Michael McDowell Makes History with First Cup Series Pole for Spire in Las Vegas
Michael McDowell captured Spire Motorsports' first NASCAR Cup Series pole position with a blazing lap of 186.961mph (28.883s) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This marks McDowell's seventh career pole, all achieved since the 2024 season began.
Blue Indycar with white sponsor decals
The qualifying results saw Joey Logano secure second place with a 186.864mph lap, while Austin Cindric, Kyle Busch, and Erik Jones rounded out the top five. Notable qualifiers included defending Las Vegas winner Kyle Larson in tenth and Christopher Bell in 13th, with Bell pursuing his fourth consecutive Cup Series victory.
Key qualifying positions:
- Michael McDowell: 1st (186.961mph)
- Joey Logano: 2nd (186.864mph)
- Austin Cindric: 3rd (186.793mph)
- Kyle Busch: 4th (186.638mph)
- Erik Jones: 5th (186.632mph)
Other notable drivers' starting positions include Denny Hamlin (15th), Chase Elliott (16th), and Ryan Blaney, who will start last after missing qualifying due to repairs following a practice incident.
"I'm just so proud of all the men and women at Spire Motorsports," McDowell said. "Having three cars in the top 10 last week and now claiming pole position shows our team's dedication and hard work."
The Pennzoil 400 is scheduled for Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
NASCAR Vegas Cup qualifying results chart