Pole after pole after pole. Snagging one feels like a dream for most drivers, but back in 2004, Jeff Gordon was on a tear, racking up four consecutive pole positions that had the NASCAR world buzzing. It all kicked off at Michigan International Speedway in June, followed by poles at Infineon Raceway, Daytona International Speedway, and a record-shattering lap at Chicagoland Speedway in July, where Gordon hit 186.942 mph, blowing past Tony Stewart’s old track record.That streak wasn’t just about speed; it showed Gordon’s knack for mastering everything from Michigan’s wide-open 2-mile oval to Sonoma’s twisty road course. The run finally fizzled at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where the pole slipped through his fingers, but man, what a ride it was. Seems like Gordon’s record might be in for a challenge, though, with Chase Briscoe hitting sixth gear and collecting poles like they’re going out of style.Chase Briscoe back for pole huntingChase Briscoe’s on fire, and Michigan International Speedway was his latest stage. On Saturday morning, he blazed to his third straight Busch Light Pole Award, clocking a scorching 195.514 mph lap on the 2-mile track to claim the top spot for the FireKeepers Casino 400. Behind the wheel of his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Briscoe edged out teammate Christopher Bell by a razor-thin 0.016 seconds, with Bell’s No. 20 Toyota hitting 195.397 mph.It’s Briscoe’s fourth pole of the 2025 season, his first at Michigan, and the sixth of his Cup Series career. After kicking off his first year with JGR by snagging the Daytona 500 pole, he’s kept the momentum rolling, locking in poles at Charlotte, Nashville, and now Michigan. JGR’s 1-2 punch in practice, with Briscoe’s 195.482 mph lap just nipping Bell, showed the team’s got serious speed.The qualifying session was a showcase for JGR’s depth, with Briscoe and Bell showing impressive speeds during the practice, and the former SHR driver carried that speed into pole position. Briscoe’s consistency is turning heads—he’s not just collecting poles but proving he belongs among the sport’s elite in his first season with a powerhouse team. “It will be nice starting up front and we’ve been able to do that three weeks in a row, but haven’t been able to execute with it, so hopefully third time is a charm and we can finally get one on Sunday,” The JGR driver said after the pole win.Right next to Briscoe in the front row come Sunday? None other than Kyle Busch, giving fans a spark of hope after a rough stretch. Busch’s No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet earned P2 on the grid, marking his second front-row start of the year after Talladega. It’s no secret that Busch is in the longest winless drought of his career, with over 70 races since his last trip to Victory Lane.That’s a heavyweight for a driver with two Cup Series titles and 63 career wins. But this qualifying run, hot on the heels of Briscoe’s dominance, feels like a ray of light. He has been grinding and starting up front at Michigan—a track where he’s won before in 2011—hints that the tide might be turning. For fans who’ve been riding with Rowdy through this slump, that front-row spot is something to cheer about, a sign he’s still got that fight to chase that next checkered flag.For Busch, this run is a lifeline, a chance to build momentum and maybe, just maybe, snap that streak on a track that rewards raw speed and smart racing. Michigan’s high banks have always been a proving ground, and with Briscoe’s pole streak and Busch’s resurgence, Sunday’s race is shaping up to be a barnburner.Denny Hamlin’s baby watch dilemmaDenny Hamlin also rolled into Michigan qualifying with serious pace, locking in third place for Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400. But there’s a twist—Hamlin might not even be in the No. 11 JGR Toyota when the green flag drops. With his wife expecting their child any moment, Hamlin’s on “baby watch,” just like he was last week at Nashville Superspeedway. If the call comes, Joe Gibbs Racing has Ryan Truex ready to step in. Truex, who last raced in the Cup Series at Chicagoland in 2014 with BK Racing, has been testing Toyota’s Next Gen car and is prepped to take over if Hamlin needs to bolt for the delivery room.NASCAR’s got Hamlin’s back—if he misses the race for the birth, they’ll grant a waiver, ensuring he stays playoff-eligible even if Truex runs the full event. Drivers rarely miss races for personal reasons, but it’s not unheard of, and Hamlin’s priority is clear. Fans would love to see the No. 11 in the mix, especially after Hamlin’s strong qualifying, but if he’s got to go, Truex is a solid stand-in. He’s no stranger to JGR’s system, and while he hasn’t turned Cup Series laps in years, his experience with Toyota’s tech could keep the team competitive.Hamlin admitted that he is ready to miss either the Michigan or Mexico City race if need be. “I’m going to let her make the choice, and we’ve had that choice, and I think that we’ve chosen to kind of let things naturally happen whenever they do. Yeah, I mean, it just depends on the urgency of it, but I’m going to leave the call entirely up to her.”Multiple storylines could seal the deal this Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. Both Briscoe and Busch would be eyeing that win and bag a playoff spot, where Hamlin wouldn’t mind getting the checkered flag, a sweet gift for his baby boy.The post JGR Driver Pulls Off the Unthinkable at Michigan as Kyle Busch Finally Displays a Ray of Hope appeared first on EssentiallySports.