McDowell set a new track qualifying record in the first round, then was still fastest in the final round in Saturday’s qualifying to win the pole for Sunday’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
All three of the veteran’s three career poles have come this season but this is the first on a non-superspeedway. The others were at Atlanta and Talladega.
McDowell’s average lap of 139.241 mph in the first round set the qualifying record and while he lost speed as the track got hotter in the final round, his lap at 138.598 mph still out-paced fellow Ford driver Austin Cindric.
“I was close to messing it up,” McDowell said. “I had a little moment in Turn 3. I got a little bit loose; I was able to catch it, but luckily, I was able to recover quickly and get back to the throttle.
“I’m so proud of everybody at Front Row Motorsports. I know this is our third pole of the year but to do it on a flat track, not a superspeedway, I’m just really proud of everybody. It’s a cool team effort here.”
McDowell, 39, is leaving Front Row at the end of the season to join Spire Motorsports. FRM also announced earlier this week its plans to expand to a three-car Cup team in 2025.
Reigning series Ryan Blaney ended up third (137.982 mph) while last weekend’s race winner at Charlotte Christopher Bell was fourth and Tyler Reddick rounded out the top five.
Completing the top-10 starting lineup are Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace, Ty Gibbs and Kyle Busch. Busch was the only Chevrolet driver to make the top-10.
This week marked the first-time all-season Hendrick Motorsports did not have one of its four drivers advance to the final round of qualifying.
| CLA | DRIVER | # | MANUFACTURER | LAPS | TIME | INTERVAL | MPH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. McDowellFRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS | 34 | Ford | 1 |
32.468 |
138.598 | ||
| 2 | A. CindricTEAM PENSKE | 2 | Ford | 1 |
+0.109 32.577 |
0.109 | 138.134 | |
| 3 | R. BlaneyTEAM PENSKE | 12 | Ford | 1 |
+0.145 32.613 |
0.036 | 137.982 | |
| 4 | C. BellJOE GIBBS RACING | 20 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.219 32.687 |
0.074 | 137.669 | |
| 5 | T. Reddick23XI RACING | 45 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.239 32.707 |
0.020 | 137.585 | |
| 6 | D. HamlinJOE GIBBS RACING | 11 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.258 32.726 |
0.019 | 137.505 | |
| 7 | B. KeselowskiRFK RACING | 6 | Ford | 1 |
+0.285 32.753 |
0.027 | 137.392 | |
| 8 | B. Wallace23XI RACING | 23 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.307 32.775 |
0.022 | 137.300 | |
| 9 |
T. GibbsJOE GIBBS RACING
|
54 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.346 32.814 |
0.039 | 137.137 | |
| 10 | K. BuschRICHARD CHILDRESS RACING | 8 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.374 32.842 |
0.028 | 137.020 |
Round 1 / Group B
McDowell ripped off a track-record average lap speed of 139.241 mph to lead the way in the second group.
Reddick ended up second fastest at 137.796 mph while Blaney was third (137.771 mph).
Also advancing to the final round of qualifying were Wallace and Keselowski.
Among those who failed to move on were Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr. and Daniel Suarez.
| CLA | DRIVER | # | MANUFACTURER | LAPS | TIME | INTERVAL | MPH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. McDowellFRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS | 34 | Ford | 1 |
32.318 |
139.241 | ||
| 2 | T. Reddick23XI RACING | 45 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.339 32.657 |
0.339 | 137.796 | |
| 3 | R. BlaneyTEAM PENSKE | 12 | Ford | 1 |
+0.345 32.663 |
0.006 | 137.771 | |
| 4 | B. Wallace23XI RACING | 23 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.351 32.669 |
0.006 | 137.745 | |
| 5 | B. KeselowskiRFK RACING | 6 | Ford | 1 |
+0.355 32.673 |
0.004 | 137.728 | |
| 6 | W. ByronHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 24 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.387 32.705 |
0.032 | 137.594 | |
| 7 | K. LarsonHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 5 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.416 32.734 |
0.029 | 137.472 | |
| 8 | C. LajoieSPIRE MOTORSPORTS | 7 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.417 32.735 |
0.001 | 137.468 | |
| 9 | C. ElliottHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 9 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.424 32.742 |
0.007 | 137.438 | |
| 10 | M. Truex JrJOE GIBBS RACING | 19 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.497 32.815 |
0.073 | 137.132 | |
| 11 | J. HaleyRICK WARE RACING | 51 | Ford | 1 |
+0.499 32.817 |
0.002 | 137.124 | |
| 12 | C. BriscoeSTEWART-HAAS RACING | 14 | Ford | 1 |
+0.519 32.837 |
0.020 | 137.041 | |
| 13 | D. KrausKAULIG RACING | 16 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.598 32.916 |
0.079 | 136.712 | |
| 14 | N. GragsonSTEWART-HAAS RACING | 10 | Ford | 1 |
+0.614 32.932 |
0.016 | 136.645 | |
| 15 | J. BerrySTEWART-HAAS RACING | 4 | Ford | 1 |
+0.653 32.971 |
0.039 | 136.484 | |
| 16 | D. SuarezTRACKHOUSE RACING | 99 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.667 32.985 |
0.014 | 136.426 | |
| 17 | J. NemechekLEGACY MOTOR CLUB | 42 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.695 33.013 |
0.028 | 136.310 | |
| 18 | T. GillilandFRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS | 38 | Ford | 1 |
+0.703 33.021 |
0.008 | 136.277 |
Round 1 / Group A
Toyotas dominated the first group of qualifying as Hamlin set a blistering pace with an average lap speed of 138.113 mph.
Toyota teammate Bell (137.695 mph) was second quick while Cindric was third (137.623 mph).
Also advancing to the final round of qualifying were Toyota’s Gibbs and Busch.
Among those who failed to move on were Joey Logano, who was fastest in Saturday’s practice; Alex Bowman; and Ross Chastain.
| CLA | DRIVER | # | MANUFACTURER | LAPS | TIME | INTERVAL | MPH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D. HamlinJOE GIBBS RACING | 11 | Toyota | 1 |
32.582 |
138.113 | ||
| 2 | A. CindricTEAM PENSKE | 2 | Ford | 1 |
+0.038 32.620 |
0.038 | 137.952 | |
| 3 | C. BellJOE GIBBS RACING | 20 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.099 32.681 |
0.061 | 137.695 | |
| 4 |
T. GibbsJOE GIBBS RACING
|
54 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.116 32.698 |
0.017 | 137.623 | |
| 5 | K. BuschRICHARD CHILDRESS RACING | 8 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.122 32.704 |
0.006 | 137.598 | |
| 6 | J. LoganoTEAM PENSKE | 22 | Ford | 1 |
+0.192 32.774 |
0.070 | 137.304 | |
| 7 | A. BowmanHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 48 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.240 32.822 |
0.048 | 137.103 | |
| 8 | R. ChastainTRACKHOUSE RACING | 1 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.315 32.897 |
0.075 | 136.791 | |
| 9 | A. DillonRICHARD CHILDRESS RACING | 3 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.317 32.899 |
0.002 | 136.782 | |
| 10 |
C. HocevarSPIRE MOTORSPORTS
|
77 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.333 32.915 |
0.016 | 136.716 | |
| 11 | E. JonesLEGACY MOTOR CLUB | 43 | Toyota | 1 |
+0.389 32.971 |
0.056 | 136.484 | |
| 12 | R. Stenhouse JrJTG DAUGHERTY RACING | 47 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.417 32.999 |
0.028 | 136.368 | |
| 13 | C. BuescherRFK RACING | 17 | Ford | 1 |
+0.469 33.051 |
0.052 | 136.153 | |
| 14 | D. HemricKAULIG RACING | 31 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.495 33.077 |
0.026 | 136.046 | |
| 15 | H. BurtonWOOD BROTHERS RACING | 21 | Ford | 1 |
+0.583 33.165 |
0.088 | 135.685 | |
| 16 | R. PreeceSTEWART-HAAS RACING | 41 | Ford | 1 |
+0.643 33.225 |
0.060 | 135.440 | |
| 17 | C. WareRICK WARE RACING | 15 | Ford | 1 |
+0.753 33.335 |
0.110 | 134.993 | |
| 18 |
Z. SmithSPIRE MOTORSPORTS
|
71 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.838 33.420 |
0.085 | 134.650 |
