Carson Hocevar continued his remarkable run of form by securing pole position for today's Würth 400 Presented by Liqui Moly, the NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. The Spire Motorsports driver set a lap of 25.222 seconds (191.240 mph), edging teammate Daniel Suárez by just 0.003 seconds to complete an impressive front-row sweep for the team.
The pole comes just one week after Hocevar’s first career Cup Series victory at Talladega, reinforcing his growing consistency and confidence at the top level. Benefiting from running last in qualifying order, the American maximized track conditions exactly as he had anticipated before the session.
Momentum and execution at the highest level
Hocevar described his lap as strong and clean, though he admitted he wasn’t entirely sure it would be enough for pole. Still, his feeling exiting the final corner suggested he was in contention.
“I knew we had a good opportunity going out last. When I finished the lap, I felt like if it wasn’t fast enough, I’d be disappointed. Thankfully, it was”, he said.
This marks the second pole of his career, both achieved at Texas, highlighting his strong connection with the 1.5-mile track. Daniel Suárez’s second-place effort further emphasized the balance and performance of the Spire cars throughout the session.
Competitive grid and key incidents
Behind the Spire duo, Chris Buescher placed third, the only Ford driver inside the top 10. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe tied for fourth, with Hamlin awarded the higher grid position on a points tiebreaker.
Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman and Ty Gibbs completed the top 10, showcasing a tightly packed and competitive field. Defending champion Kyle Larson will start 11th.
Practice Sessions Marked by Incidents and Challenges
The practice session was led by William Byron, who set the fastest lap, confirming Hendrick Motorsports’ strong pace ahead of qualifying. However, the session was marked by several incidents that affected the performance of some drivers.
Bubba Wallace crashed during practice and was unable to set a qualifying time, forcing him to start from the back of the grid. The driver described Texas Motor Speedway as a particularly demanding and unpredictable circuit, where finding the ideal balance is a constant challenge.
Austin Dillon also faced mechanical issues that prevented him from completing a valid lap, while Daniel Suárez had his practice session interrupted due to a puncture, although he managed to recover and secure a front-row start.
With minimal gaps, a tightly packed grid and several contenders for victory, Sunday’s race in Texas promises to be intense and strategic, where track position, pit stops and consistency over long runs will be key factors in determining the final outcome.