Brandon Jones Claims NASCAR Xfinity Pole as Zilisch Leads Title Fight

Brandon Jones takes pole for the NASCAR Xfinity Series finale at Phoenix Raceway with a 27.490-second lap. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver leads a front-row lockout for the organization.

Taylor Gray, buoyed by last week’s Martinsville win, lines up second. Sheldon Creed qualifies third for the Haas Factory Team, underscoring Ford’s one-lap speed in clean, cool conditions.

Among the Championship 4, Connor Zilisch qualifies fourth. He edges Justin Allgaier on the official tiebreaker after both posted identical lap times in the final session.

Allgaier starts fifth for JR Motorsports, with Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love sixth. The title quartet is completed by another finalist, keeping the contenders tightly grouped.

Zilisch reports a productive practice but targets gains in Turns 1 and 2. He remains confident in his Chevrolet’s balance and long-run prospects for the decisive race.

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Track evolution favored early, committed laps. Single-lap execution proved decisive, but Phoenix typically rewards cars that manage restarts, tire wear, and clean air across long green-flag runs.

The owners’ championship picture differs slightly. JR Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing remain factors, joined by JGR’s No. 19 with Aric Almirola and RCR’s No. 21 with Austin Hill.

Almirola’s seventh and Hill’s sixteenth reflect divergent launch points. Their crews may emphasize pit cycle flexibility and short-run track position as Phoenix cautions frequently reset strategy.

Ryan Sieg marks his 400th Xfinity start, qualifying tenth in the No. 41 Haas entry after Sam Mayer’s suspension. Kyle Sieg starts seventeenth in the No. 39 typically driven by Ryan.

The top five are split by just 0.154 seconds, highlighting minimal margins. Expect track position battles, aggressive restarts, and undercut attempts to frame the season’s final outcome.

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John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.