23XI Racing has every reason to be happy! While just three months ago, Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team faced uncertainty due to their lengthy legal battle, their victory on the track just proves their resilience. When their driver, Tyler Reddick, came to Austin, he was on a mission; The 2023 COTA winner knows the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix track well. So, when the qualifying session began, he wasted no time showcasing his speed. With a lap time of 1:38.08, he claimed the pole position.

Meanwhile, his teammate Bubba Wallace made sure it was a 23XI sweep, securing P2 with a time of 1:38.3. He had made remarkable progress on this track. From P23 in 2022 to P11 in 2023, P10 in 2024, and now P2 in 2025—his improvement was undeniable. Interestingly, the one-two qualifying finish is a first for 23XI Racing.

After the session, Reddick admitted that he was worried about Wallace’s pace. “I was worried I screwed Bubba’s lap up. All in all, I think today threw us for a loop. The pace was not what we thought it was going to be. Just glad today went the way that it did, it’s going to be a great track position for us tomorrow.” Notably, Reddick’s pole was his second at COTA, and it reinforced his dominance on road courses.

However, 23XI nearly swept the top three as Riley Herbst posted the third-fastest qualifying time before officials disqualified his lap for track limit violations. He eventually finished 31st with almost a second slower time than his teammates. Meanwhile, Chase Elliott delivered a stunning performance as he finished in the third position, recording a time of 1:38.36. With this, the driver who won the 2021 inaugural at COTA, reminded everyone he hadn’t gone anywhere. So, Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA will witness him start P3 in the second row. But this was a difficult task to accomplish.

COTA’s new track surface and extreme tire wear threw teams into disarray. During practice, drivers struggled with rapid tire degradation. Elliott also faced a similar issue as he decided to abort his initial qualifying lap. But the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion delivered a last-minute stunning lap to clinch the third position on the grid.

Interesting Fact: Back in 2021, Elliott won the inaugural race at COTA after battling heavy rain and visibility issues in his No. 9 LLumar Chevrolet. NASCAR called the race with 14 laps remaining due to inclement weather. This victory for Elliott also marked the 800th NASCAR Cup Series win for Chevrolet. “Anytime you can go win is a great feeling,” the driver said after the win. “To do it at a new track that everybody was seeing for the first time is exciting, so we’ll take it any way we can get it. … For whatever reason, (road courses have) gone really well for us, so hopefully we can keep it going.”

Apart from Elliott, Carson Hocevar and Daniel Suárez rounded out the top five of the 2025 qualifying race. Here is the top-10 list of the NASCAR starting lineup for COTA:

1. Tyler Reddick, 1:38.08
2. Bubba Wallace, 1:38.3
3. Chase Elliott, 1:38.36
4. Carson Hocevar, 1:38.45
5. Daniel Suarez, 1:38.48
6. Shane van Gisbergen, 1:38.52
7. Kyle Larson, 1:38.58
8. Kyle Busch, 1:38.59
9. Ross Chastain, 1:38.7
10. Todd Gilliland, 1:38.72

However, one of the best performances came from Cup series debutant Connor Zilisch as he clinched the starting position in the top 15.

Connor Zilisch continues to impress NASCAR fans!

“I want to try and become the youngest Cup Series winner.” 18-year-old Connor Zilisch arrived with an aim at Circuit of The Americas. Driving the No. 87 Red Bull Chevrolet, the young driver entered the weekend with high expectations, and he did not disappoint. Zilisch put in an impressive qualifying performance, securing 14th place on the grid. However, he missed out on the opportunity to clinch another pole on his debut.

Despite the setback, Zilisch now has the opportunity to win the race in COTA to become the youngest NASCAR driver to win a cup race. Currently, Team Penske’s Joey Logano holds the record. The three-time Cup series champion set the record at age 19 (19 years, 1 month and 4 days) by winning the rain-shortened Lenox Industrial Tools 301 in 2009 for Joe Gibbs Racing. Notably, Zilisch is currently 18 years old, and a win before July 2025 would fulfill his dream.

It’s worth noting that Zilisch has been on the fast track to NASCAR stardom. He started racing go-karts at age five before progressing to the ARCA Menards Series in 2023.

In 2024, he competed in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the Xfinity Series. He clinched a pole on debut in both series before winning the Xfinity debut race at Watkins Glen. That victory made him the first driver since Ty Gibbs in 2021 to win an Xfinity race on debut. Beyond the NASCAR, Zilisch has proven his versatility by excelling in sports car racing. He captured wins at the Rolex 24 in Daytona and the Twelve Hours of Sebring, further cementing his reputation as a future star in motorsports.