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Blaney Captures Richmond Pole as Full Cook Out 400 Grid Is Set

Friday’s single‑car qualifying underlined the value of front‑row track position at Richmond and raised the stakes for teams chasing the final playoff spot.

Oct 27, 2024; Homestead, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick (45) races NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) during the Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
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Crews work to mend NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney’s (12) car Sunday, July 26, 2026, during the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Aug 9, 2026; Newton, Iowa, USA; Wood Brothers Racing driver Josh Berry (21) is introduced before the start of the IOWA CORN 350 POWERED BY ETHANOL at Iowa Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Overview

  • Ryan Blaney won the Busch Light Pole on Friday with a 22.225‑second lap and will start first in the 37‑car Cook Out 400 starting lineup.
  • Blaney’s pole is his second in a row and his fourth of the 2026 season, continuing a stretch in which he has started first in four of the last five races.
  • Chase Briscoe qualified second to join Blaney on the front row while Josh Berry, Ty Gibbs and William Byron complete the top five on the grid.
  • Austin Cindric holds the final playoff spot by 29 points over Ryan Preece with three regular‑season races remaining, keeping the Chase battle a live strategic factor for many teams.
  • Saturday’s race will run 400 laps (300 miles) at Richmond Raceway under the lights with the green flag about 7:00 p.m. ET on USA Network and in‑car/streaming feeds available on HBO Max.