William Byron secures his first NASCAR Cup Series pole position at Martinsville Speedway, qualifying first for the playoff crucial race. Byron, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet, clocked a lap of 19.286 seconds (98.185 mph), narrowly beating Ty Gibbs by two thousandths of a second. This marks Byron’s third pole this season and the 16th of his career, positioning him well in the must-win scenario to advance to the Championship 4. Top qualifiers included Kyle Larson in third, Joey Logano in fourth, and Denny Hamlin in fifth, with several other playoff drivers also starting in strong positions. Byron expressed optimism despite acknowledging the race’s significance, stating, 'It’s great; it’s not the race, though. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but it feels nice.' The race at Martinsville is 500 laps, and Byron’s starting position gives him a strategic advantage in the high-stakes playoff fight. Other playoff contenders like Logano, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney face must-win conditions, with Blaney starting 31st after a disappointing qualifying effort. The race coverage will be on NBC and Peacock, beginning with Countdown to Green at 1:30 p.m. ET and race start at 2 p.m. ET.