Bell’s lap speed during the final round of Saturday’s qualifying was 193.382 mph, which allowed him to surpass Ross Chastain (193.242 mph) and secure the leading position 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.
“I cannot reword.”
“We have faced some challenges recently, and I take responsibility for a significant portion of them. Today has been a fantastic Saturday, and I hope we can maintain this momentum and deliver an excellent performance in tomorrow’s race.”
Ty Gibbs, the teammate of Bell in Joe Gibbs Racing, finished in third place. Chris Buescher, who won last week’s race, came in fourth. Martin Truex Jr., a driver for JGR, will begin the race in fifth position.
Joey Logano, William Byron, Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, and Chase Elliott make up the remaining five drivers in the top-10 starting lineup.
Round 1 / Group A
Logano used a blistering average lap speed of 192.400 mph to lead the first group in qualifying.
Byron achieved the second highest speed of 192.251 mph, while his teammate Elliott secured the third position with a speed of 191.893 mph.
Busch and Blaney also progressed to the final round of qualifying.
Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, Kevin Harvick, and Aric Almirola were among the individuals who did not progress.
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.
Gibbs expressed his belief that there is still some additional speed to be gained in Turns 3 and 4. He also mentioned that there is a possibility of securing their first pole position.
Chastain achieved the second highest speed at 193.200 mph, while Bell secured the third position with a speed of 192.895 mph.
Truex and Buescher, who emerged victorious in the previous race at Richmond Raceway, also progressed to the final round of qualifying from Group B.
Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, Daniel Suarez, and Bubba Wallace were among the individuals who did not progress.
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