Ryan Blaney wins Cup pole at Circuit of the Americas

By Chris EstradaMar 26, 2022, 12:15 PM EDT

Ryan Blaney has won pole position for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas.

Blaney’s lap of 2 minutes, 12.343 seconds around the 3.41-mile road course was fastest among the 10 drivers that made the final round of Saturday’s qualifying.

NASCAR Cup Series at COTA – Starting Lineup

NASCAR Cup Series at COTA – Qualifying Results

The pole comes after Blaney spun in the morning practice session at Turn 10. Despite going through the gravel trap and into the tire barrier, Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford escaped serious damage in the incident.

“I wouldn’t have thought that we’d sit on the pole after I hit the fence,” Blaney told Fox Sports after earning his second pole of the season (Phoenix). “I appreciate the fast car, number one, and I appreciate the soft wall that was over there and these resilient race cars.

“…. I wouldn’t say I’m the best road course racer. I kind of struggle and always look to find speed. It was cool that we had it today in qualifying, so hopefully, that carries over to tomorrow. … It’s a pretty good surprise after practice, so, good job to everybody.”

This marks @Blaney’s second pole of the season and eighth of his #NASCAR Cup Series career. 👊 pic.twitter.com/hXjjpqFi18

— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) March 26, 2022

Joining him on the front row is Trackhouse’s Daniel Suarez, who post his best final-round lap at 2 minutes, 12.369 seconds.

His second-place starting position is the best for the two-year-old Trackhouse organization, which scored top-five finishes from both Suarez (fourth) and Ross Chastain (second) last week at Atlanta Motor Speedway behind winner William Byron.

Row 2 features Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer (2:12.471) and Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick (2:12.552).

Behind them in Row 3 will be Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman (2:12.656) and Team Penske’s Joey Logano (2:12.892).

Andy Lally was not allowed to qualify the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford after said entry failed inspection three times Saturday.

Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix is scheduled to go green at 3:49 p.m. ET.

Portland Xfinity race results, driver points

By Dustin LongJun 3, 2023, 7:53 PM EDT

Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images

Cole Custer went from fourth to first on the overtime restart when the top three cars made contact and went on to win Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Portland International Raceway. Custer is the 10th different winner in 13 races this season.

MORE: Portland Xfinity race results

MORE: Driver points after Portland Xfinity race

JR Motorsports took the next three spots: Justin Allgaier placed second, Sam Mayer was third and Josh Berry was fourth. Austin Hill completed the top five.

John Hunter Nemechek remains the points leader after 13 races. He has a 14-point lead on Hill. Nemechek leads Allgaier by 44 points.

Cole Custer wins Xfinity race at Portland in overtime

By Dustin LongJun 3, 2023, 7:25 PM EDT

Cole Custer held off Justin Allgaier at the finish to win Saturday’s Xfinity Series race in overtime at Portland International Raceway. It is Custer’s first victory of the season.

JR Motorsports placed second, third and fourth with Allgaier, Sam Mayer and Josh Berry. Austin Hill finished fifth.

MORE: Race results, driver points

Custer went from fourth to first on the overtime restart when Parker Kligerman, who restarted third, attempted to pass Allgaier, who was leading. Sheldon Creed was on the outside of Allgaier. All three cars made contact entering Turn 1, allowing Custer to slip by. Creed finished seventh. Kligerman placed 14th.

Custer won the second stage when John Hunter Nemechek made contact with Creed’s car while racing for the lead on the final lap of the stage. The contact spun Creed and Custer inched by Nemechek at the line.

Early in the final stage, Creed gained revenge with contact that spun Nemechek, who went on to finish 10th. A few laps later, Nemechek and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Sammy Smith had issues. Smith spun Nemechek. After getting back around, Nemechek quickly caught Smith and turned into Smith’s car, damaging it.

STAGE 1 WINNER: Sheldon Creed

STAGE 2 WINNER: Cole Custer

WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Despite the contact on the overtime restart, runner-up Justin Allgaier managed to score his fourth consecutive top-three finish. … Sam Mayer’s third-place finish is his best on a road course. … Austin Hill’s fifth-place finish gives him four consecutive top-five results.

WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Daniel Hemric finished 33rd after a fire in his car. … Riley Herbst placed 32nd after an engine issue. After opening the season with six top 10s in a row, Herbst has gone seven races in a row without a top 10.

NEXT: The series competes June 10 at Sonoma Raceway (8 p.m. ET on FS1).

Truck race results at WWT Raceway: Grant Enfinger wins

By Dustin LongJun 3, 2023, 4:55 PM EDT

Grant Enfinger took the lead when the leaders wrecked in the final laps and held off the field in overtime to win Saturday’s Craftsman Truck Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway.

It is Enfinger’s second win in the last five races. He also collected a $50,000 bonus for winning the Triple Truck Challenge.

MORE: Truck race results

MORE: Driver points after WWT Raceway

Christian Eckes finished second and was followed by Stewart Friesen, Carson Hocevar and Chase Purdy.

Ty Majeski and Zane Smith wrecked while racing for the lead with six laps to go. Majeski, running on the inside of Smith, slid up the track and clipped Smith’s truck. Both hit the wall. That put Enfinger in the lead.

Smith finished 20th. Majeski placed 30th.

STAGE 1 WINNER: Grant Enfinger

STAGE 2 WINNER: Stewart Friesen

WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Grant Enfinger’s victory is his fourth top 10 in the last five races. … Carson Hocevar’s fourth-place finish is his fourth consecutive top-five result. … Stewart Friesen’s third-place finish moved him into a playoff spot with four races left in the regular season. … Matt DiBenedetto‘s sixth-place finish is his third consecutive top 10. … Jesse Love finished ninth in his series debut.

WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Ty Majeski had a chance to take the points lead with series leader Corey Heim out because of illness, but Majeski’s 30th-place finish after running at the front most of the day, leaves him behind Heim. … Hailie Deegan finished 32nd after contact sent her truck into the wall hard. … After finishing a career-high third last week at Charlotte, Dean Thompson placed 34th Saturday due to an engine issue.

NEXT: The series races June 23 at Nashville Superspeedway (8 p.m. ET on FS1)

Xfinity starting lineup at Portland: Sheldon Creed wins pole

By Dustin LongJun 3, 2023, 1:27 PM EDT

Sheldon Creed scored his first career Xfinity Series pole by taking the top spot for Saturday’s race at Portland International Raceway.

Creed, making his 50th career series start, earned the pole with a lap of 95.694 mph on the 1.97-mile road course.

MORE: Portland Xfinity starting lineup

Cole Custer will start second with a lap of 95.398 mph. He is followed by Josh Berry (94.242 mph), John Hunter Nemechek (95.127) and Charlotte winner Justin Allgaier (94.897). Road racing specialist Jordan Taylor, driving for Kaulig Racing, qualified sixth at 94.772 mph.

The green flag is scheduled to wave 4:46 p.m. ET Saturday on FS1.

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