No. 11 Toyota's Hamlin posts 195.117 mph lap for 50th pole
Summary
Denny Hamlin won the Busch Light Pole Award for the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway, turning the fastest lap of the session in 36.901 seconds to claim the 50th pole of his NASCAR Cup Series career. Hamlin posted a lap also reported at 195.117 mph in the No. 11 Toyota and used his final qualifying run to edge hometown driver Carson Hocevar by 0.018 seconds, with Hocevar stopping the clock at 36.919 seconds.
Hamlin suffered a flat tire in practice that damaged the No. 11’s underwing strakes, and Joe Gibbs Racing repaired and rebalanced the car between practice and qualifying. Hamlin credited the National Debt Relief team for the recovery. Some reports said the repairs would force Hamlin to start from the rear, though the official qualifying order placed him on the front row alongside Hocevar.
Tyler Reddick qualified third (36.929 seconds), Ty Gibbs was fourth (36.953 seconds) and Chase Briscoe was fifth (36.956 seconds), rounding out the top five. Josh Berry spun in Turn 4 before qualifying, did not record a timed lap and will roll off 37th. The FireKeepers Casino 400 is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET with broadcast coverage on Prime Video/HBO Max, MRN and SiriusXM.