2025 Cup Series qualifying results for championship drivers

The NASCAR Cup Series will be decided atop Phoenix’s dust-covered thoroughfares.

Chariots roar beneath the scorching sun. For four drivers piloting these challenging machines, the objective is simple: beat each other.

Chase Briscoe, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson are not required to win Sunday’s race—although most Cup Series champions do. Instead, they just need to outperform each other. The driver who finishes closest to the front will take home one of racing’s most prestigious prizes. Everyone else? They’re here for the thrill of it.

To compete for a Cup Series title, drivers need to put themselves in the best position possible before the race begins. One way to guarantee that? A strong qualifying run.

Briscoe is the most dangerous driver in the field when it comes to qualifying, claiming a season-high six poles. A seventh could put him on the brink of NASCAR history.

Here’s a look at the results from Saturday’s qualifying session at Phoenix Raceway.

MORE: Meet the final four racing for 2025 Cup Series title

2025 Cup Series pole winner?

Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Denny Hamlin delivered a crucial statement on Saturday afternoon, turning a fast lap of 133.759 mph to capture the Busch Light Pole Award for Sunday's championship race at Phoenix Raceway. The pole position is a significant advantage for Hamlin as he attempts to win the first Cup Series title of his long career, a quest that has repeatedly fallen short in previous final races.

Hamlin's run ensured that three of the four Championship 4 contenders will start at the very front of the field. Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson qualified just behind Hamlin, taking the second and third starting spots, respectively.

The final Championship 4 contender, Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe, was the only title-eligible driver to miss the top half of the starting grid. Briscoe will roll off from the 12th starting position. While he has the speed to contend, he will face an early challenge navigating traffic as he tries to compete with his title rivals starting on the front two rows.

Among the four drivers competing for the Bill France Cup, only Larson, the 2021 Series Champion, has previously hoisted the trophy. Notably, Larson's title came with a victory at this track, Phoenix Raceway, making him the only finalist with a championship win.

His Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron — this year's Daytona 500 champion and Regular Season Champion — is making his third consecutive appearance in the Championship 4, looking to finally convert his season- long consistency into a Cup title. Rounding out the group is Joe Gibbs Racing's Chase Briscoe, the sole first-time competitor among the quartet, vying for the championship in his debut Final Four bid.

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2025 Cup Series grid revealed

In bold are the four drivers competing for the NASCAR championship.