Front Row Motorsports is living up to its name.
The team entered the season as a relative unknown on the NASCAR Cup Series stage, at least compared to blue chips Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing. But Front Row is capturing plenty of plaudits for its speed to start the season.
Michael McDowell is a big reason for that phenomenon. The Cup Series veteran put on a show ahead of last week’s Daytona 500, as he raced to the front of the field with a blazing-fast time in qualifying.
His showing in qualifying at Atlanta was even better. But he’ll look to find a little more success during the real thing Sunday — he finished 36th at the Great American Race.
MORE: Watch the Ambetter Health 400 live with Fubo (free trial)
Here’s what you need to know about the pole sitter and starting grid for Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Ambetter Health 400.
Who won the Ambetter Health 400 pole for 2024?
Michael McDowell captured the pole for Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400, racing past the rest of the field with a top speed of 178.844 mph.
The 39-year-old’s first Cup Series pole in 467 career starts also represents quite the coup for Front Row Motorsports.
McDowell ranked second in speed during last week’s Daytona 500 qualifying, falling just short of Joey Logano’s 181.947 mph mark. A superspeedway marksman, McDowell already has flashed his propensity for fireworks on the lengthy tracks this year.
Joining McDowell in the front row is Logano, who had a strong showing at Daytona — until his car was swallowed by the harrowing behemoth that is the Big One.
McDowell’s Front Row colleague Todd Gilliland will start the day in P4 after posting a career-best showing in qualifying.
Ambetter Health 400 starting lineup 2024
| Starting pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
| 1. | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 2. | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 3. | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 4. | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 5. | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 6. | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
| 7. | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 8. | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 9. | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 10. | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 11. | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 12. | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 13. | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 14. | Josh Berry | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 15. | Noah Gragson | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 16. | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 17. | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 18. | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 19. | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 20. | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 21. | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 22. | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 23. | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 24. | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 25. | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 26. | Daniel Hemric | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
| 27. | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 28. | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 29. | Zane Smith | 71 | Spire Motorsports |
| 30. | Josh Wiliams | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 31. | Justin Haley | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 32. | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 33. | Kaz Grala | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 34. | John Hunter Nemechek | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 35. | Carson Hocevar | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 36. | BJ McLeod | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports |
| 37. | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |