Getty Chase Briscoe celebrates a win at Phoenix Raceway.
The three national NASCAR series are in Georgia for the first race at the reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway. There is no qualifying due to rain and lightning, so the sanctioning body set the starting lineups with Chase Briscoe leading the list.
NASCAR announced the starting lineups for the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Camping World Truck Series on March 18 after canceling the qualifying sessions. The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 on March 20 (3 p.m. ET, FOX) will feature Briscoe, the winner of the Phoenix race, on the Busch Light Pole and Ryan Blaney next to him on the front row. Joey Logano and Kyle Busch will line up on the second row while Tyler Reddick and Chase Elliott will take the third row.
#NASCAR has released the corrected version of the liineup. Chase Briscoe now starts on the pole.
Ross Chastain and Kevin Harvick will continue the lineup as they start from the fourth row. Kurt Busch and Aric Almirola will round out the top 10 spots on the starting grid after consistent starts to their respective seasons.
The Cup Series drivers will still have an opportunity to test out the reconfigured track on Saturday, March 19. They will practice at 12:40 p.m. ET (FS1). They just won’t have qualifying immediately after as in past weeks.
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JR Motorsports Leads the Xfinity Series Field
Xfinity lineup for Saturday.
While the two Ford drivers will lead the Cup Series field to the green flag, two Chevrolet drivers will take over the front row for the Xfinity Series race on March 19 (5 p.m. ET, FS1). Noah Gragson, the winner of the Phoenix race, will start on the pole while teammate Josh Berry will join him on the front row.
The first three rows will feature a heavy dose of JRM and Joe Gibbs Racing drivers. Gragson and Berry will make up the first row while Brandon Jones and Ty Gibbs will start on the second. Trevor Bayne (JGR) and Justin Allgaier (JRM) will make up the third row as they strive to continue their strong starts to the season.
The Nalley Cars 250 on March 19 will be Gragson’s first start of the weekend. He will pursue another top-three finish after contending for the win every single week of the season. Gragson will then prepare for his second Cup Series start of the year. He will join Kaulig Racing and drive the No. 16 Chevrolet during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 on March 20.
The Melon Man Will Have To Make Up Ground
Truck lineup for Saturday at Atlanta:
Gragson will not be the only driver pulling double-duty during the trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ross Chastain will also do so as he competes in the Fr8 208 Truck Series race on March 19 (2:30 p.m. ET, FS1) and the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.
With NASCAR setting the starting lineup with its formula instead of with qualifying sessions, Chastain will have to start far from the front of the pack. He will line up on the 18th row next to Brennan Poole, who joins G2G Racing for the trip to the Georgia track.
The front of the lineup, for comparison, will have a healthy mix of newer names. Defending Las Vegas winner Chandler Smith will start on the pole with Stewart Friesen next to him on the front row. Three-time champion Matt Crafton and Ty Majeski will take the second row while Carson Hocevar and Matt DiBenedetto take up the third.
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