Hamlin edges Larson by 0.001 seconds for Chicagoland Speedway pole

NXTbets Pro | Published On: July 20, 2026

Hamlin wins pole

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin grabbed the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway in Saturday qualifying, and he did it by the slimmest of margins. Hamlin beat Kyle Larson by 0.001 seconds after a lap of 30.296 seconds at 178.241 mph. Larson followed at 30.297 seconds and 178.235 mph. That small gap put Hamlin on the front row and gave him another mark in a strong qualifying run. The pole was his fourth of the season and the 52nd of his Cup Series career. It also moved him past Ryan Newman for sole possession of ninth place on NASCAR’s all-time pole list. Hamlin now has three consecutive poles on an oval track, a run that shows steady speed when the cars go out for time. The rest of the top five in qualifying backed up that pace. Chris Buescher qualified third, Brad Keselowski was fourth and Ty Gibbs took fifth. Chicagoland Speedway also hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race in seven years, which put more attention on every run, every thousandth of a second and every spot in the starting order.

Briscoe wins the race

Chase Briscoe turned the return to Chicagoland Speedway into a race win, taking the eero 400 and giving himself his first victory of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The result was the sixth Cup Series win of Briscoe’s career. Christopher Bell finished second, Hamlin was third, William Byron took fourth and Alex Bowman came home fifth. Joe Gibbs Racing swept the top three finishing positions, with Briscoe, Bell and Hamlin filling the podium spots. That kind of finish gave the team a clean statement after Hamlin had already secured the pole in qualifying. Byron also played a major role in the race. He led a race-high 94 laps, which put him in control for long stretches even though he finished fourth at the end. The top five showed a mix of speed, strategy and track position throughout the race, but Briscoe held the final edge when it mattered. The finish gave the event a clear front-runner from the opening laps to the checkered flag and placed Briscoe at the center of the race outcome after a strong weekend at Chicagoland.

Chicagoland Speedway returns

Chicagoland Speedway’s first NASCAR Cup Series race in seven years brought a full dose of relevance back to the 1.5-mile track. The weekend started with Hamlin’s narrow pole win in qualifying and ended with Briscoe’s victory in the race, giving the venue a fast-moving, close-fought return to the schedule. The qualifying margin was razor thin, with Hamlin and Larson separated by just 0.001 seconds, and the front of the field stayed tight from there. Buescher, Keselowski and Gibbs filled the next three spots on the grid, while the race itself finished with Bell, Hamlin, Byron and Bowman near the front behind Briscoe. Joe Gibbs Racing came away with the biggest share of the spotlight, first through Hamlin’s pole and then through its sweep of the top three in the race. Hamlin’s result also added to a strong season in qualifying, since the pole was his fourth of the year and his 52nd career Cup pole. It was his third straight pole on an oval, another sign that his speed carried through more than one weekend. Chicagoland’s return gave the series a familiar setting and a tight competitive finish.