Everyone expected Shane van Gisbergen to own Sonoma qualifying.
Ty Gibbs had other plans.
Gibbs stunned the NASCAR Cup Series garage Saturday by capturing the Busch Light Pole Award for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350, turning a lap of 1:14.829 to edge Carson Hocevar by just 0.025 seconds. The pole is another sign that the Joe Gibbs Racing driver is beginning to put all the pieces together at NASCAR’s highest level.
The result may surprise casual fans, but it shouldn’t shock anyone who followed Gibbs’ rise through the O’Reilly Series.
Before reaching the Cup Series, Gibbs established himself as one of NASCAR’s premier road-course talents, winning multiple races on left- and right-turn circuits while showcasing the smooth driving style that has translated well to Sonoma Raceway. The speed has always been there. Now, the results are beginning to follow.
Gibbs also enters Sunday carrying momentum, quietly putting together one of the most consistent stretches of his Cup career. Starting from pole position only adds to the growing confidence surrounding the No. 54 Toyota.
Van Gisbergen, meanwhile, will still be among the favorites despite qualifying sixth. The New Zealander remains one of the sport’s elite road racers, but Saturday belonged to Gibbs.
Top 10 Starting Lineup
- Ty Gibbs
- Carson Hocevar
- Kyle Larson
- Michael McDowell
- Ross Chastain
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Chase Briscoe
- AJ Allmendinger
- Denny Hamlin
- Joey Logano
With Sonoma’s technical layout placing a premium on track position, Gibbs couldn’t have picked a better time to earn his first starting spot of the season. Now comes the harder part—holding off a field loaded with proven road-course aces for 110 laps.
