Sun Feb 23 12:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Penske Dominates Atlanta Qualifying as Blaney Takes Pole
**Hampton, GA** – Ryan Blaney secured his first pole position of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, edging out his Team Penske teammates Austin Cindric and Joey Logano. The Penske trio will lead the field to the green flag for Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400.
Blaney’s qualifying lap of 179.371 mph in his No. 12 Ford was just .002 seconds faster than Cindric. Josh Berry, driving a Penske-affiliated Wood Brothers Racing Ford, rounded out the top three, highlighting the team’s dominance. Fords claimed 10 of the top 11 starting positions.
Kyle Busch, in his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, was the highest-placed non-Ford driver, qualifying sixth. Last year’s Atlanta race saw a thrilling three-wide finish between Busch, Blaney, and race winner Daniel Suárez. This year, Suarez will start 29th.
The Joe Gibbs Racing team struggled in qualifying, with their top driver, Chase Briscoe, starting 25th. Toyota’s representation in the top 20 was limited to Bubba Wallace (14th) and Tyler Reddick (18th).
Blaney acknowledged the unpredictable nature of racing at Atlanta, a track known for its close pack racing similar to Daytona and Talladega. While pleased with the pole position, he anticipates significant changes throughout the race due to the inherent challenges of this type of track. He emphasized the importance of teamwork and strategy to navigate the race’s complexities.
First Piper 