The NASCAR Cup Series is back to its regular season after a short All-Star break, and what better place to return than the iconic Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 (6:18 p.m. ET green flag; Fox, TSN, MRN)?
Qualifying took place Saturday night. Thirty-seven drivers were on the race entry list. They were divided into two groups after practice. Each racer made a single-lap run, and the drivers with the five fastest lap times in each group advanced to the final round of qualifying.
Those 10 drivers then competed for the pole position, completing another single-lap run around Charlotte's 1.5-mile asphalt track.
MORE: Watch the Coca-Cola 600 live with fuboTV (free trial)
Sporting News has you covered on the results of Saturday's qualifying, as well as the starting order for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600.
Coca-Cola 600 qualifying results
Final group results
Finish | Driver | Lap time (sec.) |
1. | Denny Hamlin | 29.399 |
2. | Kurt Busch | 29.402 |
3. | Christopher Bell | 29.403 |
4. | Kyle Busch | 29.427 |
5. | William Byron | 29.520 |
6. | Austin Cindric | 29.621 |
7. | Bubba Wallace | 29.623 |
8. | Tyler Reddick | 29.638 |
9. | Alex Bowman | 29.643 |
10. | Michael McDowell | 29.820 |
Who won the pole for the NASCAR race at Charlotte?
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin claimed his first pole of the 2022 Cup Series, edging out fellow Toyota driver Kurt Busch by .003 seconds.
He's missing this jewel in his crown.@dennyhamlin will try to win his first #CocaCola600 from the #BuschLightPole position on Sunday! pic.twitter.com/xiuG2mB57V
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 29, 2022
Hamlin is seeking his first victory at Charlotte
"I've had such fast cars here and crazy luck that I've had here over the years and mistakes that I've made that have kept us from winning," Hamlin told Fox Sports' Jamie Little. "Just really want to get this one."
.@dennyhamlin will lead the #CocaCola600 field to green tomorrow night in Charlotte! pic.twitter.com/99j09PVkPy
— Jamie Little (@JamieLittleTV) May 29, 2022
Starting lineup for Charlotte race
The starting order for the Coca-Cola 600 was set by the results of Saturday's qualifying. Thirty-seven Cup Series teams entered the race.
Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch will start Sunday's race on the front row. Kyle Larson, the winner of last year's Coca-Cola 600, will start at the rear after hitting the wall in practice.
Starting pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
1 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
2 | Kurt Busch | 45 | 23XI Racing |
3 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
4 | Kyle Busch | 18 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
5 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
6 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
7 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
8 | Tyler Reddick | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
9 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
10 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
11 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
12 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
13 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
14 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
15 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
16 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
17 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
18 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
19 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
20 | Justin Haley | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
21 | Cole Custer | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
22 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
23 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
24 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
25 | Erik Jones | 43 | Petty GMS Motorsports |
26 | Ryan Preece | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
27 | Noah Gragson | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
28 | Ty Dillon | 42 | Petty GMS Motorsports |
29 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
30 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
31 | BJ McLeod | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports |
32 | Josh Bilicki | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
33 | Cody Ware | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
34 | Kaz Grala | 78 | The Money Team Racing |
35 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
36 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
37 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |