SVG Earns Xfinity Pole Ahead Of ROVAL Elimination Race

Shane van Gisbergen celebrates his NASCAR Xfinity Series pole Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (HHP/Jim Fluharty photo)

CONCORD, N.C. – Considering he’s entering Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff elimination race at the Charlote Motor Speedway ROVAL below the cut line to advance, Shane van Gisbergen knew a fast start in qualifying would be crucial to success.

He got that in spades during time trials around the 17-turn, 2.28-mile course, earning the pole position for the Drive for the Cure 250 with his Kaulig Racing-prepared No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro.

The three-time Australian Supercars champion led both knockout rounds and posted a time of one minute, 24.523 seconds (97.110 mph) in the 10-driver pole shootout to earn top qualifying honors.

It’s van Gisbergen’s third career Xfinity Series pole, and he’ll look to convert it into a fourth win of the season in order to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

“I left a little bit on the table [in round one] just to make sure we got through, but the WeatherTech Camaro was really good the second run and [teammate] AJ [Allmendinger] is fast as well, so that’s a credit to all the Kaulig Racing guys for digging in and working to get better,” the New Zealand native noted. “We struggled at Watkins [Glen] for pace and had to rethink things, and now the cars are really, really good.

“Hopefully we can both take it to the rest of the field in the race and find a way for both of us to make it through to the second round of the playoffs. We’re in a good spot.”

Joining van Gisbergen on the front row for Saturday’s 250-kilometer event is JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer, the defending race winner who also need a trip to victory lane if he wants to move on in the postseason.

Mayer starts second in the No. 1 QPS Employment Group Chevrolet Camaro after a lap of 1:24.731 (96.871 mph) in the final round of qualifying.

Allmendinger lines up third alongside Joe Gibbs Racing’s Josh Bilicki, with Bilicki’s teammate Sheldon Creed rolling off fifth as he continues to seek his first Xfinity Series win.

Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Jesse Love, Justin Allgaier, and Connor Mosack filled out the top 10 drivers who advanced through both rounds of knockout qualifying.

Fastest among those who failed to transfer from round one was Our Motorsports’ Anthony Alfredo, who starts 11th (1:25.378/96.137) and turned his lap in Group A.

Other notables starting deeper in the field include playoff contenders Riley Herbst (12th), Cole Custer (14th), Sammy Smith (16th), and Parker Kligerman (22nd), as well as road-course ringers like Sage Karam (28th) and Brad Perez (31st).

With 38 cars entered for 38 starting spots, all drivers qualified for the race.

Broadcast coverage of the Drive for the Cure 250 is slated for 4 p.m. ET, live on The CW, the Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.