Denny Hamlin Clinches Gateway pole as NASCAR Playoff Lineup Shapes

The full lineup also features heavy hitters like William Byron(6th), Tyler Reddick (7th), and Joey Logano(13th) — while playoff regulars such as Kyle Busch (22nd) and Chase Elliott (19th) will have to work their way forward. Rookie Shane van Gisbergen, making just his second playoff start, rolls off from 18th. 

Adding intrigue is NASCAR’s decision to debut a new tire package at Gateway, the same combination tested at Iowa earlier this year. With unknowns about tire wear and handling, strategy could prove decisive. Larson, notably, was the only playoff driver to participate in that June tire test, giving him a possible edge. 

Three previous Cup races at Gateway have produced three different winners — Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, and Austin Cindric — suggesting Sunday could deliver yet another shakeup.

Here's the full starting lineup:

1. #11 Denny Hamlin
2. #5 Kyle Larson
3. #19 Chase Briscoe
4. #1 Ross Chastain
5. #12 Ryan Blaney
6. #24 William Byron
7. #45 Tyler Reddick
8. #20 Christopher Bell
9. #2 Austin Cindric
10. #38 Zane Smith
11. #17 Chris Buescher
12. #21 Josh Berry
13. #22 Joey Logano
14. #23 Bubba Wallace
15. #3 Austin Dillon
16. #43 Erik Jones
17. #16 A.J. Allmendinger
18. #88 Shane van Gisbergen (Rookie)
19. #9 Chase Elliott
20. #42 John Hunter Nemechek
21. #54 Ty Gibbs
22. #8 Kyle Busch
23. #6 Brad Keselowski
24. #4 Noah Gragson
25. #48 Alex Bowman
26. #99 Daniel Suarez
27. #77 Carson Hocevar
28. #71 Michael McDowell
29. #41 Cole Custer
30. #34 Todd Gilliland
31. #7 Justin Haley
32. #60 Ryan Preece
33. #35 Riley Herbst (Rookie)
34. #47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
35. #10 Ty Dillon
36. #51 Cody Ware

With only Briscoe locked into the next round, the pressure is on the rest of the playoff field to avoid an early exit at NASCAR’s newest postseason battleground. 

Where to Watch: The Enjoy Illinois 300 goes green Sunday, Sept. 7 at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, with streaming available on Fubo.