NASCAR at Chicagoland 2019 Qualifying Results: Austin Dillon Wins Pole Position

Paul KasabianSenior ContributorJune 30, 2019

JOLIET, ILLINOIS - JUNE 29: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Dow Univar Solutions Chevrolet, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Camping World 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on June 29, 2019 in Joliet, Illinois. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Austin Dillon earned the provisional Camping World 400 pole position by clocking a 30.636-second time during his qualifying run at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, on Saturday.

Kevin Harvick will start alongside Dillon after finishing three-hundredths of a second behind. Results will not become official until inspection is complete Sunday morning, as Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic explained:

Jordan Bianchi @Jordan_Bianchi
Austin Dillon wins the pole for Sunday's Cup Series race at Chicagoland. Kevin Harvick qualifies second, followed by Daniel Hemric, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch. With this an impound race, the starting lineup won't be finalized until pre-race inspection is completed tomorrow.

Here's a look at the entire 38-car lineup's unofficial qualifying results as well as a quick reaction prior to the Camping World 400, which starts 3 p.m. ET and will be televised on NBC Sports.

Camping World 400 Lineup Unofficial Qualifying Results

1. Austin Dillon (30.636)

2. Kevin Harvick (30.666)

3. Daniel Hemric (30.689)

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4. Jimmie Johnson (30.738)

5. Kurt Busch (30.759)

6. Clint Bowyer (30.783)

7. Michael McDowell (30.788)

8. Alex Bowman (30.824)

9. Denny Hamlin (30.837)

10. Ryan Blaney (30.841)

11. William Byron (30.869)

12. Brad Keselowski (30.881)

13. Chase Elliott (30.916)

14. Kyle Larson (30.932)

15. Aric Almirola (30.938)

16. Ryan Newman (30.940)

17. Kyle Busch (30.967)

18. Martin Truex Jr. (30.974)

19. Joey Logano (31.037)

20. Ty Dillon (31.067)

21. Erik Jones (31.070)

22. Matt Tifft (31.084)

23. Ryan Preece (31.155)

24. David Ragan (31.167)

25. Paul Menard (31.170)

26. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (31.184)

27. Bubba Wallace (31.194)

28. Chris Buescher (31.253)

29. Daniel Suarez (31.287)

30. Matt DiBenedetto (31.346)

31. Corey LaJoie (31.452)

32. Ross Chastain (31.513)

33. Bayley Currey (31.641)

34. Landon Cassill (31.702)

35. BJ McLeod (31.901)

36. Quin Houff (32.107)

37. Josh Bilicki (32.126)

38. Reed Sorensen (32.185)

Source: NASCAR.com

Reaction

Dillon is used to being the pole-sitter, having done so a couple of times already this season and three more before 2019, per Performance Racing Network:

PRN @PRNlive
Austin Dillon wins the pole for tomorrow’s Monster Energy @NASCAR Cup Series Race at @ChicagolndSpdwy! It’s his third pole of 2019 and 6th of his career. Kevin Harvick will start alongside him on the front row. https://t.co/SMgMtPYG2D

Those pole-sitting positions haven't led to great success, as he finished 10th and 14th the other two times he started first this year. Dillon's highest-ever result following a qualifying win is ninth. Furthermore, no Chicagoland pole-sitter in the Monster Energy series has ever won there.

Still, Dillon sounded confident and undeterred post-qualifying:

#NASCARSalutes @NASCAR
The #BuschPole sitter has a message for you! Take a listen to what @austindillon3 has to say. https://t.co/ZXqebJ9IA6

Also, Dillon has tasted victory before in big races, having won the 2018 Daytona 500 and 2017 Coca-Cola 600. He will be looking for his third top-10 finish of the season.

Oddly enough, the top Monster Energy pole speed was slower than the Xfinity and Truck series' top Chicagoland qualifying times, per Nick Bromberg of Yahoo Sports:

Nick Bromberg @NickBromberg
It’s happened! Austin Dillon’s pole speed was 176.236 MPH. https://t.co/m0Z71Le48r

The 38 drivers will be racing on a mile-and-a-half long oval track for 267 laps.