Ryan Blaney Takes Phoenix Cup Pole as Team Penske Locks Out Front Row
Ryan Blaney took Phoenix Cup pole on October 17, 2026, lapping in 26.250 seconds at 137.143 mph. Teammate Joey Logano qualified second.
The front of the grid
| Starting position | Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Blaney |
| 2 | Joey Logano |
| 3 | Chase Briscoe |
| 4 | Denny Hamlin |
| 5 | Christopher Bell |
According to NASCAR’s official qualifying report, Logano was 0.032 seconds slower. Championship leader Kyle Larson qualified 22nd, leaving the five closest drivers behind him in the standings occupying the first five grid positions.
Why the starting order matters
Blaney is fifth in the standings, 85 points behind Larson; Logano is sixth, 92 back. Qualifying creates an opportunity, not a settled championship result.
Starting position and race performance answer different questions. A fast single lap gives a driver track position at the start; the race still requires managing traffic, pit stops, changing grip and the full distance. It would be premature to treat Larson’s qualifying setback as a predicted finishing result.
When the Cup race runs
The 312-lap Freeway Insurance 500 is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, at 3 p.m. Eastern, with USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio coverage. Check the event’s current broadcast and weather updates before tuning in.
These are Cup qualifying results, not results from Saturday’s separate O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race. No winner of Sunday’s Cup event had been established when this report was prepared.
For qualifying from another championship this weekend, see our Genesis WEC Hypercar pole report from Barcelona. The two series’ grids and points systems are separate.
Source and archive photo
Source: NASCAR Wire Service’s October 17, 2026 qualifying report, linked above. Chiefs Review did not attend the session.
Archive image: Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Ford at Sonoma Raceway on July 12, 2025; this is not the October 2026 Phoenix car or qualifying session. Photo: TaurusEmerald / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; resized for display.
