Texas Motor Speedway is a minefield.
The Great American Speedway can prove a harrowing sight to Cup Series stars. Its menacing turns and jaundiced surface envelop the locale in a haze of uncertainty.
And it's in that environment that NASCAR thrives, particularly during the postseason, when every tire failure could be the disaster that sends one home fishing for the winter.
Martin Truex Jr. finds himself in a charmed position after eking his way out of the Round of 16. The regular-season champion was on the cusp of infamy, entering last Saturday's race at Bristol below the cut line. One Joey Logano wreck later and the Joe Gibbs Racing star was in the next round. Now, he's back at the top of the ladder, sitting pretty alongside William Byron with an additional 25 playoff points.
If Truex can find a rhythm, he can be dangerous. Given his struggles in the first round of the playoffs, however, that is a big if.
MORE: Watch the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 live with Fubo (free trial)
With that, here's what you need to know about the starting lineup for Sunday's race at Texas.
Who won the pole for Texas in 2023?
Bubba Wallace took the pole for Sunday's race, blazing past the rest of the field with the fastest lap time in qualifying. He outpaced Chris Buescher, who will join him in the front row. It's the second career pole and first of the season for Wallace.
NASCAR at Texas starting lineup 2023
Leading the field for Sunday night's race are playoff drivers Bubba Wallace and Chris Buescher. Below is the rest of the starting lineup for the race:
| Starting pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bubba Wallace (P) | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 2 | Chris Buescher (P) | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 3 | Brad Keselowski (P) | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 4 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 5 | Ross Chastain (P) | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 6 | A.J. Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 7 | Kyle Busch (P) | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 8 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 9 | Christopher Bell (P) | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 10 | Denny Hamlin (P) | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 11 | Kyle Larson (P) | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 12 | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 13 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 14 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 15 | Tyler Reddick (P) | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 16 | Martin Truex Jr. (P) | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 17 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 18 | William Byron (P) | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 19 | Carson Hocevar | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 20 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 21 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 22 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 23 | Ryan Blaney (P) | 12 | Team Penske |
| 24 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 25 | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 26 | Ty Dillon | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 27 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 28 | Justin Haley | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 29 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 30 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 31 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 32 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 33 | Zane Smith | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 34 | B.J. McLeod | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports |
| 35 | J.J. Yeley | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 36 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
(P) = Playoff driver