Cup Series Starting Lineup for the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway

Well, folks, settle in and buckle up, because the starting lineup for the Enjoy Illinois 300 is set, and it’s looking like a barn burner. For the second weekend in a row, Denny Hamlin has put his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on the pole. The man is absolutely on fire. After all these years, you have to feel the hunger radiating off him as he chases that ever-elusive Cup Series championship.

Nailing the pole at a tricky place like World Wide Technology Raceway isn’t just about starting up front. It’s a powerful statement to the entire garage that he’s here to win. This pole marks the 46th of his career and his third this season. You can just about hear the champagne corks ready to pop over at Toyota headquarters.

They’re sitting on the brink of their 200th win in NASCAR’s premier series, a monumental achievement. Having a seasoned veteran like Hamlin leading the field to green gives them a prime opportunity to make history this weekend. There’s a palpable tension in the air, the kind that only comes when milestones are this close.

Who’s Chasing Hamlin for the Win?

But let’s be real, this won’t be a Sunday drive for Hamlin. Kyle Larson, “Yung Money” himself, is featured in the lineup right alongside him in second. We’ve all seen what Larson can do when he gets a whiff of victory lane. He’s a bulldog on the track, aggressive and relentlessly fast. He’ll be wringing the neck of that No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet from the moment the green flag waves.

The raw, wheel-to-wheel duel between these two titans right from the jump is going to be something to behold. And the pack of wolves behind them is just as hungry. Chase Briscoe laid down a blistering lap to snag the third spot, a fantastic starting position for the Stewart-Haas driver to make some real noise.

Alongside him is the “Melon Man,” Ross Chastain, so you can bet your last dollar there’ll be some action and maybe a few ruffled feathers in that row. Rounding out the top five is the reigning champ, Ryan Blaney, a driver who has mastered the art of staying out of trouble and being there when it counts. This starting lineup is absolutely loaded with raw talent and explosive potential.

Where are the Other Playoff Contenders?

Looking deeper into the starting lineup, the top ten is a murderer’s row of talent. William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Austin Cindric, and Zane Smith are all coiled and ready to strike. At a rhythm track like WWT Raceway, where pit strategy and chaotic late-race restarts can flip the script in a heartbeat, you can’t count any of these guys out.

So, where did the other championship hopefuls land? It’s a mixed bag of fortunes. Josh Berry is sitting pretty in 12th, with the wily veteran Joey Logano right on his tail in 13th. Bubba Wallace will roll off 14th, and he’ll be desperate to unleash the raw speed his Toyota has teased all season.

But some guys are starting the day with a mountain to climb. Chase Elliott finds himself buried in the back of the lineup in 19th, and his teammate Alex Bowman has a long road ahead from 25th. They’re going to need a perfect car, a bit of luck, and a whole lot of skill to carve their way through this thick traffic.

The pressure is on, and you can feel it. The stage is set for 300 miles of pure, unadulterated American stock car racing. Can Denny Hamlin finally convert another pole into a monumental victory, or will a dark horse from deep in the starting lineup emerge to steal the glory? There’s only one way to find out.

Official Starting Lineup: Enjoy Illinois 300

• 1. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 2. Kyle Larson, No. 5 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 3. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 4. Ross Chastain, No. 1 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 5. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 6. William Byron, No. 24 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 7. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 8. Christopher Bell. No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 9. Austin Cindric, No. 2 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 10. Zane Smith, No. 38 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 11. Chris Buescher, No. 17 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 12. Josh Berry, No. 21 (Wood Brothers Racing, Ford)
• 13. Joey Logano, No. 22 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 14. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 15. Austin Dillon, No. 3 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 16. Erik Jones, No. 43 (Legacy Motor Club Toyota)
• 17. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 18. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 19. Chase Elliott, No. 9 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 20. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
• 21. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 22. Kyle Busch, No. 8 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 23. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 24. Noah Gragson, No. 4 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 25. Alex Bowman, No. 48 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 26. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 27. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 28. Michael McDowell, No. 71 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 29. Cole Custer, No. 41 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
• 30. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 31. Justin Haley, No. 7 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 32. Ryan Preece, No. 60 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 33. Riley Herbst, No. 35 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 34. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 (HYAK Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 35. Ty Dillon, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 36. Cody Ware, No. 51 (Rick Ware Racing, Ford)

Race Day Expectations

The starting lineup shows just how competitive this field really is, with lap times separated by mere hundredths of a second. When margins are that tight, every little detail matters. From the setup on the car to the driver’s ability to hit their marks lap after lap. Looking at the complete starting lineup, there’s talent scattered throughout the field.

Drivers like Joey Logano starting 13th in the lineup, Bubba Wallace in 14th, and Shane van Gisbergen starting 18th all have the speed to make moves when it counts. That’s what makes NASCAR so exciting because you never know who might have that extra bit of speed when the checkered flag is in sight. Today’s race is set to be a heated battle, and with Denny Hamlin leading this talented starting lineup to green, we’re in for quite a show at World Wide Technology Raceway.