Sun Oct 26 21:40:00 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Byron Snags Pole Position at Martinsville, Setting Stage for High-Stakes Playoff Showdown
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – In a nail-biting qualifying session at Martinsville Speedway, William Byron secured the pole position for Sunday’s Xfinity 500, a pivotal race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Byron’s blistering lap of 19.286 seconds (98.185 mph) edged out Ty Gibbs by a mere 0.002 seconds, marking his first pole at the iconic short track.
The pressure is on for Byron, who currently sits fifth in the playoff standings, 36 points below the cut line for the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway. A win at Martinsville is crucial for his chances of advancing.
“It’s nice, but it doesn’t count for anything yet,” Byron said, tempering expectations. “You always want track position, and being on the pole is nice.”
Fellow playoff contender Kyle Larson will start third, while Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin round out the top five. Logano, the defending series champion, is in a virtual must-win situation, 38 points below the cut line.
“You just kind of have to keep that attitude all day and see if we can put it up there,” Logano said. “It seems like our short-run speed was in the game. Our long-run speed was less than great, so we’ve got some work to do there.”
Chase Elliott, also facing a must-win scenario, showed strong pace in practice, topping the leaderboard. Ryan Blaney, winner of the last two fall playoff races at Martinsville, qualified 31st but remains a threat.
Christopher Bell, in a more comfortable position 37 points above the elimination line, will start 12th.
The Xfinity 500 promises intense competition and drama as drivers battle for a coveted spot in the Championship 4. Tune in to NBC, Peacock, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and the NBC Sports App on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET to witness the action unfold.
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