NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas starting lineup: Joey Logano wins his first pole of 2023

The defending Cup champion earned the 27th pole of his career and his first of the new season

By Steven Taranto

Mar 4, 2023 at 4:09 pm ET • 2 min read

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Joey Logano won the pole for the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in qualifying on Saturday, posting a lap of 29.028 (186.053 mph) to earn the 27th pole of his Cup Series career and his first of the 2023 season. Logano starts first after winning the most recent Cup Series race at Las Vegas in the fall of last year, and he is also tied for the most Las Vegas wins overall among active drivers with three.

Saturday's practice and qualifying session featured a significant spotlight on NASCAR Xfinity Series star Josh Berry, who made his first laps behind the wheel of the No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Berry was named the substitute driver for Chase Elliott this weekend after Elliott suffered a fractured tibia in a snowboarding accident on Friday. In his first laps behind the wheel of a Next Gen Cup car, Berry posted a lap of 30.153 (179.087 mph) in qualifying and will start 32nd for his third career Cup start.

Three drivers were unable to make a qualifying attempt. Tyler Reddick did not practice or qualify after his team discovered an engine issue on Saturday morning, and B.J. McLeod did not take to the track due to a transaxle issue.

Harrison Burton did not make a qualifying attempt after destroying his primary car in a hard crash during practice. Burton was said to have run over a lug nut on the frontstretch, which went through his radiator and poured water onto the right side of Burton's car. The Wood Brothers No. 21 then snapped sideways in Turn 1 before pounding the outside wall head-on.

Heavy damage for Harrison Burton in Vegas practice. #NASCARonFS1 https://t.co/5TkzklYG6d pic.twitter.com/AUn0GbjhmH
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 4, 2023

Elsewhere in the starting lineup, rookie Ty Gibbs earned the best starting spot of his young Cup career in fourth and was the fastest Toyota. William Byron, who will flank Logano on the outside of the front row, was the fastest Chevrolet in second.