Nascar Daytona 500 News: Qualifying Session Results - Jeff Gordon Gets No. 1 Spot
NASCAR is the only major North American sporting organization that begins its season with the biggest race on the schedule. Granted there are other major racing events throughout the NASCAR calendar but none of them hold the prestige that the Daytona 500 does. To celebrate its new season each year NASCAR holds a week long party known as Speed Week. There is almost a race every day leading up to the 500 itself next Sunday Feb. 22, 2015.
Since it is the biggest race of the year qualifying for this race is unique. In other NASCAR races, the top 36 teams in owner's points (owners points are different than drivers points which help determine the NASCAR Chase for the Championship field and ultimately its yearly champion) and the fastest cars by speed make the race and determine how they start. For Daytona only the pole and outside pole are settled by speed.
That qualifying session took place yesterday and #24 Jeff Gordon, in his final full NASCAR Sprint Cup season, won the pole and will start first. His Hendrick Racing teammate #48 Jimmie Johnson was the second fastest car and will start on the outside pole.
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Positions three through 32 are determined by qualifying races known as the Duels. Each of these races is 150 laps and the first one sets positions on the indie line while the second one sets the positions for the outside line.
Positions 33-36 go the four fastest cars not otherwise locked into the race. Right now those drivers are #43 Aric Almirola, #17 Ricky Stenhouse, #19 Carl Edwards, and #1 Jamie McMurray.
Positions 37-42 are provisionals and these spots are reserved for the teams with the most owner's points from last season. According to NBC's NASCAR talk #4 Kevin Harvick, #31 Ryan Newman, #11 Denny Hamlin, #22 Joey Logano, #2 Brad Keselowski, #20 Matt Kenseth are currently holding those positions.
The final spot in the field is the past champions provisional and goes to the most recent Sprint Cup Champion; Tony Stewart is currently locked into that spot. All of these drivers can improve their starting position in Thursday's races.
That leaves #21 Ryan Blaney, #34 David Ragan, #46 Michael Annet, #29 Justin Marks, #30 Ron Hornaday Jr., and #44 Reed Sorenson as the six drivers who must finish well enough in the two qualifying races to earn a spot for this year's 500. Sorenson was involved in a qualifying wreck yesterday and does not have a backup car as of yet threatening to end his quest for a spot in this year's Great American Race.
