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Chase Briscoe earns Brickyard 400 pole as Denny Hamlin wrecks hard

Indiana native Chase Briscoe rocketed to pole position for this year's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Earning his series-leading fifth pole of the 2025 season, Briscoe bested 23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace and Legacy Motor Club's Erik Jones.

Wallace, who enters this race on the playoff bubble, was just 0.013s away from pole position.

As for Briscoe, his season has included pole positions in three crown jewel events -- the Daytona 500, the Coca Cola 600, and now the Brickyard 400.

Tyler Reddick qualified fourth, and Ty Gibbs, who is in the finals of the $1 million in-season challenge, starts fifth. 

William Byron was the top Chevrolet driver in sixth, Chris Buescher led the way for Ford in seventh, Carson Hocevar was eighth, A.J. Allmendinger ninth, and Austin Cindric tenth.

Rookie Shane van Gisbergen ended up eleventh in his best qualifying effort yet on a Cup Series oval.

On the edge of control

"I was super close to doing that (wrecking), really in all four corners," said Briscoe. "That's the closest I think I've ever gotten to Indy 500 qualifying, just being on the absolute ragged edge. I thought I was gonna lose it a couple times, but I was able to hold onto it. Super cool. I'm holding back tears, truthfully. This is such a special moment for me, and even hearing the crowd as I got the pole -- it was just super cool. Hopefully, we can keep it up there tomorrow. That's the one we want to win."

The session was full of heart-stopping moments as drivers struggled to maintain control over the course of a flying lap around the iconic 2.5-mile speedway.

Several drivers hit the wall, including John Hunter Nemechek, Brad Keselowski, Michael McDowell, and Kyle Busch.

Chase Elliott nearly spun out at the exit of Turn 2, which was a big trouble spot for drivers. 

Hamlin wrecks while going for pole

Denny Hamlin was the final driver out on track, hoping to snag pole position just after signing a multi-year contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing. And he was absolutely flying in the No. 11 Toyota — with the tracker showing him on provisional pole — nearly three tenths faster than Briscoe at the exit of Turn 2.

Unfortunately, that's when the car came out from underneath him and Hamlin slapped the outside wall. Now completely out of control, the car spun back across the track and slammed the inside wall with tremendous force. The front of the car was destroyed, and instead of celebrating an impressive pole, Hamlin will start 39th on Sunday. The Brickyard 400 is the only crown jewel race Hamlin has yet to win.

Photos from Indianapolis - Practice & Qualifying

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Crew chief Cliff Daniels, Hendrick Motorsports

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Chris Rice, President of Kaulig Racing, Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford, Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Indianapolis - Saturday, in photos

NASCAR Cup
38
Cla Driver # Manufacturer Laps Time Interval Mph
1 C. BriscoeJoe Gibbs Racing 19 Toyota 1

49.136

  183.165
2 B. Wallace23XI Racing 23 Toyota 1

+0.013

49.149

0.013 183.117
3 E. JonesLegacy Motor Club 43 Toyota 1

+0.112

49.248

0.099 182.749
4 T. Reddick23XI Racing 45 Toyota 1

+0.131

49.267

0.019 182.678
5 T. GibbsJoe Gibbs Racing 54 Toyota 1

+0.194

49.330

0.063 182.445
6 W. ByronHendrick Motorsports 24 Chevrolet 1

+0.306

49.442

0.112 182.031
7 C. BuescherRFK Racing 17 Ford 1

+0.311

49.447

0.005 182.013
8 C. HocevarSpire Motorsports 77 Chevrolet 1

+0.359

49.495

0.048 181.837
9 A. AllmendingerKaulig Racing 16 Chevrolet 1

+0.363

49.499

0.004 181.822
10 A. CindricTeam Penske 2 Ford 1

+0.450

49.586

0.087 181.503
11 S. van GisbergenTrackHouse Racing 88 Chevrolet 1

+0.455

49.591

0.005 181.485
12 K. BuschRichard Childress Racing 8 Chevrolet 1

+0.459

49.595

0.004 181.470
13 K. LarsonHendrick Motorsports 5 Chevrolet 1

+0.481

49.617

0.022 181.389
14 B. KeselowskiRFK Racing 6 Ford 1

+0.493

49.629

0.012 181.346
15 J. LoganoTeam Penske 22 Ford 1

+0.557

49.693

0.064 181.112
16 C. BellJoe Gibbs Racing 20 Toyota 1

+0.659

49.795

0.102 180.741
17
J. BerryWood Brothers Racing
21 Ford 1

+0.694

49.830

0.035 180.614
18 N. GragsonFront Row Motorsports 4 Ford 1

+0.758

49.894

0.064 180.382
19 T. GillilandFront Row Motorsports 34 Ford 1

+0.805

49.941

0.047 180.213
20 A. DillonRichard Childress Racing 3 Chevrolet 1

+0.813

49.949

0.008 180.184
21 A. BowmanHendrick Motorsports 48 Chevrolet 1

+0.831

49.967

0.018 180.119
22 M. McDowellSpire Motorsports 71 Chevrolet 1

+0.838

49.974

0.007 180.094
23 R. PreeceRFK Racing 60 Ford 1

+0.843

49.979

0.005 180.076
24 R. BlaneyTeam Penske 12 Ford 1

+0.856

49.992

0.013 180.029
25 R. Herbst23XI Racing 35 Toyota 1

+0.876

50.012

0.020 179.957
26 T. DillonKaulig Racing 10 Chevrolet 1

+0.915

50.051

0.039 179.817
27 Z. SmithFront Row Motorsports 38 Ford 1

+0.925

50.061

0.010 179.781
28 J. HaleySpire Motorsports 7 Chevrolet 1

+0.931

50.067

0.006 179.759
29 C. CusterHaas Factory Team 41 Ford 1

+0.952

50.088

0.021 179.684
30 C. ElliottHendrick Motorsports 9 Chevrolet 1

+0.978

50.114

0.026 179.591
31 D. SuarezTrackHouse Racing 99 Chevrolet 1

+1.065

50.201

0.087 179.279
32 R. Stenhouse JrHyak Motorsports 47 Chevrolet 1

+1.174

50.310

0.109 178.891
33 R. ChastainTrackHouse Racing 1 Chevrolet 1

+1.197

50.333

0.023 178.809
34 C. WareRick Ware Racing 51 Ford 1

+1.452

50.588

0.255 177.908
35
J. LoveBeard Motorsports
62 Chevrolet 1

+1.665

50.801

0.213 177.162
36 J. NemechekLegacy Motor Club 42 Toyota 1

+1.853

50.989

0.188 176.509
37 J. BilickiGarage 66 66 Ford 1

+5.429

54.565

3.576 164.941
38 K. LeggeLive Fast Motorsports 78 Chevrolet 1

+7.827

56.963

2.398 157.997
39 D. HamlinJoe Gibbs Racing 11 Toyota 0

 

   
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