NASCAR Cup Series
Richard Childress Racing Names Jim Pohlman as Kyle Busch's Crew Chief in 2026
Oct 16, 2025
Michael McDowell will lead the NASCAR Cup Series field to the green flag in Sunday's YellaWood 500, as the veteran driver claimed the pole during qualifying at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday.
McDowell clocked in at 52.481 seconds during his second-round qualifying effort around the 2.66-mile speedway, earning him his second pole award of the 2025 season. Chase Briscoe, who set quick time during the first round of qualifying, will join him on the front row after stopping the watch at 52.500 seconds in round two.
Kyle Busch qualified third, followed by Austin Cindric and Ryan Preece. Josh Berry, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Riley Herbst and Bubba Wallace round out the top 10 to complete the round two participants.
Herbst was second-fastest in the first round of qualifying, ensuring his best starting position of the 2025 season, his first as a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Cup Series. Herbst previously qualified sixth on two occasions as a part-time competitor in 2023, both at Talladega and the Daytona International Speedway.
The YellaWood 500 takes the green flag at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 19 at Talladega Superspeedway. Coverage of the event is available on NBC and simulcast on Peacock, with radio coverage on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
-Photo credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images
YellaWood 500 Starting Lineup
| Pos | No. | Driver |
| 1 | 71 | Michael McDowell |
| 2 | 19 | Chase Briscoe (P) |
| 3 | 8 | Kyle Busch |
| 4 | 2 | Austin Cindric |
| 5 | 60 | Ryan Preece |
| 6 | 21 | Josh Berry |
| 7 | 20 | Christopher Bell (P) |
| 8 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (P) |
| 9 | 35 | * Riley Herbst # |
| 10 | 23 | * Bubba Wallace |
| 11 | 48 | Alex Bowman |
| 12 | 41 | Cole Custer |
| 13 | 24 | William Byron (P) |
| 14 | 17 | Chris Buescher |
| 15 | 45 | * Tyler Reddick |
| 16 | 22 | Joey Logano (P) |
| 17 | 11 | Denny Hamlin (P) |
| 18 | 54 | Ty Gibbs |
| 19 | 5 | Kyle Larson (P) |
| 20 | 6 | Brad Keselowski |
| 21 | 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 22 | 7 | Justin Haley |
| 23 | 38 | * Zane Smith |
| 24 | 1 | Ross Chastain |
| 25 | 9 | Chase Elliott (P) |
| 26 | 99 | Daniel Suarez |
| 27 | 34 | * Todd Gilliland |
| 28 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek |
| 29 | 10 | Ty Dillon |
| 30 | 43 | Erik Jones |
| 31 | 88 | Shane Van Gisbergen # |
| 32 | 77 | Carson Hocevar |
| 33 | 33 | * Austin Hill(i) |
| 34 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 35 | 51 | Cody Ware |
| 36 | 4 | * Noah Gragson |
| 37 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 38 | 62 | * Anthony Alfredo(i) |
| 39 | 78 | * BJ McLeod(i) |
| 40 | 66 | * Casey Mears |
YellaWood 500 Qualifying Results
Round Two
| Pos | No. | Driver | Time |
| 1 | 71 | Michael McDowell | 52.481 |
| 2 | 19 | Chase Briscoe (P) | 52.500 |
| 3 | 8 | Kyle Busch | 52.558 |
| 4 | 2 | Austin Cindric | 52.563 |
| 5 | 60 | Ryan Preece | 52.582 |
| 6 | 21 | Josh Berry | 52.614 |
| 7 | 20 | Christopher Bell (P) | 52.660 |
| 8 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (P) | 52.679 |
| 9 | 35 | * Riley Herbst # | 52.692 |
| 10 | 23 | * Bubba Wallace | 52.694 |
Round One
| Pos | No. | Driver | Time |
| 1 | 19 | Chase Briscoe (P) | 52.529 |
| 2 | 35 | * Riley Herbst # | 52.543 |
| 3 | 21 | Josh Berry | 52.570 |
| 4 | 8 | Kyle Busch | 52.656 |
| 5 | 71 | Michael McDowell | 52.664 |
| 6 | 2 | Austin Cindric | 52.669 |
| 7 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (P) | 52.709 |
| 8 | 60 | Ryan Preece | 52.719 |
| 9 | 20 | Christopher Bell (P) | 52.728 |
| 10 | 23 | * Bubba Wallace | 52.750 |
| 11 | 48 | Alex Bowman | 52.769 |
| 12 | 41 | Cole Custer | 52.773 |
| 13 | 24 | William Byron (P) | 52.774 |
| 14 | 17 | Chris Buescher | 52.802 |
| 15 | 45 | * Tyler Reddick | 52.810 |
| 16 | 22 | Joey Logano (P) | 52.819 |
| 17 | 11 | Denny Hamlin (P) | 52.821 |
| 18 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | 52.854 |
| 19 | 5 | Kyle Larson (P) | 52.871 |
| 20 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 52.889 |
| 21 | 3 | Austin Dillon | 52.918 |
| 22 | 7 | Justin Haley | 52.937 |
| 23 | 38 | * Zane Smith | 52.945 |
| 24 | 1 | Ross Chastain | 52.955 |
| 25 | 9 | Chase Elliott (P) | 52.959 |
| 26 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | 52.981 |
| 27 | 34 | * Todd Gilliland | 52.996 |
| 28 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | 53.000 |
| 29 | 10 | Ty Dillon | 53.009 |
| 30 | 43 | Erik Jones | 53.022 |
| 31 | 88 | Shane Van Gisbergen # | 53.098 |
| 32 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | 53.113 |
| 33 | 33 | * Austin Hill(i) | 53.115 |
| 34 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | 53.122 |
| 35 | 51 | Cody Ware | 53.245 |
| 36 | 4 | * Noah Gragson | 53.327 |
| 37 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 53.430 |
| 38 | 62 | * Anthony Alfredo(i) | 53.483 |
| 39 | 78 | * BJ McLeod(i) | 53.632 |
| 40 | 66 | * Casey Mears | 53.930 |
