NASCAR playoffs at Homestead starting lineup: William Byron wins first pole of 2022

Byron will start on the pole after winning the last race at Homestead in 2021

By Steven Taranto

Oct 22, 2022 at 2:10 pm ET • 1 min read

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William Byron won the pole for the Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in qualifying on Saturday, laying down a lap of 32.454 seconds (166.389 MPH) to earn his first pole of the 2022 season. Byron's pole is the seventh of his Cup career, and his first since Indianapolis in 2021.

Byron's pole is a timely one, and it comes on a return trip he has surely looked forward to all season: Byron enters Sunday's race six points below the cut line to make the Championship 4, but he enters Homestead as the defending winner from the track's last race in February of last year.

While the top three starting spots were all taken by playoff drivers -- Byron first, Christopher Bell second, and Chase Elliott third -- the surprise of Saturday's practice and qualifying session was John Hunter Nemechek. Filling in for Bubba Wallace (suspension) in the No. 45, Nemechek was fastest overall in practice as well as the first round of qualifying before earning a career-best fourth starting spot. Ty Gibbs, Nemechek's teammate at 23XI Racing and fellow substitute driver, also turned in his career-best qualifying effort in sixth.

Interestingly, the top three qualifiers were the only three playoff drivers to make the final round of qualifying. All will start in the top 20, led by Ryan Blaney in 13th followed by Denny Hamlin (14th), Joey Logano (17th), Chase Briscoe (19th), and Ross Chastain (20th).