the second round of time trials, scoring his second NASCAR Cup Series pole of 2023.
RELATED: NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 Starting Lineup
Toyota Racing Development - which fields entries for Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing - has now scored four of the last six pole positions in NASCAR Cup Series competition.
Ross Chastain, driving for Trackhouse Racing in the No. 1 Chevrolet, will start alongside Bell on the front row for Sunday's 400-mile contest, posting a time just 27 thousandths of a second slower than the polesitter.
Ty Gibbs, a rookie in the NASCAR Cup Series, qualified third in his No. 54 Toyota Camry TRD, while Richmond winner Chris Buescher put down an impressive lap good enough for fourth place. Martin Truex, Jr. completed the top five.
Joey Logano, William Byron, Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, and Chase Elliott rounded out the top-10 starters for Sunday's annual trip to Brooklyn, Michigan, after they advanced to the final round through their various opening-round qualifying groups.
Notables that will start Sunday's event at the two-mile speedway from outside the top-10, include Brad Keselowski (12th), Denny Hamlin (13th), Tyler Reddick (15th), Kyle Larson (17th), Alex Bowman (20th), Kevin Harvick (22nd), and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (27th).
Corey LaJoie, who made light contact with the outside wall during practice in his No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro fro Spire Motorsports, was able to return to the two-mile speedway for qualifying, where he posted an effort of 31st place.
Josh Berry, who was tossed into the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro at the last minute, due to the immediate suspension of usual driver Noah Gragson, qualified the Sunseeker Resorts-sponsored entry in 35th.
With just 37 drivers entered in Sunday's event at Michigan, everybody will be permitted to take the green flag without any issues, from polesitter Christopher Bell to 37th-place starter Josh Bilicki, driving the No. 78 for Live Fast Motorsports.
