Qualifying is done and the field is set for the second race of NASCAR’s 2025 Cup Series season. Ryan Blaney will lead the field to green Sunday for the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta.
After leaving Daytona and its unique qualifying behind, NASCAR returned to its normal oval-track system of two rounds, with the 10 fastest drivers advancing to the second and final round to set the first five rows for Sunday’s 39-car field. The other 29 fall in line in order of their first-round qualifying speed.
The cars get around Atlanta’s 1.54-mile quad-oval in 31 seconds, give or take.
Top 10 qualifying speeds from Atlanta: Ryan Blaney fastest
“Big props to everybody back home and everybody here,” Blaney said. “Hopefully it carries over to tomorrow.”
Ten of the top 11 speeds Saturday were turned in by Fords. Kyle Busch’s Chevy, sixth fastest, is the lone non-Ford among that group.
Ryan Blaney, Ford: 179.371 mph
Austin Cindric, Ford: 179.359
Josh Berry, Ford: 179.139
Joey Logano, Ford: 178.827
Todd Gilliland, Ford: 178.735
Kyle Busch, Chevrolet: 178.626
Zane Smith, Ford: 178.436
Chris Buescher, Ford: 178.264
Brad Keselowski, Ford: 178.252
Noah Gragson, Ford: 178.086
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NASCAR starting lineup for Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta
1st – Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
2nd – Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
3rd – Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
4th – Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
5th – Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
6th – Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
7th – Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
8th – Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
9th – Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
10th – Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford
11th – Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
12th – A.J. Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
13th – Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
14th – Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
15th – Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
16th – William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
17th – Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
18th – Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
19th – Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
20th – Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
21st – Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
22nd – John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
23rd – Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford
24th – Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
25th – Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
26th – Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
27th – Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota
28th – Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
29th – Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
30th – Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
31st – Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
32nd – Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
33rd – Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet
34th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet
35th – Corey LaJoie, No. 01 Rick Ware Racing Ford
36th – Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
37th – Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
38th – B.J. McLeod, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet
39th – J.J. Yeley, No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet
How to watch NASCAR Atlanta race Sunday
3 p.m: Ambetter Health 400 (Fox)
NASCAR Track Facts from Atlanta Motor Speedway
Where: Hampton, Ga. (about 30 miles south of Atlanta).
Length: 1.54-mile quad-oval.
Banking: 28 degrees.
Year opened: 1960
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR lineup, qualifying results at Atlanta. Ryan Blaney, Fords fast
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