Hamlin went out twice in the final round of Saturday’s qualifying session, and posted the fastest average lap speed on his first run before he topped it on his second at 125.298 mph – one of the few to improve on the second attempt.
The pole is Hamlin’s fourth this season and 40th of his career. It is also his third pole on road or street courses, having also qualified first at Sonoma and the Chicago Street Course.
Unfortunately, Hamlin has yet to translate one of his poles into a win, the closest he came being at Chicago with an 11th place finish.
“I thought I executed those corners pretty good. I thought there were a few spots I feel like I could have gotten a little bit more, but you can’t nit pick when you’re that good,” Hamlin said.
“Shoutout to Toyota and this whole #11 team for bringing me a fast car.”
William Byron ended up second quickest at 124.961 mph while last weekend’s race winner at the Indy Road Course, Michael McDowell, was third (124.949 mph).
Ty Gibbs and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.
Completing the top-10 starting lineup were A.J. Allmendinger, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch and Corey LaJoie, who will make his career-best start.
| Cla | Driver | # | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Interval | Mph | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 DENNY HAMLINJoe Gibbs Racing
|
11 | Toyota | 3 | 1'10.392 | 125.298 | ||
| 2 |
WILLIAM BYRONHendrick Motorsports
|
24 | Chevrolet | 4 | +0.190 | 0.190 | 124.961 | |
| 3 |
MICHAEL MCDOWELLFront Row Motorsports
|
34 | Ford | 4 | +0.197 | 0.007 | 124.949 | |
| 4 |
TY GIBBSJoe Gibbs Racing
|
54 | Toyota | 1 | +0.230 | 0.033 | 124.890 | |
| 5 |
KYLE LARSONHendrick Motorsports
|
5 | Chevrolet | 4 | +0.239 | 0.009 | 124.874 | |
| 6 |
AJ ALLMENDINGERKaulig Racing
|
16 | Chevrolet | 4 | +0.369 | 0.130 | 124.645 | |
| 7 |
CHRISTOPHER BELLJoe Gibbs Racing
|
20 | Toyota | 2 | +0.511 | 0.142 | 124.395 | |
| 8 |
TYLER REDDICK23XI Racing
|
45 | Toyota | 5 | +0.630 | 0.119 | 124.187 | |
| 9 |
KYLE BUSCHRichard Childress Racing
|
8 | Chevrolet | 2 | +0.686 | 0.056 | 124.089 | |
| 10 |
COREY LAJOIESpire Motorsports
|
7 | Chevrolet | 2 | +0.832 | 0.146 | 123.835 |
Round 1/Group A
Byron led the way in the first group with an average lap speed of 125.071 mph.
McDowell was second quick at 125.058mph and Reddick was third fastest (124.995 mph).
Also advancing to the final round of qualifying from Group A were Gibbs and Hamlin.
Among those who failed to advance were Chase Elliott, who needs a win to make the playoffs; Austin Dillon, Alex Bowman and Mike Rockenfeller, who is driving Legacy Motor Club’s #42 Chevrolet this week.
Elliott was disgusted with himself after his final qualifying attempt, letting loose a string of profanities over his team radio once he returned to pit road.
“To me, this was the opportunity that we had that we have the most control over,” said Elliott, who will line up 15th. “I didn’t have a very good start to the weekend. It puts us in a tough spot.”
| Cla | Driver | # | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Interval | Mph | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
WILLIAM BYRONHendrick Motorsports
|
24 | Chevrolet | 3 | 1'10.520 | 125.071 | ||
| 2 |
MICHAEL MCDOWELLFront Row Motorsports
|
34 | Ford | 2 | +0.007 | 0.007 | 125.058 | |
| 3 |
TYLER REDDICK23XI Racing
|
45 | Toyota | 3 | +0.043 | 0.036 | 124.995 | |
| 4 |
TY GIBBSJoe Gibbs Racing
|
54 | Toyota | 3 | +0.078 | 0.035 | 124.933 | |
| 5 |
DENNY HAMLINJoe Gibbs Racing
|
11 | Toyota | 3 | +0.124 | 0.046 | 124.851 | |
| 6 |
CHASE ELLIOTTHendrick Motorsports
|
9 | Chevrolet | 3 | +0.472 | 0.348 | 124.239 | |
| 7 |
AUSTIN DILLONRichard Childress Racing
|
3 | Chevrolet | 5 | +0.560 | 0.088 | 124.086 | |
| 8 |
ALEX BOWMANHendrick Motorsports
|
48 | Chevrolet | 4 | +0.633 | 0.073 | 123.958 | |
| 9 |
 MIKE ROCKENFELLERLegacy Motor Club
|
42 | Chevrolet | 7 | +0.679 | 0.046 | 123.878 | |
| 10 |
BRAD KESELOWSKIRFK Racing
|
6 | Ford | 4 | +0.864 | 0.185 | 123.557 | |
| 11 |
TODD GILLILANDFront Row Motorsports
|
38 | Ford | 5 | +0.864 | 0.000 | 123.557 | |
| 12 |
RICKY STENHOUSE JRJTG Daugherty Racing
|
47 | Chevrolet | 4 | +0.953 | 0.089 | 123.403 | |
| 13 |
COLE CUSTERRick Ware Racing
|
51 | Ford | 3 | +1.165 | 0.212 | 123.038 | |
| 14 |
ERIK JONESLegacy Motor Club
|
43 | Chevrolet | 3 | +1.203 | 0.038 | 122.973 | |
| 15 |
HARRISON BURTONWood Brothers Racing
|
21 | Ford | 5 | +1.222 | 0.019 | 122.941 | |
| 16 |
KEVIN HARVICKStewart-Haas Racing
|
4 | Ford | 4 | +1.238 | 0.016 | 122.913 | |
| 17 |
JOSH BILICKILive Fast Motorsports
|
78 | Chevrolet | 4 | +1.427 | 0.189 | 122.590 | |
| 18 |
TY DILLONSpire Motorsports
|
77 | Chevrolet | 4 | +1.543 | 0.116 | 122.393 |
Round 1/Group B
Allmendinger – who was fastest in Saturday’s practice – led the way in Group B with an average lap speed of 124.857 mph.
Larson was second fastest (124.752 mph) and LaJoie was third (124.638 mph). Also advancing to the final round were Bell and Busch.
Among those who failed to advance out of Group B were Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez, who nearly spun out in the area of the bus stop on his flying lap.
| Cla | Driver | # | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Interval | Mph | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
AJ ALLMENDINGERKaulig Racing
|
16 | Chevrolet | 1 | 1'10.641 | 124.857 | ||
| 2 |
KYLE LARSONHendrick Motorsports
|
5 | Chevrolet | 1 | +0.059 | 0.059 | 124.752 | |
| 3 |
COREY LAJOIESpire Motorsports
|
7 | Chevrolet | 3 | +0.124 | 0.065 | 124.638 | |
| 4 |
CHRISTOPHER BELLJoe Gibbs Racing
|
20 | Toyota | 4 | +0.183 | 0.059 | 124.534 | |
| 5 |
KYLE BUSCHRichard Childress Racing
|
8 | Chevrolet | 4 | +0.283 | 0.100 | 124.358 | |
| 6 |
JOEY LOGANOTeam Penske
|
22 | Ford | 4 | +0.285 | 0.002 | 124.355 | |
| 7 |
BUBBA WALLACE23XI Racing
|
23 | Toyota | 4 | +0.305 | 0.020 | 124.320 | |
| 8 |
CHRIS BUESCHERRFK Racing
|
17 | Ford | 5 | +0.325 | 0.020 | 124.285 | |
| 9 |
 DANIEL SUAREZTrackHouse Racing
|
99 | Chevrolet | 6 | +0.340 | 0.015 | 124.259 | |
| 10 |
AUSTIN CINDRICTeam Penske
|
2 | Ford | 5 | +0.482 | 0.142 | 124.011 | |
| 11 |
MARTIN TRUEX JRJoe Gibbs Racing
|
19 | Toyota | 5 | +0.513 | 0.031 | 123.956 | |
| 12 |
JUSTIN HALEYKaulig Racing
|
31 | Chevrolet | 2 | +0.551 | 0.038 | 123.890 | |
| 13 |
ROSS CHASTAINTrackHouse Racing
|
1 | Chevrolet | 5 | +0.564 | 0.013 | 123.868 | |
| 14 |
RYAN BLANEYTeam Penske
|
12 | Ford | 4 | +0.592 | 0.028 | 123.819 | |
| 15 |
CHASE BRISCOEStewart-Haas Racing
|
14 | Ford | 5 | +0.806 | 0.214 | 123.448 | |
| 16 |
ARIC ALMIROLAStewart-Haas Racing
|
10 | Ford | 3 | +0.815 | 0.009 | 123.433 | |
| 17 |
ANDY LALLYRick Ware Racing
|
15 | Ford | 6 | +0.844 | 0.029 | 123.383 | |
| 18 |
RYAN PREECEStewart-Haas Racing
|
41 | Ford | 7 | +1.079 | 0.235 | 122.978 |
