HAMPTON, Ga. — Michael McDowell collected his fifth pole of the season Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as Ford drivers took seven of the top 10 spots for Sunday’s playoff opener.
McDowell won the pole with a lap of 179.267 mph around the 1.54-mile track. Reigning Cup champion Ryan Blaney will start second after a lap of 178.844 mph.
MORE: Atlanta starting lineup
Todd Gilliland, McDowell’s Front Row Motorsports teammate, qualified third with a lap of 178.770 mph. Josh Berry (178.453 mph) will start fourth and Austin Cindric (178.430) qualified fifth. The top five were all in Fords. The other Fords in the top 10 were Joey Logano (178.361 mph) in seventh and Chase Briscoe, last weekend’s Southern 500 winner, in 10th with a lap of 178.086 mph.
Kyle Larson was the top non-Ford. He qualified his Chevrolet sixth with a lap of 178.367 mph. Ty Gibbs was the top Toyota driver. He will start 20th after a lap of 177.125 mph.
Gibbs is one of six playoff drivers starting 20th or worse. The others are Martin Truex Jr. (22nd), Tyler Reddick (23rd), Christopher Bell (26th), Daniel Suarez (30th) and Denny Hamlin (38th). All but Suarez are in Toyotas.
Hamlin said his car had a powertrain issue on his qualifying lap. This marks only the second time in Hamlin’s career that he will start a race last.
USA Network has the coverage Sunday. Pre-race coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET. Race coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET.
