The 29-year-old driver blew past the field Saturday as he took the pole from Clint Bowyer by more than two-tenths of a second and then held off Aric Almirola for the top spot.
This is Dillon’s second pole of the season.
NASCAR AT TALLADEGA: Odds, prediction, sleepers
Kyle Larson tallied his best start at Talladega and will begin 10th. This is his first top-10 start at the track.
Several top drivers missed the final round of qualifying. Kurt Busch (14), Kevin Harvick (19), Martin Truex Jr. (20), Kyle Busch (22) and Denny Hamlin (23) all were on the outside looking in as the top 12 drivers raced for the pole.
It should also be noted that, due to high speeds during practice runs, NASCAR has preemptively looked to limit speed this week in the interest of driver safety.
The sanctioning body mandated the addition of a 1-inch wicker to the rear spoiler in a bid to reduce speeds after 21 cars averaged 200 mph or more in the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice session of the weekend.
The GEICO 500 can be seen Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on Fox.
GEICO 500 starting lineup
Here is the starting lineup for Sunday’s race:
What time does the GEICO 500 start?
The GEICO 500 will take place Sunday, April 28. Live coverage begins on Fox at 2 p.m. ET.
What channel is the GEICO 500 on?
The GEICO 500 will be broadcast nationally on Fox. The race can also be live-streamed on the Fox Sports Go App or by subscribing to fuboTV, which offers a seven-day free trial.
GEICO 500 schedule, how to watch
All of the events leading up to the week, including practices and races for the Truck Series, can be seen on NASCAR.com, PRN, MRN and FS1.
Here’s a daily schedule of events leading up to the GEICO 500 (all times Eastern):
