William Byron wins first NASCAR Cup pole at Martinsville amid Championship 4 playoff battle

William Byron secured his first NASCAR Cup Series pole position at Martinsville Speedway with a lap time of 19.286 seconds, narrowly edging out Ty Gibbs by two thousandths of a second in a critical must-win race for the playoffs. Byron, a two-time Martinsville winner, is among six playoff drivers vying for the final two spots in the Championship 4 season finale and needs a victory to advance for the third consecutive year. Playoff contenders Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, and Denny Hamlin also qualified near the front, with Larson and Christopher Bell comfortably above the cutline, while Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney are in must-win scenarios. Despite the pole, Byron emphasized the importance of the race itself over qualifying, noting the challenge ahead across the 500 laps. Mechanical issues have plagued some drivers, including Hamlin, who had a difficult qualifying session but remained optimistic about the race. The elimination race at Martinsville is pivotal as it determines who advances to the final Championship 4 round at Phoenix Raceway.