Bell beats Chastain to Michigan NASCAR Cup pole

Bell’s average lap speed of 193.382 mph in the final round of Saturday’s qualifying was enough to edge Ross Chastain (193.242 mph) and claim the top starting spot for Sunday’s race.

The pole is his second of the 2023 season, with both coming in his last four races. It’s also the sixth pole of his career.

“This is obviously a very important manufacturer race track but more importantly this pole is a big momentum boost for this No. 20 group,” said Bell, who has finished 18th or worse in four of his last five races.

“You know we’ve been on the struggle bus a little bit and a lot of it has been my doing. It’s been a great Saturday. Hopefully, we can keep it up and put a great race together tomorrow.”

Bell’s Joe Gibbs Racing team-mate Ty Gibbs ended up third, last week’s race winner Chris Buescher was fourth and JGR driver Martin Truex Jr. will start fifth.

Completing the top-10 starting lineup are Joey Logano, William Byron, Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott.

Cla	Driver	#		Manufacturer	Laps	Time	Interval	Mph
1	CHRISTOPHER BELLJoe Gibbs Racing	20		Toyota	1	37.232		193.382
2	ROSS CHASTAINTrackHouse Racing	1		Chevrolet	1	+0.027	0.027	193.242
3	TY GIBBSJoe Gibbs Racing	54		Toyota	1	+0.069	0.042	193.024
4	CHRIS BUESCHERRFK Racing	17		Ford	1	+0.089	0.020	192.921
5	MARTIN TRUEX JRJoe Gibbs Racing	19		Toyota	1	+0.140	0.051	192.658
6	JOEY LOGANOTeam Penske	22		Ford	1	+0.148	0.008	192.616
7	WILLIAM BYRONHendrick Motorsports	24		Chevrolet	1	+0.247	0.099	192.108
8	KYLE BUSCHRichard Childress Racing	8		Chevrolet	1	+0.288	0.041	191.898
9	RYAN BLANEYTeam Penske	12		Ford	1	+0.312	0.024	191.775
10	CHASE ELLIOTTHendrick Motorsports	9		Chevrolet	1	+0.316	0.004	191.755

Round 1 / Group A

Logano used a blistering average lap speed of 192.400 mph to lead the first group in qualifying.

Byron was second fastest (192.251 mph) and his Hendrick team-mate Elliott was third (191.893 mph).

Also advancing to the final round of qualifying were Busch and Blaney.

Among those who failed to advance were Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola.

Cla	Driver	#	Laps	Time	Interval	Mph
1	JOEY LOGANOTeam Penske	22	1	37.422		192.400
2	WILLIAM BYRONHendrick Motorsports	24	1	+0.029	0.029	192.251
3	CHASE ELLIOTTHendrick Motorsports	9	1	+0.099	0.070	191.893
4	KYLE BUSCHRichard Childress Racing	8	1	+0.139	0.040	191.688
5	RYAN BLANEYTeam Penske	12	1	+0.198	0.059	191.388
6	KYLE LARSONHendrick Motorsports	5	1	+0.211	0.013	191.321
7	ARIC ALMIROLAStewart-Haas Racing	10	1	+0.221	0.010	191.271
8	ALEX BOWMANHendrick Motorsports	48	1	+0.230	0.009	191.225
9	AUSTIN CINDRICTeam Penske	2	1	+0.231	0.001	191.220
10	KEVIN HARVICKStewart-Haas Racing	4	1	+0.275	0.044	190.997
11	MICHAEL MCDOWELLFront Row Motorsports	34	1	+0.285	0.010	190.946
12	AJ ALLMENDINGERKaulig Racing	16	1	+0.298	0.013	190.880
13	RICKY STENHOUSE JRJTG Daugherty Racing	47	1	+0.310	0.012	190.819
14	HARRISON BURTONWood Brothers Racing	21	1	+0.469	0.159	190.019
15	TODD GILLILANDFront Row Motorsports	38	1	+0.783	0.314	188.457
16	TY DILLONSpire Motorsports	77	1	+1.151	0.368	186.659
17	JOSH BERRYLegacy Motor Club	42	1	+1.242	0.091	186.220
18	JOSH BILICKILive Fast Motorsports	78	1	+2.245	1.003	181.511

Round 1 / Group B

Gibbs led the second group with an average lap speed of 193.418 mph – the fastest lap of the day at the time.

“I think we have a little more speed to get out of (Turns) 3 and 4,” Gibbs said. “I think we have a chance to get our first pole.”

Chastain was second fastest (193.200 mph) and Bell was third (192.895 mph).

Also advancing to the final round of qualifying from Group B were Truex and Buescher, who won last week’s race at Richmond Raceway.

Among those who failed to advance were Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, Daniel Suarez and Bubba Wallace.

Cla	Driver	#	Manufacturer	Time	Interval	Mph
1	TY GIBBSJoe Gibbs Racing	54	Toyota	37.225		193.418
2	ROSS CHASTAINTrackHouse Racing	1	Chevrolet	+0.042	0.042	193.200
3	CHRISTOPHER BELLJoe Gibbs Racing	20	Toyota	+0.101	0.059	192.895
4	MARTIN TRUEX JRJoe Gibbs Racing	19	Toyota	+0.104	0.003	192.880
5	CHRIS BUESCHERRFK Racing	17	Ford	+0.104	0.000	192.880
6	BUBBA WALLACE23XI Racing	23	Toyota	+0.173	0.069	192.524
7	BRAD KESELOWSKIRFK Racing	6	Ford	+0.228	0.055	192.241
8	DENNY HAMLINJoe Gibbs Racing	11	Toyota	+0.244	0.016	192.159
9	DANIEL SUAREZTrackHouse Racing	99	Chevrolet	+0.254	0.010	192.108
10	AUSTIN DILLONRichard Childress Racing	3	Chevrolet	+0.342	0.088	191.658
11	TYLER REDDICK23XI Racing	45	Toyota	+0.342	0.000	191.658
12	CHASE BRISCOEStewart-Haas Racing	14	Ford	+0.426	0.084	191.230
13	ERIK JONESLegacy Motor Club	43	Chevrolet	+0.496	0.070	190.875
14	JUSTIN HALEYKaulig Racing	31	Chevrolet	+0.501	0.005	190.850
15	RYAN PREECEStewart-Haas Racing	41	Ford	+0.556	0.055	190.572
16	AUSTIN HILLBeard Motorsports	62	Chevrolet	+0.681	0.125	189.944
17	COREY LAJOIESpire Motorsports	7	Chevrolet	+0.717	0.036	189.763
18	COLE CUSTERRick Ware Racing	51	Ford	+1.261	0.544	187.081
19	JJ YELEYRick Ware Racing	15	Ford	+1.514	0.253	185.859