NASCAR Daytona 2014 qualifying results: David Gilliland leads wild Daytona qualifying

Unusual strategy featuring packs of cars running speeds upwards of 50 mph apart combined with impending rain marked an adventurous round of Sprint Cup qualifying Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

When the skies opened up forcing the cancelation of the final two rounds of qualifying, it was David Gilliland of Front Row Motorsports (199.322 mph) on the pole for Saturday’s Coke Zero 400.

The pole was the third of Gilliland’s career, all coming at either Daytona or Talladega Superspeedway -- the two restrictor-plate tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule -- and the first for Front Row.

“We’re finally on the front row,” Gilliland said. “We’re excited about that. Restrictor plates are the strong suit of this organization, obviously, and it’s great to get the pole. It was crazy out there so hopefully it was a good show for the fans at home.”

Starting alongside Gilliland is Reed Sorenson, driving for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Landon Cassill of Circle Sport Racing posted the third-fastest time.

The success of upstart teams like Front Row, TBR and Circle Sport is a prevailing theme at Daytona and Talladega where the draft and the wily nature of restrictor-plate racing greatly levels the playing field. Smaller outfits with limited resources and funding can compete against the powerhouse teams of Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and the like.

“Truthfully, I think it’s great to see names, teams and sponsors that you normally don’t see a lot up there,” said fifth-place qualifier Jimmie Johnson. “I think it’ll do a lot for them to have their names in the forefront.”

Friday was the first time NASCAR’s new knockout qualifying format was incorporated at Daytona, and the single round session produced some interesting moments. Packs formed mostly of teammates tried encircling the 2.5-mile track, but slower cars frequently impeded them.

Though there were several close calls, there were no accidents.

“It’s just so crazy that everyone pulls out and doesn’t go and then stops,” said Jamie McMurray, who qualified 26th. “It is what it is. Everyone has the same conditions. It just doesn’t feel like racing, I think is the way to put it, because half the time people are running 40 mph. I don’t even really know what to say because it’s so messed up that I can’t explain it.”

Joe Nemechek was the only driver who failed to make Saturday’s race.

Prior to Cup time trials, Nationwide Series qualifying was halted in the final minutes when rain began falling shortly after 3:30 p.m. ET.

The brief shower occurred along the backstretch as a large group of drivers were running together, triggering a seven-car wreck. Dakoda Armstrong took the No. 1 position.