Cole Custer became the first NASCAR driver to earn a pole position on a street circuit after earning the NASCAR Xfinity Series top spot for Saturday’s The Loop 121 at the Chicago Street Race.
Custer wheeled his No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford around the 2.2-mile temporary circuit with a fastest speed of 87.59 mph.
The final round ended early after Sheldon Creed brought out the red flag with 1:05 remaining on the clock.
Creed, who was slotted second on the timesheets, carried too much speed through the corner and tagged the wall.
SENT IT TOO HARD!
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 1, 2023
Sheldon Creed crashes in qualifying. #NASCAR
📺 : @USANetwork pic.twitter.com/T1YSUbaWfS
The Richard Childress Racing driver will move to a backup car after the accident.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s John Hunter Nemechek and Connor Mosack followed suit in third and fourth.
Rounding out the top-five was Creed’s teammate Austin Hill.
In a one-off start with Kaulig Racing, Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks qualified 12th after topping first practice earlier in the day.