Daytona 500 qualifying is shaping up to be an inner-manufacturer battle for pole on Sunday after Ford drivers dominated Saturday practice for next weekend’s race at Daytona International Speedway.
Daytona 500 qualifying format: Fastest in practice, Ford eyes Daytona 500 pole
Sunday’s single-car qualifying runs will lock in the front row for next weekend’s Daytona 500.
Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images
Paced by Joey Logano (193.116 mph), Ford-powered drivers paced the four-hour session taking four of the top-five spots and seven of 10 overall. Logano, the 2015 Daytona 500 winner, is seeking his first pole in NASCAR’s signature Monster Energy Cup Series event and the first for a non-Chevrolet since Carl Edwards (Ford) in 2012.
“I’ve never been that fast in qualifying here in Daytona in my whole career,” Logano said. “I feel like I’ve never had a shot at (the pole), but now I feel like I’m closer than ever. I feel like I’m kind of in new territory, plus I think some of these other guys sandbag a lot, so (Sunday) will be the telltale sign.”
Sunday’s time trials will lock in the front row for the Feb. 26 race and determine the lineup for the twin Can-Am Duel qualifying races on Thursday night. The 40-car Daytona 500 is set using a combination of single-car qualifying runs, the Duel finishing orders, and the fastest two non-charted teams from Sunday qualifying that aren’t automatically assured a spot.
The Daytona 500 qualifying format breakdown is as follows:
Positions 1-2 determined by Sunday’s qualifying;
Positions 3-38 determined by results from Duel races;
Positions 39-40 determined by Sunday’s qualifying and go to the top open cars;
That’s a total of 40 cars for Sunday’s race (36 Charter cars, four Open cars).
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