Ryan Preece will pace Saturday night’s Cup race at Richmond Raceway, earning the pole as the first driver outside the playoff picture to lead the field. It marks Preece’s second career Cup pole.
Preece enters the race 34 points behind RFK Racing teammate Chris Buescher for the final playoff spot with two regular-season races remaining. He spoke of the opportunity the pole provides, saying, “For me, it’s a great opportunity to go win the stage and get 10 points. As much as I hate talking about points, especially racing against my teammate … this is an opportunity to try and close back in on some of those points he put on us, but as well as an opportunity for us to execute [Saturday].”
Pole speed was 121.381 mph for Preece. Tyler Reddick qualified second at 120.908 mph, followed by AJ Allmendinger in third at 120.854 mph, with Denny Hamlin fourth at 120.822 mph and Chase Elliott fifth at 120.746 mph. Buescher qualified 12th with a lap of 120.374 mph. Joey Logano will start last in the 38-car field after a tire went down and he hit the wall during practice.
USA Network will carry the race, with coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
What to watch: With two races left in the regular season, Preece will be looked to not only capitalize on the pole but also maximize stage points to close the gap on Buescher and break into the playoff conversation. Richmond’s tight, short-track rhythm often shakes up the order, so the pole battle could set the tone for an action-packed evening.
Summary: Ryan Preece starts from the pole at Richmond, aiming to leverage the early advantage into crucial playoff-point momentum as the regular season nears its end. The field features strong challengers in Reddick, Allmendinger, Hamlin, and Elliott, while Buescher faces a tougher path from 12th. The race is set for Saturday night on USA Network at 7 p.m. ET. Positive note: the pressure-filled run to the playoffs continues, and a strong performance could boost several championship hopefuls in a pivotal weekend.