Kyle Busch Wins First Daytona 500 Pole in 21 Attempts
The 40-year-old veteran captured his first career pole position at NASCAR’s most prestigious event Wednesday night, clocking a blistering lap of 183.651 mph in the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Busch narrowly edged Chase Briscoe by just 0.064 seconds to claim the top starting spot for Sunday’s 68th running of the Daytona 500.
The achievement marks a significant milestone for the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, who has competed in 20 previous Daytona 500s without a victory—the longest active losing streak in the race’s storied history. Despite his dominance elsewhere in the sport, with 63 career wins, the crown jewel event has famously eluded the veteran driver.
“I feel like I’ve done just about everything except win a pole at Daytona or win the race at Daytona,” Busch said, reflecting on his long quest. “I’d love to be able to get both of those accomplished here in 2026.”
Busch’s pole run comes as part of a strong streak for the driver and his family. Last month, his older brother Kurt was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The pole position also represents RCR’s first at Daytona since 2014, when Austin Dillon earned the honor.
Competitive Field Takes Shape
Busch will lead the field to the green flag Sunday, with Briscoe sharing the front row in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Bowman Gray Clash winner Ryan Preece qualified third, followed by Denny Hamlin in fourth. Corey Heim impressed in his first-ever Daytona 500 attempt, securing the fifth starting position.
Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, and Joey Logano rounded out the top ten qualifiers. Two additional spots remain to be decided through the Duel qualifying races Thursday night, with drivers including Casey Mears still competing for entry into the iconic 500-mile race.
The pole gives Busch the cleanest possible air at the start of Sunday’s race—a crucial advantage at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. With one half of his “Daytona Double” complete, focus now shifts to whether the veteran can finally break through and secure the victory that has eluded him throughout his illustrious career.
“It would be really nice to be doing an interview like this about being No. 1 come Sunday night,” Busch said of his aspirations for race day.
