Circuit of the Americas outside Austin, Texas, was added to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2021, but the races at the snaking road course have already tended to excite.
In 2021, Chase Elliott captured the checkered flag during a rainy day at the track, outlasting teammate Kyle Larson and Team Penske's Joey Logano en route to the win under a red flag.
The 2022 race held up its end of the bargain, as well, with Ross Chastain blitzed through the field — and held off late rallies by Alex Bowman and AJ Allmendinger — to secure his first Cup Series win.
What does 2023 have in store? Well, if history is any indication, another tightly contested race.
That means one thing and one thing only: the results of Saturday's qualifying rounds will go a long way in shaping the course of Sunday's race, the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.
With that, here's what you need to know about the pole sitter for Sunday's race.
Who won the pole for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix in 2023?
William Byron captured the pole in Saturday's final qualifying round, blowing past the field with a best speed of 93.882 mph. This is his ninth career pole and the first one he's notched at COTA.
"We had a little bit of work to do (Friday), just on overall balance, and we corrected some areas and some areas for me as a driver," Byron said, per NASCAR.com. "Good to get the pole, but really tomorrow is what matters."
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix starting lineup 2023
Byron and Tyler Reddick will be on the front row for Sunday's race (3:49 p.m. ET green flag; Fox, TSN), based on qualifying results. They'll be trailed by Austin Cindric and Jordan Taylor, who will start in the second row.
Taylor, an IMSA standout, will take the wheel of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 car, replacing Chase Elliott, who is recovering from surgery to repair a leg injury he suffered in a snowboarding accident in Colorado. Elliott will be in the Fox booth for the race.
| Starting pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 3. | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 4. | Jordan Taylor | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5. | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 6. | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 7. | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 8. | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 9. | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 10. | Noah Gragson | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 11. | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 12. | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 13. | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 14. | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 15. | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 16. | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 17. | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 18. | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 19. | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 20. | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 21. | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 22. | Kimi Raikkonen | 91 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 23. | Justin Haley | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
| 24. | Jenson Button | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 25. | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 26. | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 27. | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 28. | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 29. | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 30. | Brad Keselowski | 6 | RFK Racing |
| 31. | Jimmie Johnson | 84 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 32. | Chris Buescher | 17 | RFK Racing |
| 33. | Josh Bilicki | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports |
| 34. | Ty Dillon | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 35. | Conor Daly | 50 | TMT Racing |
| 36. | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 37. | Cody Ware | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 38. | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
| 39. | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
