Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer was the man to beat during NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday night as he set the pace in the 38-car field.
The reigning series champion set a fast lap of 29.788 seconds at 181.281 mph in his No. 00 Ford.
Behind him, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith qualified second in the No. 81 Toyota with a 29.805-second lap time (181.178 mph). Kaulig Racing driver A.J. Allmendinger was third at 29.904 seconds (180.578 mph).Â
Jordan Anderson Racing’s Parker Retzlaff and Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill completed the top five.
Ryan Sieg, Parker Kligerman, Sammy Smith, Sheldon Creed and Aric Almirola were in the top 10.Â
Jesse Love, who has swept the first two pole awards of the season, qualified 15th in his No. 2 RCR Chevrolet. Meanwhile, Shane van Gisbergen was 25th in the No. 97 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.Â
The third race of the Xfinity Series season, the LiUNA, will commence at 2 p.m. (ET) on Saturday.