This is when the NASCAR Cup Series season gets interesting.
NASCAR's premier competition is nearing the second half of its 2023 campaign. The first half has been one for the books as drivers showcased the versatility needed to compete for a Cup Series title.
Martin Truex Jr., William Byron and Ryan Blaney have stood out thus far: they rank first, second and third in points through 16 starts. Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson don't sit too far behind, and they have multiple wins themselves.
And that's not to mention the likes of Kevin Harvick and Ross Chastain, drivers yet to have lifted hardware thus far but whose steadiness has made them championship threats.
The first half has told us who are the true contenders. The second half? That's for building point totals and creating distance from the rest of the field.
MORE: Watch the Ally 400 with Fubo (free trial)
The work begins this weekend in the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Here's what you need to know about the results of Saturday's qualifying.
Who won the pole for Nashville in 2023?
Ross Chastain took the pole for Sunday's race, posting the fastest lap time in qualifying. He outpaced Tyler Reddick, who will join him in the front row. It's Chastain's first career pole.
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NASCAR at Nashville starting lineup 2023
Leading the field for Sunday's race are Chastain and Reddick on the front row.
| Starting pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 2 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 3 | Justin Haley | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
| 4 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 5 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 6 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 8 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 9 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 10 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 11 | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 12 | Chris Buescher | 17 | RFK Racing |
| 13 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
| 14 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 15 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 16 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 17 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 18 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 19 | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 20 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | RFK Racing |
| 21 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 22 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 23 | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 24 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 25 | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 26 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 27 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 28 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 29 | J.J. Yeley | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 30 | Noah Gragson | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 31 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 32 | Brennan Poole | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 33 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 34 | Ty Dillon | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 35 | Josh Bilicki | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports |
| 36 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
Zac Al-Khateeb contributed to this report.