WATCH: Ricky Stenhouse Spins on Warm Up Lap in Texas Qualifying

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. faced a harrowing start at the Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 23.

Already out of the playoffs after an early elimination in the first round, Stenhouse's hopes were pinned on a strong performance in the second round.

However, things have gone from bad to worse for the 35-year-old right as the Cup Series moves to its second round of playoffs.

During the warm-up lap, the JTG Daugherty Racing driver experienced an unexpected spin despite not making any contact, leaving spectators in disbelief.

The untimely incident resulted in a disappointing qualifying time of 29.110, positioning him at 24th on the starting grid. Ricky Stenhouse Jr now faces an uphill battle to salvage his weekend and secure a respectable finish in Texas.

Bubba Wallace clinches pole in the NASCAR Cup Series race in Texas

In contrast to Stenhouse Jr's misfortune, Bubba Wallace, driving for 23XI Racing, emerged as the star of the qualifying round.

Wallace secured the pole position, providing a much-needed boost ahead of the first race in the second round of playoffs. This comes at a crucial time for Bubba Wallace, who barely clinched a spot in the Round of 12 and currently sits in 12th position in the playoff standings.

Notably, Kyle Larson, who shone throughout the first round of playoffs, faced a minor setback in qualifying and will be starting the race from 11th position. Despite this, Larson remains among the favourites to lift the championship title.

Meanwhile, Christopher Bell's 3-match steak of winning the pole came to an end in Texas. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver will be starting the main race on Sunday from the ninth position, ahead of Bristol winner Denny Hamlin.

Last year's winner from the Texas circuit, and Bubba Wallace's teammate, Tyler Reddick will be placed at the 15th position in the starting grid on Sunday.

Joining Wallace at the front of the pack is Chris Buescher, securing the second starting position. Following closely behind is Brad Keselowski, who would be aiming to challenge for the top spot from the third position.

As the anticipation builds for Sunday's superspeedway showdown in Texas, fans and experts alike are eager to witness the first race of the second round of the Cup Series playoffs.

All eyes will be on Bubba Wallace, who would be aiming to secure maximum points on Sunday after significantly boosting his chances of moving up to the next round following a strong qualifying session.