LAS VEGAS — Sam Mayer could “feel it in his bones” as he sets the fastest lap in NASCAR O’Reilly Series qualifying for the The LiUNA! at Las Vegas.

This is Mayer’s 2nd pole this season and sixth career pole overall.

Photo: Ryan Kemna/TRE

Kyle Larson will start alongside Sam Mayer on the front row, continuing a packed Las Vegas weekend after winning Thursday night’s Interstate Batteries High Limit Sprint race.

Sheldon Creed rolls off third, reinforcing the Haas Factory Team’s strong single-lap speed on the 1.5-mile track.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Brandon Jones and Taylor Gray fill row three.

JR Motorsports placed three more prepared cars inside the top ten.

Sammy Smith starts fourth next to Creed in row two, Rajah Caruth lines up eighth in the No. 32 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet, and defending race winner Justin Allgaier starts ninth.

Jeremy Clements starts tenth for his 535th O’Reilly Series start which ties him for second all time in the series with Jeff Green. This is his best oval start since 2022 as well.

Elsewhere in the field, Cup Series regulars Connor Zilisch starts 17th while Chase Briscoe lines up 23rd.

There were 41 entrants for 38 total starting spots which saw three drivers sent home.

Below is the full starting lineup for The LiUNA! at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Starting Lineup

Sam Mayer: 29.462

Kyle Larson(i): 29.524

Sheldon Creed: 29.569

Sammy Smith: 29.623

Brandon Jones: 29.647

Taylor Gray: 29.687

Jesse Love: 29.718

Rajah Caruth: 29.720

Justin Allgaier: 29.773

Jeremy Clements: 29.793

Corey Day: 29.816

Parker Retzlaff: 29.830

Austin Hill: 29.906

William Sawalich: 29.956

Jeb Burton: 29.981

Cole Custer(i): 29.994

Connor Zilisch: 30.016

Carson Kvapil: 30.021

Austin Green: 30.043

Ryan Sieg: 30.065

Nick Sanchez: 30.067

Patrick Staropoli: 30.083

Chase Briscoe(i): 30.098

Harrison Burton: 30.112

Dean Thompson: 30.163

Brennan Poole: 30.203

Daniel Dye(i): 30.209

Chandler Smith(i): 30.234

Kyle Sieg: 30.340

Lavar Scott: 30.410

Anthony Alfredo: 30.490

Josh Williams: 30.504

Blaine Perkins: 30.554

Nathan Byrd: 30.673

Ryan Ellis: 30.824

Joey Gase: 30.827

Mason Maggio: 30.851

Josh Bilicki: 31.053

DNQ: Myatt Snider (30.978), Chad Finchum (31.161), Dawson Cram (No Time)

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Ryan Kemna is a photojournalist for The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2025.

Currently residing in the Minneapolis, MN, area, Kemna brings his passion for motorsports, photography, and a good story to readers.