AJ Allmendinger leads qualifying at Bristol for 1st NASCAR Cup pole in 10 years

By Canadian Press on September 12, 2025.

BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — AJ Allmendinger upstaged the NASCAR Cup Series playoff drivers at Bristol Motor Speedway, capturing the pole for Saturday night’s first-round cutoff race on the 0.533-mile oval.

The Kaulig Racing driver qualified first for the first time in 10 years, turning a 15.117-second lap (126.930 mph) on Friday in his No. 16 Chevrolet. With his fifth career pole in a Cup race and first since August 2015 at Watkins Glen, the 43-year-old Allmendinger became the oldest driver to win a pole at Bristol since Mark Martin, who was 50 in 2009.

“To get a pole at Bristol, that’s pretty awesome,” said Allmendinger, whose previous pole on an oval was at Kansas in April 2012. “Hopefully, we can do that for 500 laps. I know it’s Friday night qualifying and doesn’t pay any points or money, but it’s small victories like this for our race team that’s continually trying to grow. Days like today are enjoyable and give me confidence because I feel like I can still do it. It proves I can be here.”

Ryan Blaney will start second after missing the pole by 0.003 seconds in his No. 12 Ford, but the Team Penske driver is in solid position to gain the 15 points needed to clinch a spot in the second round from his fourth front-row start this season.

“I think our race car is really good over the long haul and just looking forward to (Saturday) night,” Blaney said. “Overall proud of the effort and to be that close to the pole, it’s a good day.”

Teammate Austin Cindric qualified third, followed by Ty Gibbs and Kyle Larson, who is aiming for his third consecutive victory at Bristol.

Cindric is ranked 12th in the standings and 11 points above the cutline heading into the 500-lap race that will eliminate four of 16 drivers from the playoffs.

“It’s the first box checked, but nothing is guaranteed from here,” Cindric said. “I feel like we’ve done our job for Friday. This sets us up well to try and continue to control our destiny for the end of the race.”

Playoff drivers rounded out the rest of the top 10 in qualifying with Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Josh Berry and Christopher Bell.

The starting positions of the other playoff drivers were: Ross Chastain 13th, Tyler Reddick 14th, Alex Bowman 15th, Chase Elliott 16th, Joey Logano 22nd, Austin Dillon 23rd and Shane van Gisbergen 28th.

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The Associated Press