Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott Are Starting 20th or Worse and Nobody Saw This Coming
Holy smokes, you guys! We just got the starting lineup for Sunday’s Andruil 250 in San Diego, and if you thought you knew what was up, think again. Shane van Gisbergen, the man, the legend, just snatched his second pole position of the 2026 season for Trackhouse Racing! He’s gonna be leading the charge from the front row, and honestly, the energy is already off the charts. But here’s the kicker, the real head-scratcher that’s got me yelling at my screen right now: some absolute titans of the sport are buried deep, *deep* in the pack. This isn’t your grandma’s starting grid, folks, this is a total shake-up!
Van Gisbergen On Top, Again!
So yeah, Shane van Gisbergen is absolutely feeling himself right now. This dude just grabbed the pole for the San Diego race, putting his No. 97 out front. It’s not just a one-off fluke, either. This is his second pole of the 2026 season, which tells you he’s got the speed and he’s ready to make some noise. Carson Hocevar is gonna be right there with him, lining up on the front row in the No. 77. Talk about a power duo to kick things off! Then you’ve got Ryan Blaney in the No. 12 and Zane Smith in the No. 38 rounding out the second row. That's a strong top four, no doubt, but the story gets wilder the further down you look.
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Legends Buried Deep: What Happened?!
Alright, so this is where things get absolutely bonkers. If you’re like me, you probably expect to see certain names always near the top. But for this race, we’re talking about a complete reversal of fortune for some seriously big players. Alex Bowman, Kevin Magnussen, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Austin Cindric, Jimmie Johnson, and Christopher Bell. Get this: ALL of them are starting 20th or WORSE. I’m talking about Hall of Famers and Cup Series champions stuck mid-pack or further back! What gives, right? We also heard that Hocevar, Ryan Preece, Brad Keselowski, and Bubba Wallace all had some kind of issues on their qualifying runs. That explains some of it, but to see so many dominant forces so far down the list? That changes everything about how Sunday’s race is going to play out.
So, get ready, everyone! Sunday afternoon's event is going to be an absolute wild card. With Shane van Gisbergen and Carson Hocevar leading the charge, but so many big names like Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott having to fight their way up from the back, anything could happen. You know the drivers want to prove something when they're starting so far down. We are in for one heck of a race in San Diego, and I for one cannot wait to see how this shakes out. Is van Gisbergen going to cruise, or are we about to witness some historic comebacks?
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.