NASCAR: Clint Bowyer inherits Michigan pole; William Byron to front row

Clint Bowyer and William Byron are now set to share the front row to start this afternoon’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway.

Roush Fenway Racing’s Chris Buescher was slated to have started today’s Consumers Energy 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway from the pole position after finishing yesterday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at the track in 20th place.

The top 20 finishers from yesterday’s overtime-extended 161-lap race were slated to line up in the top 20 to start this afternoon’s 156-lap race, but in reverse order.

However, Buescher will be going to a backup #17 Ford and will drop to the rear of the field on the pace laps.

More from NASCAR Cup Series

In fact, 10 other drivers are also set to drop to the rear on the pace laps.

Richard Childress Racing rookie Tyler Reddick, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola, JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Newman, Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon, Stewart-Haas Racing rookie Cole Custer and Front Row Motorsports rookie John Hunter Nemechek are slated to drop to the rear due to going to backup cars. They were slated to have started in third, fifth, 25th, 28th, 29th, 31st, 34th and 36th place in their #8 Chevrolet, #10 Ford, #37 Chevrolet, #6 Ford, #34 Ford, #3 Chevrolet, #41 Ford and #38 Ford, respectively.

Premium Motorsports’ Brennan Poole is slated to drop to the rear as a result of an engine change in his #15 Chevrolet after he was slated to start in 37th place. Tommy Baldwin Racing’s Josh Bilicki is set to do so as well in his #7 Chevrolet as a result of a driver change, as Joey Gase drove this car yesterday.

As a result of these changes, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Clint Bowyer, who was slated to start in second place after his 19th place finish yesterday, is set to be the control car on the race’s initial start behind the wheel of his #14 Ford. He will not have lane choice, but he is set to lead the field to the green flag.

Set to start alongside Bowyer is Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron. Byron was to have started in seventh place in his #24 Chevrolet following his 14th place finish yesterday, but because the three drivers who were slated to start in odd positions ahead of him are set to drop to the rear, he has been promoted to the front row.

Byron is slated to start on the inside, but he cannot beat Bowyer to the starting line. Hendrick Motorsports’ Jimmie Johnson, who was slated to start in ninth place in his #48 Chevrolet, is set to line up behind Byron in third.

While the official starting lineup for the 2020 Consumers Energy 400 is slated to remain the same, here is how the 39 drivers are slated to take the green flag.

Starting Lineup
1st – Clint Bowyer
2nd – William Byron
3rd – Jimmie Johnson
4th – Matt Kenseth
5th – Kurt Busch
6th – Matt DiBenedetto
7th – Joey Logano
8th – Christopher Bell
9th – Denny Hamlin
10th – Erik Jones
11th – Ryan Blaney
12th – Bubba Wallace
13th – Brad Keselowski
14th – Chase Elliott
15th – Alex Bowman
16th – Kyle Busch
17th – Ty Dillon
18th – Martin Truex Jr.
19th – Quin Houff
20th – Kevin Harvick
21st – Timmy Hill
22nd – Corey LaJoie
23rd – Garrett Smithley
24th – Daniel Suarez
25th – Chris Buescher
26th – J.J Yeley
27th – Tyler Reddick
28th – Reed Sorenson
29th – Aric Almirola
30th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
31st – Ryan Preece
32nd – James Davison
33rd – Michael McDowell
34th – Ryan Newman
35th – Austin Dillon
36th – Cole Custer
37th – Brennan Poole
38th – John Hunter Nemechek
39th – Josh Bilicki

Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark

Tune in to NBC Sports Network at 4:30 p.m. ET this afternoon for the live broadcast of the Consumers Energy 400 from Michigan International Speedway.

Home/NASCAR Cup Series