Kyle Larson Locks Down Pole Position for Jan. 17 Chili Bowl Defense

When the lights go down in Tulsa, the pressure goes up. For the second consecutive year, Kyle Larson proved he thrives in that pressure cooker, securing the pole position for the 40th annual Chili Bowl Nationals. This isn’t just about starting order. It’s a statement. The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion and two-time Golden Driller winner navigated the intensity of the Pole Shuffle with the kind of ice-cold precision that separates the great from the elite.

The Pole Shuffle Showdown

The path to the front row wasn’t a given. It came down to a head-to-head battle against rising talent Emerson Axsom. After drawing the number one seed, Larson had the advantage, but he still had to execute against the clock. Axsom put up a fight, laying down a blistering lap that looked tough to beat.

However, Larson found something extra in the dirt during his second lap. Clocking in at 12.693 seconds, he narrowly edged out Axsom’s 12.719. It was a matter of inches and milliseconds, but that’s the margin of error when you’re chasing a Golden Driller. Now, the No. 1K car sits exactly where every other driver in the building dreams of being: alone at the front.

A Field of Hungry Challengers

While Larson enjoys the view from P1, the lineup behind him is stacked with drivers desperate to knock him off the throne. Axsom will start alongside him, looking to secure his first Chili Bowl victory. Behind them, Blake Hahn made huge strides, climbing from the fifth seed to start third, while former winner Christopher Bell looms in fifth. The talent pool is deep, and they all have one target in their sights.

What This Means for the Feature

Securing the pole at the Chili Bowl is a massive strategic advantage, perhaps more so than at any other race.

• Clean Air: In a 55-lap main event on a short indoor track, traffic becomes a nightmare quickly. Larson can dictate the pace and run his preferred line without fighting through the chaos of the mid-pack.
• Control of the Restart: The leader controls the jump on restarts. With the inevitable cautions that come with midget racing, Larson gets to decide when the field fires off, keeping his challengers on their heels.
• Psychological Edge: Starting P1 tells the field, “You have to come catch me.” For a driver with Larson’s resume, that mental edge is often all he needs.

Now That The Stage Is Set: What’s Next?

The stage is officially set for tonight’s showdown at SageNet Center. Larson has done the heavy lifting in the preliminaries, but the job isn’t finished. He has the speed, the starting spot, and the experience to capture his fourth Golden Driller. But in dirt racing, mechanical gremlins and bad luck are always lurking. The rest of the field has 55 laps to ruin his night, but right now, the road to the title goes directly through Kyle Larson.