Christopher Bell won the pole for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway in qualifying on Saturday, posting a lap of 30.111 (179.336 MPH) in the final round to earn his second pole of the 2024 season and his third in a row at Kansas. Bell is only the second driver in Kansas Speedway history to win three poles in a row, joining Kevin Harvick who did so in a three race stretch from 2013 to 2014.
Bell was one of eight playoff drivers to qualify in the top 10 for the opening race of the Round of 12, as he will be joined by playoff competitors Tyler Reddick in fourth, Joey Logano in fifth, William Byron in sixth, Ryan Blaney in seventh, Denny Hamlin in eighth, Chase Briscoe in ninth and Daniel Suarez in 10th. Spring Kansas winner Kyle Larson in 11th led the way for three more playoff drivers inside the top 20 -- Alex Bowman qualified 12th and Austin Cindric qualified 17th -- with one notable exception well outside of that range.
2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott suffered major engine issues in practice, with the motor No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet suffering a sudden and noticeable loss in power. Elliott was able to make a qualifying lap, but was more than two seconds off the pace and slowest of all cars at just a 32.345. Elliott's team will change engines before he rolls off shotgun on the field in 38th.
In their first race for new teams since swapping rides, Justin Haley and Corey LaJoie were not far off from each other on the speed charts. Haley will start 23rd in his first race behind the wheel of the No. 7 for Spire Motorsports, while LaJoie will start just behind his old ride in 27th as the new driver of the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford that Haley had been driving.
Hollywood Casino 400 starting lineup
- #20 - Christopher Bell
- #54 - Ty Gibbs
- #8 - Kyle Busch
- #45 - Tyler Reddick
- #22 - Joey Logano
- #24 - William Byron
- #12 - Ryan Blaney
- #11 - Denny Hamlin
- #14 - Chase Briscoe
- #99 - Daniel Suarez
- #5 - Kyle Larson
- #48 - Alex Bowman
- #23 - Bubba Wallace
- #77 - Carson Hocevar (R)
- #71 - Zane Smith (R)
- #43 - Erik Jones
- #2 - Austin Cindric
- #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- #19 - Martin Truex Jr.
- #1 - Ross Chastain
- #34 - Michael McDowell
- #3 - Austin Dillon
- #7 - Justin Haley
- #10 - Noah Gragson
- #17 - Chris Buescher
- #6 - Brad Keselowski
- #51 - Corey LaJoie
- #21 - Harrison Burton
- #4 - Josh Berry (R)
- #31 - Daniel Hemric
- #42 - John Hunter Nemechek
- #16 - Ty Dillon
- #38 - Todd Gilliland
- #15 - Kaz Grala (R)
- #84 - Jimmie Johnson
- #44 - J.J. Yeley
- #41 - Ryan Preece
- #9 - Chase Elliott