Michael McDowell was the final driver to go onto the race track in Round 2 of Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, and he zoomed to his third pole position of the 2024 season. McDowell’s fast lap was a 32.468 seconds (138.598 mph) circuit.
McDowell also set the track record in the opening round of qualifying with an impressive 32.318 second lap time.
Austin Cindric will roll from the starting grid on the outside of the front row as his lap clocked in 0.109 seconds slower than McDowell’s pole-winning run. Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, and Tyler Reddick rounded out the top-five fastest in Round 2 of qualifying.
Here are the official starting lineup and complete qualifying results for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, race 15 of 36.
Starting Lineup
| Row | Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROW 1 | 1 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports Siteman Cancer Center Ford | B |
| ROW 1 | 2 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske Freightliner Ford | A |
| ROW 2 | 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske Menards / Richmond Water Heaters Ford | B |
| ROW 2 | 4 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing DeWalt Toyota | A |
| ROW 3 | 5 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing SiriusXM Toyota | B |
| ROW 3 | 6 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing Yahoo! Toyota | A |
| ROW 4 | 7 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing Solomon Plumbing Ford | B |
| ROW 4 | 8 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing McDonald's Toyota | B |
| ROW 5 | 9 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing Monster Energy Toyota | A |
| ROW 5 | 10 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet | A |
| ROW 6 | 11 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet | B |
| ROW 6 | 12 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske Shell-Pennzoil Ford | A |
| ROW 7 | 13 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports HendrickCars.com Chevrolet | B |
| ROW 7 | 14 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports Ally Financial Chevrolet | A |
| ROW 8 | 15 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports Chili's Catch-a-Rita Chevrolet | B |
| ROW 8 | 16 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing Busch Light Chevrolet | A |
| ROW 9 | 17 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet | B |
| ROW 9 | 18 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing Dow / Rivers are Life Chevrolet | A |
| ROW 10 | 19 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing Bass Pro Shops Toyota | B |
| ROW 10 | 20 | 77 | Carson Hocevar # | Spire Motorsports Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet | A |
| ROW 11 | 21 | 51 | Justin Haley | Rick Ware Racing MotoRad Ford | B |
| ROW 11 | 22 | 43 | Erik Jones | LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Family Dollar Toyota | A |
| ROW 12 | 23 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing Overstock.com Ford | B |
| ROW 12 | 24 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing Kroger Health / OIKOS Chevrolet | A |
| ROW 13 | 25 | 16 | Derek Kraus | Kaulig Racing Kafka Conveyers Chevrolet | B |
| ROW 13 | 26 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing Travel Centers of America Ford | A |
| ROW 14 | 27 | 10 | Noah Gragson | Stewart-Haas Racing SERVPRO Ford | B |
| ROW 14 | 28 | 31 | Daniel Hemric | Kaulig Racing Poppy Bank Chevrolet | A |
| ROW 15 | 29 | 4 | Josh Berry # | Stewart-Haas Racing Overstock.com Ford | B |
| ROW 15 | 30 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing Motorcraft / Quick Lane Ford | A |
| ROW 16 | 31 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | Trackhouse Racing Choice Privileges Chevrolet | B |
| ROW 16 | 32 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing Overstock.com Ford | A |
| ROW 17 | 33 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Bommarito.com Toyota | B |
| ROW 17 | 34 | 15 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing Jacob Construction Ford | A |
| ROW 18 | 35 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports Ford | B |
| ROW 18 | 36 | 71 | Zane Smith # | Spire Motorsports Focused Health Chevrolet | A |
Round 2 Qualifying Results
| Ps | Car | Driver | Team | Lap time | Diff | Speed | Laps | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports Siteman Cancer Center Ford | 32.468 | -- | 138.598 | 1 | B |
| 2 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske Freightliner Ford | 32.577 | 0.109 | 138.134 | 1 | A |
| 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske Menards / Richmond Water Heaters Ford | 32.613 | 0.145 | 137.982 | 1 | B |
| 4 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing DeWalt Toyota | 32.687 | 0.219 | 137.669 | 1 | A |
| 5 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing SiriusXM Toyota | 32.707 | 0.239 | 137.585 | 1 | B |
| 6 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing Yahoo! Toyota | 32.726 | 0.258 | 137.505 | 1 | A |
| 7 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing Solomon Plumbing Ford | 32.753 | 0.285 | 137.392 | 1 | B |
| 8 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing McDonald's Toyota | 32.775 | 0.307 | 137.300 | 1 | B |
| 9 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing Monster Energy Toyota | 32.814 | 0.346 | 137.137 | 1 | A |
| 10 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet | 32.842 | 0.374 | 137.020 | 1 | A |
Round 1, Group A Qualifying Results
| Ps | No. | Driver | Team | Lap time | Diff | Speed | Laps | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing Yahoo! Toyota | 32.582 | -- | 138.113 | 1 | A |
| 2 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske Freightliner Ford | 32.620 | 0.038 | 137.952 | 1 | A |
| 3 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing DeWalt Toyota | 32.681 | 0.099 | 137.695 | 1 | A |
| 4 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing Monster Energy Toyota | 32.698 | 0.116 | 137.623 | 1 | A |
| 5 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet | 32.704 | 0.122 | 137.598 | 1 | A |
| 6 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske Shell-Pennzoil Ford | 32.774 | 0.192 | 137.304 | 1 | A |
| 7 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports Ally Financial Chevrolet | 32.822 | 0.240 | 137.103 | 1 | A |
| 8 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing Busch Light Chevrolet | 32.897 | 0.315 | 136.791 | 1 | A |
| 9 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing Dow / Rivers are Life Chevrolet | 32.899 | 0.317 | 136.782 | 1 | A |
| 10 | 77 | Carson Hocevar # | Spire Motorsports Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet | 32.915 | 0.333 | 136.716 | 1 | A |
| 11 | 43 | Erik Jones | LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Family Dollar Toyota | 32.971 | 0.389 | 136.484 | 1 | A |
| 12 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing Kroger Health / OIKOS Chevrolet | 32.999 | 0.417 | 136.368 | 1 | A |
| 13 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing Travel Centers of America Ford | 33.051 | 0.469 | 136.153 | 1 | A |
| 14 | 31 | Daniel Hemric | Kaulig Racing Poppy Bank Chevrolet | 33.077 | 0.495 | 136.046 | 1 | A |
| 15 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing Motorcraft / Quick Lane Ford | 33.165 | 0.583 | 135.685 | 1 | A |
| 16 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing Overstock.com Ford | 33.225 | 0.643 | 135.440 | 1 | A |
| 17 | 15 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing Jacob Construction Ford | 33.335 | 0.753 | 134.993 | 1 | A |
| 18 | 71 | Zane Smith # | Spire Motorsports Focused Health Chevrolet | 33.420 | 0.838 | 134.650 | 1 | A |
Round 1, Group B Qualifying Results
| Ps | Car | Driver | Team | Lap time | Diff | Speed | Laps | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports Siteman Cancer Center Ford | 32.318 | -- | 139.241 | 1 | B |
| 2 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing SiriusXM Toyota | 32.657 | 0.339 | 137.796 | 1 | B |
| 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske Menards / Richmond Water Heaters Ford | 32.663 | 0.345 | 137.771 | 1 | B |
| 4 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing McDonald's Toyota | 32.669 | 0.351 | 137.745 | 1 | B |
| 5 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing Solomon Plumbing Ford | 32.673 | 0.355 | 137.728 | 1 | B |
| 6 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet | 32.705 | 0.387 | 137.594 | 1 | B |
| 7 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports HendrickCars.com Chevrolet | 32.734 | 0.416 | 137.472 | 1 | B |
| 8 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports Chili's Catch-a-Rita Chevrolet | 32.735 | 0.417 | 137.468 | 1 | B |
| 9 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet | 32.742 | 0.424 | 137.438 | 1 | B |
| 10 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing Bass Pro Shops Toyota | 32.815 | 0.497 | 137.132 | 1 | B |
| 11 | 51 | Justin Haley | Rick Ware Racing MotoRad Ford | 32.817 | 0.499 | 137.124 | 1 | B |
| 12 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing Overstock.com Ford | 32.837 | 0.519 | 137.041 | 1 | B |
| 13 | 16 | Derek Kraus | Kaulig Racing Kafka Conveyers Chevrolet | 32.916 | 0.598 | 136.712 | 1 | B |
| 14 | 10 | Noah Gragson | Stewart-Haas Racing SERVPRO Ford | 32.932 | 0.614 | 136.645 | 1 | B |
| 15 | 4 | Josh Berry # | Stewart-Haas Racing Overstock.com Ford | 32.971 | 0.653 | 136.484 | 1 | B |
| 16 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | Trackhouse Racing Choice Privileges Chevrolet | 32.985 | 0.667 | 136.426 | 1 | B |
| 17 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Bommarito.com Toyota | 33.013 | 0.695 | 136.310 | 1 | B |
| 18 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports Ford | 33.021 | 0.703 | 136.277 | 1 | B |
