NASCAR COTA Qualifying Results: Raikkonen and Button improve as Byron takes pole

Graham Shaw
Saturday 25 March 2023 23:12 - Updated: 18:07

Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button improved on their Friday showings as they qualified for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA (Circuit of the Americas) in Austin, Texas.

The two former F1 world champions added further lustre to a star-studded field for Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (3.30pm ET, FOX).

Both managed to produce upgrades on what they delivered in practice on Friday, with Raikkonen jumping 10 places to qualify in 22nd after being 32nd of 39 cars on Friday.

Button, making his Cup Series debut, was 28th on Friday and he improved to 24th on the grid for Sunday's race.

William Byron will start from pole on Sunday after pipping Tyler Reddick - who had set the pace in practice on Friday.

Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson qualified 31st after another tough afternoon in his return to NASCAR action.

NASCAR Cup Series lineup & grid at COTA

The lineup for Sunday's race is as follows after William Byron claimed pole on Saturday. Raikkonen and Button qualified 22nd and 24th respectively:Row 1

1. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota

3. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford

4. Jordan Taylor, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

5. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

6. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

7. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

8. Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

9. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

10. Noah Gragson, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

11. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota

12. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

13. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

14. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

15. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford

16. Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford

17. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

19. Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

20. Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford

21. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

22. Kimi Raikkonen, No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

23. Justin Haley, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

24. Jenson Button, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford

25. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

26. Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

27. Corey Lajoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

28. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

29. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

30. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

31. Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

32. Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

33. Josh Bilicki, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet

34. Ty Dillon, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

35. Conor Daly, No. 50 TMT Racing Chevrolet

36. Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford

37. Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford

38. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford

39. Aric Almirola, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford