A look at the NASCAR qualifying results from the 2026 Straight Talk Wireless 500 NASCAR race at Phoenix Raceway.
The fourth NASCAR Cup Series race of the 2026 season is upon us. Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway offers a semblance of normalcy if you will, following a pair of drafting tracks and a road course to begin the season. Given the wild schedule of tracks to open up, this weekend will serve as a key early-season benchmark for which drivers and teams are dialed in.
One race team in particular was able to turn some heads in NASCAR qualifying results on Saturday, nabbing the pole position and three of the top five spots in the Straight Talk Wireless 500 starting lineup. The following shares the official starting grid for Sunday’s race, along with Phoenix Raceway track details and key observations from NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying.
NASCAR Qualifying Results at Phoenix Raceway
2026 Straight Talk Wireless 500 Race Info
Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026
Start Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
Track: Phoenix Raceway — Avondale, AZ
Coverage: FS1
Pole Sitter: Joey Logano
Defending Champion: Christopher Bell
Straight Talk Wireless 500 Race Breakdown
Distance: 312 miles
Laps: 312
Lap Length: 1 mile
Stages: Three (60 laps, 125 laps, 127 laps)
Surface: Asphalt
Turns: 4
Banking: Turns 1 & 2 — 9°; Turns 3 & 4 — 11°; Frontstretch — 9°; Backstretch — 3°
Official Straight Talk Wireless 500 Starting Lineup
The qualifying results are in, and Joey Logano is set to lead the field to green at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday. The No. 22 Ford Mustang took home the Busch Light Pole Award with a lap time of 26.561 seconds and speed of 135.537 mph. That time was a mere 0.17 seconds faster than runner-up Kyle Larson, who will start second.
This represents Logano’s first pole of the 2026 season. It will be the third time he has started up front at Phoenix Raceway and the 34th career pole of his NASCAR Cup Series career. The table below shares the complete Straight Talk Wireless 500 starting lineup for Sunday afternoon’s race.
| Starting Position | Driver | Car Number | Team | Manufacturer |
| 1 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 2 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 3 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 4 | Daniel Suarez | 7 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 5 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 6 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Carson Hocevar | 77 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 9 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Josh Berry | 22 | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 12 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 13 | Ryan Preece | 60 | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 14 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 15 | John Hunter Nemechek | 42 | Legacy Motor Club | Toyota |
| 16 | Michael McDowell | 71 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Chris Buescher | 17 | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 18 | Shane van Gisbergen | 97 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 19 | Connor Zilish | 88 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 20 | Chase Briscoe | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 21 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | HYAK Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 22 | Riley Herbst | 35 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 23 | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 24 | Zane Smith | 38 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 25 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 26 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 27 | Austin Hill | 33 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 28 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 29 | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 30 | Todd Gilliland | 34 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 31 | Anthony Alfredo | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 32 | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club | Toyota |
| 33 | Ty Dillon | 10 | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | Cody Ware | 51 | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 35 | Noah Gragson | 4 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 36 | Cole Custer | 41 | Haas Factory Team | Chevrolet |
| 37 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | RFK Racing | Ford |
NASCAR Straight Talk Wireless 500 Practice and Qualifying Notes
- The Team Penske Fords put the rest of the field on notice with Joey Logano winning the Pole Award all three team cars qualifying inside the top-5.
- Spire Motorsports showed plenty of speed with Daniel Suarez (133.943 mph) and Carson Hocevar (133.526) finishing one-two in practice. They will line up fourth and seventh on the starting grid, respectively.
- Austin Cindric posted the fastest ten consecutive lap average speed (131.789) in practice and went on to qualify third.
- Brad Keselowski cut a tire during practice and hit the outside wall. He will be at the rear of the Straight Talk Wireless 500 starting lineup on Sunday in a backup car.
- Tyler Reddick’s quest for an unprecedented four straight wins to begin the 2026 season began with a spin late in practice. His car took no damage and he went on to be the fastest Toyota in qualifying and will start eighth.
