P1racenews AI automatic summary:
NASCAR Daytona 500: Logano earns pole, Fords lock out front row
Team Penske’s Joey Logano secured pole position for Sunday’s race by posting the fastest average lap speed of 181.947 mph in the final qualifying round, marking the first Ford pole since 2012. Logano credited his team’s hard work for the achievement, emphasizing the importance of the car in superspeedway qualifying. Michael McDowell, the 2021 Daytona 500 winner, joined Logano on the front row with an average lap speed of 181.686 mph.
Kyle Larson was the third fastest qualifier, continuing Hendrick Motorsports’ streak of starting on the pole for nine consecutive years at the Daytona 500. The top five was rounded out by Austin Cindric and Chase Elliott, while the top 10 included William Byron, Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, and Harrison Burton. Only Logano and McDowell’s starting positions are secured for the race, with the rest to be determined by Thursday night’s qualifying races.
Anthony Alfredo and David Ragan secured spots in the field for the Daytona 500 by posting top speeds among the unchartered cars. Kaz Grala encountered car issues and failed to post a speed, while Jimmie Johnson will need to race his way into the 500 in Thursday night’s races, expressing determination to secure a spot.
