NASCAR playoffs at Las Vegas starting lineup: Christopher Bell wins pole, Ryan Blaney crashes in practice

Bell took the early upper hand among the playoff drivers, while the defending Cup champ didn't get a chance to qualify

By Steven Taranto

Oct 19, 2024 at 7:21 pm ET • 2 min read

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Christopher Bell won the pole for the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in qualifying on Saturday afternoon, posting a lap of 29.135 (185.344 MPH) in the final round to earn the pole for the first race of the Round of 8 in the NASCAR playoffs and his third overall this season. Bell had previously won the pole for both races at Kansas Speedway, including the track's playoff race at the start of the Round of 12.

Bell will lead the field and all the other remaining playoff drivers to the green flag on Sunday, but the biggest development of Saturday's on-track activity concerned the defending Cup Series champion. Early in Group B practice, Ryan Blaney spun and crashed in turn 1 after suffering a left rear tire puncture, pounding the wall driver's side. Blaney was checked and released from the infield care center, but he did not make a qualifying attempt and will start at the rear of the field in a backup car in 37th.

There's trouble for @Blaney in practice! pic.twitter.com/HLCyKtbzVl
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 19, 2024

"It just stinks. I didn't feel anything odd going down the frontstretch. Just a shame it ended our practice early and we've got our work cut out for us with a backup car and all that stuff," Blaney told NBC Sports. "Hopefully we'll be able to fight back from it and go to work tomorrow."

Blaney was one of only two playoff drivers to not qualify inside the top 10, as Bell will be flanked to by regular season champion Tyler Reddick on the outside of the front row in second, followed by Denny Hamlin in fourth, Kyle Larson in fifth, William Byron in ninth and Joey Logano in 10th. Chase Elliott will have to come from midpack on Sunday, as he starts 18th.