Hendrick Motorsports has had more success than most organizations at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as of late.
2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson dashed to victory in Sin City last year’s Pennzoil 400, outlasting 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick after leading 181 laps. It was the second time in as many Sin City races he had captured the checkered flag; Larson led 133 laps en route to a dominant win at the 2023 South Point 400.
A few months early, it was fellow Hendrick Motorsports star William Byron dancing beneath confetti. He inched past Larson in overtime to take home his fifth-career Cup Series win.
There are no certainties in the world of Cup Series racing. But it seems a safe assumption that HMS—whose four drivers each reside within the top-11 in the playoff standings—will be in the mix for a Pennzoil 400 title.
Who else could join them in contention for Neon City glory? Saturday’s qualifying session should offer viewers a decent idea.
MORE: Watch the Pennzoil 400 live with Fubo
With that, here’s what you need to know about the pole-sitter and starting lineup for the Las Vegas spring race, the Pennzoil 400.
Who won the Pennzoil 400 pole for 2025?
Michael McDowell took home the pole on Saturday, posting a scorching 186.961 mph lap speed, the best mark in the field and .027 mph better than Team Penske star Joey Logano. Saturday’s outing represents the seventh pole of McDowell’s career. The Cup Series veteran racked up the previous six at Front Row Motorsports. This one came in a Spire Motorsports colors, however — McDowell became the first Spire driver to nab a Cup Series pole in the organization’s history.
“When my car went through (Turns) 1 and 2 and had a lot of grip, I didn’t think I had used it all up,” McDowell said, per NASCAR.com. “I knew that I had an opportunity to potentially do that (run the final two corners) without scrubbing speed and without putting myself in a bad spot.”
Pennzoil 400 starting lineup 2025
| Starting pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
| 1. | Michael McDowell | 71 | Spire Motorsports |
| 2. | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 3. | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 4. | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 5. | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 6. | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 7. | Josh Berry | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 8. | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 9. | Zane Smith | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 10. | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 11. | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 12. | Ryan Preece | 60 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 13. | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 14. | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 15. | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 16. | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 17. | Ty Dillon | 10 | Kaulig Racing |
| 18. | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 19. | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 20. | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 21. | Noah Gragson | 4 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 22. | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 23. | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 24. | Chase Briscoe | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 25. | Carson Hocevar | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 26. | Cole Custer | 41 | Haas Factory Team |
| 27. | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 28. | Shane van Gisbergen | 88 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 29. | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 30. | John Hunter Nemechek | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 31. | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | Hyak Motorsports |
| 32. | Todd Gilliland | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 33. | Justin Haley | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 34. | Riley Herbst | 35 | 23XI Racing |
| 35. | Cody Ware | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 36. | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
