By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service
DARLINGTON, S.C. – Offering up a fist pump and big smile, Bubba Wallace claimed perhaps the most consequential pole position of his young career – turning in the fastest lap in the final round of NASCAR Cup Series qualifying for Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway (6 p.m. ET, USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Wallace’s lap of 167.143 mph in the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota Saturday afternoon puts him out front to start the 500-miler at the historic 1.366-mile Darlington track. And it’s a good beginning for a big night. Wallace currently is just one position below the Playoff line – trailing RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher by 21 points entering this last race to set the 16-driver Playoff grid.
“Looking at us coming in, being on the bubble, 21 points out, a ton of pressure, well I think the pressure just switched,’’ said the 30-year old North Carolinian Wallace, who has four top-10 finishes in his last four races at the track famously nicknamed “Too Tough to Tame.”
“We’re not here to mess around. I showed up with a more open and calm demeanor, free and relaxing demeanor but at the same time I don’t want to be messed with.
“So it’s a fine balance you have to walk.’’
Series rookie 21-year old Carson Hocevar will start alongside Wallace on the front row – his best career start in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe will start his No. 14 Ford third with Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. rounding out the top-five.
Wallace’s 23XI Racing teammate, championship leader Tyler Reddick will roll off sixth in the No. 45 Toyota. He holds a 17-point advantage over the defending race winner Larson for the regular season championship that will be decided Sunday night. Larson’s Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott is only 18 points behind Reddick and will start 20th.
Reigning series champion, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, Hendrick’s William Byron, JGR’s Christopher Bell and Roush Fenway Keselowski’s Chris Buescher round out the top-10.
Buescher currently holds a 21-point advantage over Wallace for that 16th and final Playoff position. After a top-10 showing in practice, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain will roll off 22nd on the grid. He’s just behind Wallace in the standings, 27 points behind Buescher.
“The first round I thought we did a…
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