Cole Custer entered the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season as the championship favorite, easily. However, as the series heads to Phoenix, the NASCAR Cup Series winner remains winless, but it isn’t for a lack of speed, obviously.
Custer, piloting the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, was able to earn himself his 13th career pole position in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, posting a time of 27.701 seconds (129.959mph).
Justin Allgaier, who has a record that speaks for itself at Phoenix Raceway, will start alongside Custer on the front row in Saturday’s 200-lap contest, with Daniel Hemric and John Hunter Nemechek holding down the second row.
Sheldon Creed, in his second season for Richard Childress Racing, posted the fifth-quickest lap in single-car qualifying, his second top-five starting spot of the season.
Chandler Smith, last weekend’s polesitter and race dominator, qualified sixth, with Josh Berry, Austin Hill, Ryan Sieg, and Riley Herbst completing the top-10.
Parker Kligerman, who posted a top-10 lap in practice earlier on Saturday, ran into some issues in qualifying, when his No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro lost its brakes entering the first corner, causing him to slam the outside wall.
Although there was no wall contact, Connor Mosack, making his oval debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, had an incredible save while making his qualifying lap, sliding majorly in turn two. Driving the No. 24, Mosack was able to gather it up, but posted the slowest time.
Kyle Busch, returning to the series for the second straight weekend with Kaulig Racing, failed to post a lap in qualifying, after the team discovered a mechanical issue in practice.
Qualifying Results / Starting Lineup:
Qualifying Results: 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 200 at Phoenix
