RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Qualifying for the Toyota Owners 400 race came with some surprises Saturday afternoon at Richmond Raceway.
Kyle Larson, who won at the raceway last spring, came out on top with pole position and a best time of 22.438. He narrowly edged out Chase Elliot who had a best time of 22.44.
While Larson may have been one of the favorites heading into qualifying, another favorite, local driver Denny Hamlin was edged out of the top 10 during the elimination phase. He will start 11th on the starting grid tomorrow.
Other favorites, Bubba Wallace and Martin Truex Jr. finished in the top 10, surviving the elimination phase. Wallace finished fifth with a best time of 22.534 while Truex Jr. finished seventh with a best time of 22.578.
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RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – MARCH 30: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, and Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, drive during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on March 30, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) -
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – MARCH 30: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Mavis Tires & Brakes Toyota, drives during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on March 30, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) -
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – MARCH 30: Kaz Grala, driver of the #15 N29 Capital Partners Ford, and William Byron, driver of the #24 Liberty University Chevrolet, drive during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on March 30, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) -
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – MARCH 30: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota, drives during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on March 30, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) -
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – MARCH 30: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Duracell Ford, drives during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on March 30, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) -
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – MARCH 30: William Byron, driver of the #24 Liberty University Chevrolet, drives during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on March 30, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
The green flag will drop at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 31. The race will take place under the lights, with Richmond serving as the first night race of the season.
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