Denny Hamlin told to ‘sluggish down’ by Joe Gibbs – Sports News
Denny Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell told him to ‘slow down’ after the pair completed first and second in qualifying forward of Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 in Las Vegas.
The run marked Bell’s first pole of the 2026 season, fourth ever in Las Vegas, and fifteenth total in his profession. The No. 20 Toyota driver hit 187.156 mph in qualifying to edge out his teammate, who logged 186.188 mph, on entrance row.
With Ty Gibbs (185.803 mph) qualifying third, your entire entrance three to begin Sunday’s race will probably be JGR drivers. It additionally marks the second straight Las Vegas race that Toyotas will begin 1-2-3.
“It was pretty simple, really,” Bell stated of his qualifying lap, per NASCAR.com. “It takes a lot of commitment here at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to qualify well. My team got their Ps and Qs right. We had a lot of grip, and I held my foot down, and we won the pole.”
“Look at you!” Hamlin replied to his faster teammate.
“In qualifying. Not in race trim!” stated Bell.
Bell, Hamlin, and Gibbs will probably be joined on the entrance of the sphere by one other Toyota, 23XI Racing star Bubba Wallace, who got here fourth in qualifying at 185.771 mph.
The quickest non-Toyota was Kyle Larson (185.548 mph), who will start in fifth after successful Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race. The reigning Cup Series champion will probably be adopted by Phoenix winner Ryan Blaney (185.185 mph) in sixth.
Championship chief Tyler Reddick, who started the 2026 season with three consecutive victories for the primary time in Cup Series historical past, certified seventh.
The inexperienced flag will probably be waved at roughly 4:10 pm ET on Sunday.
Bell will begin with the benefit in Sunday’s race, however it’s Hamlin who has the latest triumph at Las Vegas.
The No. 11 Toyota gained from the pole in final fall’s playoff race to clinch his spot within the Championship 4, the place he finally got here up short behind Larson in Phoenix.
Hamlin’s 2025 win was the primary time the Vegas pole winner went on to win the race since Kyle Busch in 2009. The second-place qualifier has gained at Vegas 5 occasions because the begin of the 2017 season.
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