Chase Briscoe takes Talladega pole as NASCAR Chase nears finale
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The gist
Chase Briscoe won the Cup pole for Sunday's YellaWood 500 at Talladega at 186.065 mph.
Six drivers sit within 59 points of leader Kyle Larson with three races left.
Background
Chase Briscoe, 31-year-old driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, starts Sunday's YellaWood 500 from the pole and sits third in the standings. The race is the Cup Series Chase presented by Mobil 1, NASCAR's playoff deciding the season title, with three races left. Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama is NASCAR's longest oval at 2.66 miles, and its drafting style makes the championship picture less predictable.
How it unfolded
- Oct 23, 2026The Talladega weekend opens with the Craftsman Truck Series Love's RV Stop 225, the first of five straight tripleheader weekends closing the season.
- Oct 24, 2026Chase Briscoe wins the Cup pole for the YellaWood 500 at 186.065 mph, the fastest Cup pole speed at the track since 2021; Austin Hill qualifies second, 0.032 seconds back.
- Oct 24, 2026Sammy Smith wins the O'Reilly Series The Progress Group 250 at Talladega, with Carson Kvapil second and Jesse Love third.
- Oct 25, 2026The YellaWood 500 runs at Talladega Superspeedway: green flag about 1:25 p.m. CT, 188 laps/500 miles, on NBC. Briscoe starts on the pole and points leader Kyle Larson starts 10th.
Who’s saying what
- Bulls
- Briscoe called the pole a great starting spot for his Toyota but added "who knows" about how the race plays out.
- Analysts
- With six drivers within 59 points of leader Kyle Larson and three races left, the 2.66-mile drafting track adds an unpredictable element to the championship.
Still unverified
The prospect of the "Big One" — a multi-car wreck — hangs over the full 500-mile race distance at the 2.66-mile drafting track.