Denny Hamlin swept the season poles at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series for the Xfinity 500, securing the top spot in Virginia. The result marks his sixth pole of the season and the 54th pole of his career overall. Hamlin entered the weekend with a 73-point deficit to Kyle Larson in the Chase, earning the best starting position to control his own destiny in his home state. Three of Hamlin’s previous four wins this season have been won from the pole, and he finished second after leading the most laps here in the spring, which gives the driver of the No. 11 an extended edge over his Chase foe.
Ty Gibbs had top five speed in the spring Martinsville race and looks to better that mark tomorrow with a front row start from second alongside his teammate. Championship contender Kyle Larson qualified third; although he was nowhere in practice, he found single-lap speed at Martinsville. Regardless of the other Chase drivers, Larson needs 59 points to clinch the championship this weekend.
Austin Cindric leads the Ford Racing contingency from fourth, continuing a strong Chase run with another fantastic qualifying session. His teammate Joey Logano will start directly behind him to round out the top five starters from fifth place. Ryan Preece, who holds a Martinsville pole from 2023 and was fastest in today's lone practice session, will start sixth looking for his second victory of the season. Alex Bowman follows in seventh on the fourth row as the highest starting non-Chase driver.
Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron enters Martinsville winless in 2026 and starts beside Bowman in eighth. Defending spring speedway winner Chase Elliott, the final HMS competitor in the field, will start ninth, while Josh Berry, who excels at short track racing, qualifies in tenth.
Of the seven championship eligible Chase drivers, four qualified outside of the top ten and span from 11th to 14th. Chase Briscoe leads among them from 11th. Tyler Reddick will start on the seventh row from 12th with defending race winner Ryan Blaney to his outside in 13th, while Christopher Bell starts behind them in 14th. Further back, Spire Motorsports will start behind their Chase contending competition, with Daniel Suarez and Carson Hocevar starting last among the Chase drivers in 23rd and 24th.
Midfield qualifiers included Ross Chastain in 15th, Austin Hill in 16th, and Chris Buescher in 17th, with Bubba Wallace taking 18th, Connor Zilisch placing 19th, and Austin Dillon securing 20th.
All 37 entries entered for the Xfinity 500 will start the event on Sunday, marking the ninth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Chase from Martinsville Speedway. Cody Ware was unable to participate in the session after sustaining nose damage when Ross Chastain's slight mechanical failure occurred early in practice. Josh Bilicki is the lone open entrant in the Garage 66 No. 66 and will start 36th.
Sources: Hamlin sweeps Cup Poles at Martinsville for the Xfinity 500.
