Bubba Wallace is on a roll.
The 23XI driver has been one of the most consistent drivers in NASCAR over the past month or so. He's secured three top-five finishes in his last three races, as well as a second-place finish at the All-Star race.
Wallace is hitting his stride at the perfect time. The 29-year old has long carried potential and has shown flashes of brilliance in the high-quality equipment of the Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin-owned racing organization. But he's enjoying the best stretch of his young career, overcoming pit road struggles, steering clear of debris and working with crew chief Bootie Barker to push himself on the brink of a playoff spot.
His best friend Ryan Blaney snatched a win at Charlotte last week. It seems like only a matter of time before he joins him in victory lane.
MORE: Watch the Enjoy Illinois 300 live with Fubo (free trial)
With that, here's what you need to know about the results of Saturday's qualifying for the 2023 Enjoy Illinois 300:
Who won the pole for St. Louis in 2023?
Kyle Busch captured the pole for Sunday's race, posting the fastest lap time in qualifying. He outpaced Ryan Blaney in the No. 12 car, who will join him in the front row. It's Busch's 33rd career pole, and second of the season.
MORE: Date, time, TV channels for every NASCAR Cup Series race in 2023
NASCAR at St. Louis starting lineup 2023
Leading the field for Sunday's race are Busch and Blaney on the front row. Corey LaJoie takes Chase Elliott's seat in the No. 9 car after the Hendrick Motorsports star was suspended for intentionally wrecking into Denny Hamlin during last week's Coca-Cola 600. Truck series driver Carson Hocevar will take LaJoie's seat in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado.
| Starting pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 2 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
| 3 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 5 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 6 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 7 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 8 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 9 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 10 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 11 | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 12 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 13 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 14 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 15 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 16 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 17 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 18 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 19 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | RFK Racing |
| 20 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 21 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 22 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 23 | Justin Haley | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
| 24 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 25 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 26 | Carson Hocevar | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 27 | Chris Buescher | 17 | RFK Racing |
| 28 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 29 | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 30 | Corey LaJoie | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 31 | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 32 | Noah Gragson | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 33 | Ty Dillon | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 34 | BJ McLeod | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports |
| 35 | Gray Gaulding | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 36 | JJ Yeley | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
Zac Al-Khateeb contributed to this report.