Penske Ford driver Joey Logano ends Chevrolet’s streak of pole position

(Motorsport-Total.com) – As has been the norm in recent days, NASCAR’s official season-opening driving action opened at Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday, with straight pole qualifying. And this time there were several surprises.

The clash in Los Angeles took place at the beginning of February, but as is known, it does not count as a championship race. The 66th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday (February 18) will officially kick off the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. (NASCAR 2024 live on TV and internet: news about race coverage)

Joey Logano (Penske-Ford) dominated pole position on Wednesday evening at Daytona, where the focus was on who would take the front row on the grid on Sunday. He ran on a 2.5 mile loop Part Q2 lap time of 49.465 seconds (181.947 miles per hour).

It’s the best time to play in the Daytona 500 since the Gen7 (Next-Gen) car was introduced for the 2022 NASCAR Cup season. Logano has now earned the prestigious Daytona 500 pole for the first time in his career. It’s also the first Daytona 500 pole for a successful Penske team.

And: As a Ford driver, Logano ended Chevrolet’s eleven-year streak at the Daytona 500. The last non-Chevrolet driver to start on the pole in NASCAR’s biggest race was Carl Edwards in 2012, then at Roush-Ford.

Two Fords in row 1 – no Toyota in Q2

Second fastest in the individual time trial behind Logano, Michael McDowell (Front-Row-Ford) has secured second place on the grid for next Sunday. This means that two Ford Mustangs will start from the front row in the 66th edition of the “Great American Race”.

Surprise: Alex Bowman (Hendrick-Chevrolet), who was on the front row of the Daytona 500 every time from 2018 to 2023 (on the pole three times), did not even make it into the top ten in Q2 this time. Besides, none of the nine registered Toyota Camrys made it to Q2. (Photo: Qualifying zum 66. Daytona 500)

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Logano ended Chevrolet’s streak of poles at the Daytona 500, which has been in place since 2013. Grow

The #48 Bowman Hendrick-Chevrolet failed technical inspection twice before Race 1 and won the third attempt. Bowman’s lap time was good enough for 17th, which is still not his starting position.

In addition to the total of 36 cars with lease agreements (full-time cars), two of the six participants who have to qualify their cars are already in the starting field for the Daytona 500 on Sunday.

They are Anthony Alfredo (Beard-Chevrolet) and David Ragan (RFK-Ford). They stayed inside Part Q1 position 20 (Alfredo) and 27 (Ragan). This made them faster than the other four open cars (non-full time) that entered.

Jimmie Johnson has yet to qualify for the Daytona 500

Above all, Jimmie Johnson (Legacy-Toyota) as well as BJ McLeod (Live-Fast-Chevrolet), JJ Yeley (NY-Chevrolet) and Kaz Grala (Front-Row-Ford) are currently not guaranteed to be on the starting grid. for this year’s Daytona 500.

Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR champion, now driving a Toyota Camry for the first time in his 2024 interim season, came in P35 in the Q1 segment and did not come close to the time of Ragan, who is sitting. in the third RFK Ford (starting with number 60), which is being used for the first time. Meanwhile, Grala didn’t set any lap times because his front-row #36 Ford couldn’t accelerate.

Two qualifying races (Duels) will decide on Thursday evening which two of the four open cars that have not yet qualified will join those of Alfredo and Ragan and the 36 rental cars to form the 40-man field for Sunday.

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Jimmie Johnson (Legacy-Toyota) has yet to clear a qualifying hurdle Grow

The two races, each lasting 60 laps, will also determine exactly what the Daytona 500 starting grid will be from the second row on. As of right now, only shortstop Joey Logano and second baseman Michael McDowell are assured of a starting spot.