Hendrick Motorsports’ Daytona 500 pole streak is over.
Joey Logano edged Michael McDowell for the top starting spot in Sunday’s season-opening NASCAR race in the second round of qualifying on Wednesday. It’s the 29th career pole for Logano and his first for the Daytona 500.
Hendrick drivers entered the season with three straight Daytona 500 poles. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2020 had been the only non-Hendrick driver since 2014 to start first in the famed race. But McDowell snapped that streak with a blistering lap before Logano — who posted the fastest lap in the first round of qualifying — beat him in the evening’s final qualifying run.
Logano’s pole is the first for Ford since the 2012 season. Chevy drivers had won the last 11 Daytona 500 pole positions. After he got out of his car, Logano didn’t take any credit for a lap in which he simply mashed the gas and kept his car low on the track.
“This is all about the team,” Logano said. “Honestly I’d like to take credit, but I can’t today.”
Wednesday night’s qualifying session only determined the first two spots in Sunday’s race. The rest are up for grabs during Thursday night’s Duel races. With 42 cars entered for 40 spots in the race, 21 cars will participate in each of the two races on Thursday night. The first race will set the odd-numbered positions on the grid while the second race will set the even-numbered starting spots.
With 36 teams locked into the race, there are six drivers racing for four open spots and the two fastest cars among them on Wednesday night earned starting spots. Anthony Alfredo and David Ragan are guaranteed to start Sunday’s race, while Jimmie Johnson, JJ Yeley, Kaz Grala and B.J. McLeod are racing for two spots.
Johnson just needs to beat Yeley in the first Duel to get into the race while Grala needs to finish ahead of both Ragan and McLeod in the second race. Yeley posted the slowest time of any driver Wednesday night; it’ll be a shock if he gets into the race ahead of Johnson.
Duel 1 starting lineup
1. Joey Logano
2. Kyle Larson
3. Chase Elliott
4. Austin Dillon
5. Ross Chastain
6. Todd Gilliland
7. Ryan Preece
8. Chris Buescher
9. Alex Bowman
10. Daniel Suarez
11. Anthony Alfredo
12. Erik Jones
13. Daniel Hemric
14. Martin Truex Jr.
15. Ty Gibbs
16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
17. Corey LaJoie
18. Jimmie Johnson
19. Tyler Reddick
20. Carson Hocevar
21. JJ Yeley
Duel 2 starting lineup
1. Michael McDowell
2. Austin Cindric
3. William Byron
4. Kyle Busch
5. Harrison Burton
6. Riley Herbst
7. Chase Briscoe
8. Noah Gragson
9. Ryan Blaney
10. AJ Allmendinger
11. Josh Berry
12. Brad Keselowski
13. David Ragan
14. Bubba Wallace
15. Justin Haley
16. Christopher Bell
17. Denny Hamlin
18. Zane Smith
19. John Hunter Nemechek
20. B.J. McLeod
21. Kaz Grala
Source Agencies
