Alex Bowman

The starting lineup for the 2021 Daytona 500 could look different by the time the 40 drivers take the green flag Sunday.

Alex Bowman and William Byron earned the two front-row spots during Wednesday's qualifying session, but they both dealt with issues during Thursday's duels. Bowman's No. 48 car experienced some issues, while Byron's No. 24 machine was caught up in a massive wreck during the second duel.

Aric Almirola and Austin Dillon will begin the race on the second row by way of their respective duel wins, but if either of the Hendrick Motorsports cars has to go to the back of the field, they may lead the pack to green Sunday.

               

Daytona 500 TV Schedule

Date: Sunday, February 14

Start Time: 2:30 p.m. ET 

TV: Fox

Live Stream: Fox Sports app and FoxSports.com.

Starting Order: Lineup can be found on NASCAR.com.

             

Bowman and Byron extended Hendrick Motorsports' Daytona 500 pole dominance Wednesday, but they may face tougher challenges than expected Sunday.

The No. 48 car experienced some type of vibration during Duel 1 on Thursday, so instead of competing for the win in that race, the crew tried to assess what went wrong.

Crew chief Greg Ives detailed what the No. 48 crew attempted to do to fix the problem, per NASCAR.com's Zack Albert:

"We talked through engine diagnostics and sent some guys over pit wall who don't normally go over the wall. Our Ally Racing team was able to go through some tire sets to make sure it wasn't that. There were a lot of things you always think you are going to be prepared for until you actually go through them. I feel like we did a good job understanding it and hopefully we are able to diagnose it and make sure everything is good."

If the No. 48 team discovers an engine issue before Sunday's race, Bowman would have to move to the back of the starting grid.

Byron might be in a tougher bind to get his car on to the front row for Sunday, as he was caught up in a wreck that took out a handful of vehicles in Duel 2. The Athletic's Jeff Gluck tweeted Thursday night that the No. 24 car started to work on the backup car.

Almirola and Dillon earned two types of victories to land on the second row. Almirola was in the front for most of Duel 1, while Dillon used a last-lap maneuver to get around Bubba Wallace and win Duel 2. Christopher Bell, Wallace, Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch round out the top 10 of the starting order.

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott starts 12th, but he could find himself near the front of the pack right away. Elliott's Hendrick teammate Kyle Larson and good friend Ryan Blaney start behind him in Row 7.

If the trio of drivers team up early, they could be in the mix to win the first stage of the 500-mile competition.

Two-time reigning Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin starts 25th position. He will also have some help, with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. beginning the race in 26th.

Hamlin and Truex are among a handful of notable drivers starting beneath 20th place. Brad Keselowski, Matt DiBenedetto, Cole Custer, Tyler Reddick and Erik Jones all have work to do to reach the front.

                    

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

Hendrick Motorsports continued its dominance of Daytona 500 qualifying Wednesday.

Alex Bowman secured the pole for Sunday's Great American Race for his first race in the No. 48 car that was vacated by the retired Jimmie Johnson after the 2020 season.

Although the Hendrick cars have been fast in qualifying, those numbers have not translated to results in the season's first points race. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the last Hendrick driver to win the Daytona 500 in 2014.

Joe Gibbs Racing has been the victorious team in three of the past five years thanks to Denny Hamlin, who is the favorite to win at Daytona once again.

Hamlin and Chase Elliott are the only two drivers with odds beneath +1000 to cross the finish line first Sunday.

                  

Daytona 500 Qualifying Results

1. Alex Bowman (47.056 seconds; 191.261 miles per hour)

2. William Byron (47.314 seconds; 190.219 mph)

3. Aric Almirola (47.324 seconds; 190.178 mph)

4. Bubba Wallace (47.474 seconds; 189.577 mph)

5. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47.477 seconds; 189.565 mph)

Full results can be found on NASCAR.com.

         

Daytona 500 Odds

Denny Hamlin +700 (bet $100 to win $7000)

Chase Elliott +900

Ryan Blaney +1100

Brad Keselowski +1100

Joey Logano +1100

Kevin Harvick +1300

Kyle Busch +1400

William Byron +1600

Kyle Larson +1600

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

            

A high starting position typically does not guarantee success at the Daytona 500.

Kurt Busch was the only racer in the past five years to win from a top-10 starting position. Hamlin won the February NASCAR opener from the back of the grid in 2020. He had to start there because of a failed inspection prior to the race.

The unpredictability of superspeedways and the varying strategies over 500 miles make it easy for drivers to move up the pack throughout the race.

Bowman and William Byron will have the benefit of clean air to start the race, and the two should draft together to gain a decent advantage. If they can link up with Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson, the Hendrick train could dictate the first stage.

The rest of the starting order will be determined by Thursday's duels, but no matter where the Joe Gibbs Racing cars land, expect them to be in the mix for the lead at some point. Hamlin carries the most Daytona 500 victories in the field with three, and Kyle Busch proved during Tuesday's clash race on the Daytona road course that he can take advantage of opportunities when presented to him.

Hamlin, Busch and new teammate Christopher Bell placed in the top 20 in qualifying, which was not a great night for the Toyota cars.

Chevrolet was the fastest of the three manufacturers, with six cars landing in the top 10, including Bowman and Byron. If the Chevrolets maintain that speed advantage Sunday, Elliott could be the favorite to capture the checkered flag.

The NASCAR Cup Series champion was in contention for the Clash victory on the course that splits between the oval and interior parts of Daytona International Speedway.

Elliott took second at Daytona in the 2020 summer race, and he followed that up with a fifth-placed spot at Talladega in the final superspeedway race of the season.

If he finds that form at Daytona again Sunday, Elliott could be Hendrick's best candidate to end the Daytona 500 victory drought. A dark-horse winner is always possible with the amount of wrecks and cautions that affect most Daytona 500s. But the established drivers, led by Hamlin, have achieved most of the success in recent years.

                

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

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Alex Bowman won the Daytona 500 pole for the second time in four years after finishing with a lap time of 47.056 seconds during the single-car qualifying time trial at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida on Wednesday.

W O W @Alex_Bowman tops @WilliamByron and puts the 4️⃣8️⃣ car on the provisional #BuschPole at @DAYTONA! (📺: FS1) pic.twitter.com/SXtUypdhae

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 11, 2021

William Byron, Bowman's Hendrick Motorsports teammate, will join him on the front row after finishing second with a time of 47.314 seconds.

What a lap from @WilliamByron!

The @TeamHendrick driver rockets to P1 at @DAYTONA! #BuschPole pic.twitter.com/u2AqT06Qhu

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 11, 2021

Bowman's performance, which hit a top speed of 191.261 mph, marks the fourth straight time he will be on the front row for the 500. He and Byron (190.219 mph) formed the front row for the 2019 Daytona 500, with Byron earning the pole that year.

Aric Almirola, Bubba Wallace and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the top five. Kevin Harvick, Christopher Bell, Ryan Preece, Austin Dillon and Daniel Suarez finished sixth through 10th.

The Bluegreen Vacations Duels, a pair of 60-lap, 150-mile races Thursday night, will determine the remainder of the starting grid as well as the final two qualifiers in the 40-car field.

Duel 1 will determine the participants on the inside row of the track by the order of finish. Duel 2 will determine the participants of the outside row of the track.

The 40-car field is reserved for the 36 chartered team spots plus four open spots for non-chartered teams, determined by finishes during single-car qualifying and duels.

Ryan Preece and David Ragan will assume two of those final four spots after finishing tops among the eight non-chartered teams Wednesday. Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports explained the process for how the remainder of the open drivers can qualify.

Preece and Ragan are locked into the Daytona 500. Cindric gets into D500 if tops in duel or Preece or Ragan tops in duel. Grala gets in if top in duel or Preece/Cindric and Ragan are tops in their duel. TDillon Smithley Hill Gragson must be tops in their duel to get in.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 11, 2021

Although Bowman and Byron will start at the head of the field, it doesn't guarantee a winner's circle position. The pole winner hasn't taken home the Daytona 500 since Dale Jarrett in 2000. Jeff Gordon did the same the year before.

Overall, pole winners have won the Daytona 500 nine times since the race's inception since 1959. Seven drivers who started No. 2 have won the race, with Jarrett being the last one in 1993.

Still, Bowman and Byron can buck the trend. Bowman finished a career-high sixth in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series standings. Byron won the summer Daytona race last year when he took home the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

This year's Daytona 500 will take place Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET. Fox will be the television home for the event.

NASCAR pit crew member William "Rowdy" Harrell was killed in a car crash last week along with his wife, Blakley, NASCAR announced.

The two were married Nov. 21 and were traveling for their honeymoon in Florida.

The Florida Highway Patrol reported the couple collided with a pickup truck on U.S. Highway 1 on Lower Matecumbe Key.

Harrell had been working on the crew for the No. 88 driver, Alex Bowman, and has worked as a tire carrier for Hendrick Motorsports for the last eight seasons.

Bowman spoke about the crew member on social media:

Rowdy was everything that made the 88 team, the 88 team. The biggest personality and the best person. He was the happiest person you’d ever meet, and that was only reenforced by his wife Blakley. Rip to an absolute legend. You’ll be missed every single day brother. pic.twitter.com/ouvflY1M7h

— Alex Bowman (@Alex_Bowman) November 25, 2020

Harrell's former crew chief, Greg Ives, also discussed the loss:

"Our entire team is absolutely devastated at the loss of Rowdy and Blakley. They were such positive, giving and passionate people who could not have been a more perfect match. Rowdy had an energetic and infectious personality. He was the heart and soul of our team and always kept us motivated, no matter the circumstance. Rowdy shared his love with the people around him and was loved in return. Although he will be greatly missed, his memory will continue to inspire us always. Our prayers are with Rowdy, Blakley and their wonderful family."

Harrell graduated from the University of Alabama and was a walk-on linebacker for the Crimson Tide, earning three national titles with the team.

Hendrick Motorsports announced Wednesday that it has signed driver Kyle Larson to a multi-year contract.

NASCAR suspended Larson indefinitely for using a racial slur during an April 12 iRacing event. Chip Ganassi Racing soon severed ties with Larson, who has not raced on the NASCAR Cup Series since March 8. 

The 28-year-old completed mandatory sensitivity training as part of his condition for reinstatement, per Dustin Long of NBC Sports. He applied for reinstatement in mid-October, and NASCAR approved his application on Oct. 19.

Larson is eligible to return to NASCAR racing activities on Jan. 1, 2021. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season begins on Feb. 14 with the Daytona 500.

He must complete numerous conditions to keep his reinstatement intact, per NASCAR.com.

"Those terms for reinstatement include several speaking engagements, each spaced out through 2023, where Larson will share his experiences with NASCAR’s weekly series, e-sports and dirt-racing communities. He will also be required to take further training and engagement classes through 2023, plus continue his work with the Urban Youth Racing School (UYRS) and Rev Racing, providing coaching and mentorship for those initiatives."

Larson finished in the top nine in the NASCAR Cup Series standings from 2016-19, with a high of sixth in 2019.

He'll drive the No. 5 Chevrolet for a Hendrick Motorsports team that will also feature Alex Bowman, William Byron and Chase Elliott racing full time in 2021.

Alex Bowman will replace Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson in the No. 48 Chevrolet after the end of this NASCAR Cup Series season, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com).

Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, will no longer race full time after this year.

"It's definitely pretty similar, you go from [replacing] the most popular driver of all time to [replacing] arguably the greatest of all time," Bowman told the AP.

"It's just an honor for me to get to drive another car with a great number. I know I'm going to get a lot of the same questions I've answered the last couple of years, just replace Jimmie Johnson for Dale Earnhardt Jr. For everyone who has the confidence in me to do it just means the world to me."

The 27-year-old, who is currently sixth in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, has experience replacing the sport's legends. Of note, he inherited the No. 88 car from Dale Earnhardt Jr. full time in 2018.

Bowman's crew chief, Greg Ives, will also be moving to the No. 48 car.

There is no concrete plan for replacing Bowman in the No. 88 car as of yet, but the AP reported that Kyle Larson is the top candidate.

NASCAR suspended Larson indefinitely in April after he used a racial slur during an iRacing event.

Bowman should have a bright future ahead of him in the No. 48 car if his past performances are any indication. He's steadily improved since he started racing full time on the NASCAR Cup Series in 2018, going from 16th to 12th and now sixth this year. 

He has two career wins, including one at the Auto Club 400 this season.

Kevin Harvick has been the most consistent driver through five races of the 2020 NASCAR season, and on Wednesday, he faces the toughest task yet to extend his lead in the points standings. 

The 44-year-old and the other racers face the grueling physical test of racing twice in four days at Darlington Raceway.

The driver of the No. 4 car has to fend off challenges from some teams that looked strong Sunday and find a way to reach first from the 20th starting position, which is not easy to do at the South Carolina circuit.

Wednesday's starting grid was inverted from the top-20 finishers from Sunday's race, so Ryan Preece, who ended up in 20th, sits on the pole. 

The second half of Wednesday's starting lineup was determined by finishing position, which means William Byron and Jimmie Johnson will begin the race in 34th and 37th, respectively. 

                   

Toyota 500 Information

Date: Wednesday, May 20

Start Time: 6 p.m. ET 

TV: FS1

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

        

Starting Lineup

Starting lineup for Wednesday. Based on Sunday finish. Top-20 inverted. #nascar ⁦@NASCARONFOX⁩ pic.twitter.com/rK4ffSek7W

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 18, 2020

        

Odds

Kyle Busch (+500; bet $100 to win $500) 

Kevin Harvick (+500)

Martin Truex Jr. (+600) 

Denny Hamlin (+700)

Alex Bowman (+800)

Chase Elliott (+800)

Brad Keselowski (+1,000)

Odds obtained from Caesars Sportsbook.

                

Preview

Harvick will return to Darlington with the car he won Sunday's race in.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver did not suffer much damage to his vehicle because he was out in front for 159 of the 293 laps.

Harvick's crew chief Rodney Childers confirmed the decision to NBC Sports' Dustin Long.

"Bringing the same car back," Childers said. "Not even taking springs and shocks off the car. Just taking it like we ended but will fix a few things."

Harvick's toughest competition Sunday came from the four Hendrick Motorsports cars. 

Johnson was in line to capture the first stage before an accident took him out of the race, Byron took the Stage 1 victory before suffering damage, Bowman ended up second overall, and Chase Elliott finished fourth.

Elliott and Bowman have the best chances to win from that quartet since they start within the top 20.

Only two drivers who started from positions No. 30-40 Sunday finished in the top 20, and it could be tougher for Byron and Johnson to achieve that with 64 fewer laps in Wednesday's 500-kilometer race. 

Given the shorter race length and complexities of passing at Darlington, more pit strategies could be utilized to move up the grid. 

Kyle Busch may join Byron and Johnson as drivers who try a different pit sequence to reach the front. 

Busch entered Darlington with a pair of top-five and top-10 finishes, but a start from the back of the field and a few other issues kept him from extending that streak. 

At the front of the field, Brad Keselowski may be in the best position to control Wednesday night's race. 

The No. 2 car led 80 laps—the second-highest total behind Harvick—but dropped back to 13th after struggling in the final stage.

If Keselowski's team makes the proper adjustments, he could surge forward from eighth and set the pace.

His Team Penske teammate, Joey Logano, could have an extended spell up top as well, as he begins the race in third. 

Logano is the only driver with two wins this season, and he could benefit from running in the front alongside teammates Keselowski and Ryan Blaney, who starts fifth. 

Rookies Tyler Reddick (+6,000) and John Hunter Nemechek (+20,000) could be the best long-shot bets for Wednesday after they both finished in the top 10.

Reddick was a consistent fixture in the top 10 Sunday, and Nemechek used a late push to end up in ninth.

                              

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com

Alex Bowman secured a narrow victory in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series event at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday.

Bowman held off Corey LaJoie and Ryan Preece in overtime. First and second were separated by 0.037 seconds, while 0.001 second was the difference between LaJoie and Preece.

RETWEET TO CONGRATULATE @AlexBowman88 ON HIS #PROINVITATIONALSERIES WIN AT TALLADEGA!!! pic.twitter.com/Fw9IhuO2Gp

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 26, 2020

Your #ProInvitationalSeries Top 10 from virtual Talladega. pic.twitter.com/iU8LYhWWjY

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 26, 2020

In addition to needing a strong restart to retain his hold on first place, Bowman had to keep a keen eye on his fuel gauge:

Might run out of fuel. That’ll be bad. Not pitting though 😂

— Alex Bowman (@Alex_Bowman) April 26, 2020

Another overtime period very well could've spoiled his chances to win.

Fans have come to expect the "big one" at Talladega every year because of the track's tendency of grouping multiple cars into tight spaces. That wreck arrived on the 11th lap after Ty Dillon made contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to trigger a series of unfortunate events.

Nobody came out worse than Jeff Gordon:

Have you landed yet, @JeffGordonWeb?

The Big One strikes with a vengeance early at @TalladegaSuperS. pic.twitter.com/c3WGnVJK0P

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 26, 2020

Today, we're thankful for resets.#ProInvitationalSeries | @TalladegaSuperS pic.twitter.com/ma0hE9KwrN

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 26, 2020

this is what happens when you race with a cougar in the car#ProInvitationalSeries pic.twitter.com/cV4BwVcEbB

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 26, 2020

The No. 24 car became well acquainted with the catchfence:

He almost went to the parking lot.@JeffGordonWeb | #ProInvitationalSeries pic.twitter.com/zOGGaFy91Q

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 26, 2020

Clint Bowyer had a day to forget as well after he misjudged the temperature on his car. He was in first place when the engine overheated. Gordon could hardly hide his enjoyment:

Fortunes can change quickly 'round here.@ClintBowyer | #ProInvitationalSeries pic.twitter.com/rmRmZzFBWm

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 26, 2020

Bowyer then found a way to crash into teammate Aric Almirola while the race was under caution:

Talladega without spotters is tough.@ClintBowyer | #ProInvitationalSeries pic.twitter.com/3FbLrhDwoa

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 26, 2020

Bowyer and Gordon will hope their luck turns around when the Pro Invitational Series heads to Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, for the next race.

The 2020 running of the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, on Sunday afternoon featured 16 lead changes, but it was Alex Bowman who claimed the checkered flag.

Bowman dominated the race, leading for 110 out of 200 laps en route to winning his second career Cup Series race. The 26-year-old set the tone by winning Stage 1 before finishing a whopping 8.9 seconds ahead of second-place finisher and reigning champion Kyle Busch.

CHECKERED FLAG: @AlexBowman88 rallies at @ACSupdates and collects the second NASCAR Cup Series victory of his career! pic.twitter.com/hUzaXTHGuB

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 1, 2020

As a result, Bowman might be getting a No. 88 tattoo:

Anyone know a tattoo shop near @ACSupdates?

@AlexBowman88 | @TeamHendrick pic.twitter.com/ftqY5gtN37

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 1, 2020

Busch snuck into a second-place finish after Ryan Blaney, who led for the second-most laps (54) and won Stage 2, was forced to make an unscheduled stop because of tire issues:

Ryan Blaney says he has a wheel that feels loose and is getting worse. He's currently second, 8-plus second behind Bowman.

— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) March 1, 2020

Ryan Blaney pits out of the second position with a tire issue.

— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) March 1, 2020

It continued a trend of heartbreaking finishes for Blaney, who ended in 19th, to start the Cup Series season. The No. 12 car came in second place at the Daytona 500 in mid-February before just missing the top-10 at 11th place in last weekend's Pennzoil 400.

                     

Auto Club 400 Top 10

1. Alex Bowman

2. Kyle Busch

3. Kurt Busch

4. Chase Elliott

5. Brad Keselowski 

6. Denny Hamlin 

7. Jimmie Johnson 

8. Aric Almirola 

9. Kevin Harvick

10. Erik Jones

Full results available at NASCAR.com.

Hamlin notched his second consecutive Daytona 500 title and inched closer to the top of the leaderboard Sunday after a disappointing 17th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend.

Behind him in seventh place was Johnson, who had lost the pole to Clint Bowyer by .007 seconds:

Seven-Time came THIS close to starting on the #BuschPole at his home track. @JimmieJohnson will roll from the front row as the field takes the green flag tomorrow at @ACSupdates. pic.twitter.com/VDPPaqoZtA

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 29, 2020

Johnson compensated for missing the pole by besting Bowyer's 23rd-place result. Bowyer necessitated a caution flag during Stage 2.

Elsewhere outside the top 10, drama brewed between Martin Truex Jr. and Pennzoil 400 winner Joey Logano:

"Tell the 22 I should have wrecked him." - @MartinTruex_Jr pic.twitter.com/VeRs9QQpDG

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 1, 2020

None of that ended up mattering, though. Bowman, in his third full season with Hendrick Motorsports in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s former No. 88, made himself a commodity as he inches toward free agency. His first Cup Series victory came in TheHouse.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway last June, and he certainly doesn't want to wait that long for his third.

Bowman's and every Cup Series driver's next chance for points will come at the FanShield 500 next Sunday from Phoenix Raceway.

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series begins on Sunday with the Daytona 500.

JTG Daugherty Racing will lead the field at the start after new driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took pole, with Hendrick Motorsports' Alex Bowman claiming second on the grid.

NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson races in his final Daytona 500 after announcing he will change disciplines at the end of the season. The 44-year-old starts sixth on the grid and will be hoping to begin his last campaign in style with a third Daytona 500 victory.

                             

Date: Sunday, Feb. 16

Time: 2:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. GMT

TV Schedule: Fox (U.S.), Premier Sports 1 (UK)

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go, Premier Player

Coverage begins on Fox at 11 a.m ET. The full schedule can be found at the speedway's official website.

               

👏 P R A C T I C E 👏

We’re talking about #DAYTONA500 practice 💯 pic.twitter.com/yznVc9iSfk

— Daytona International Speedway (@DAYTONA) February 15, 2020

Stenhouse joined JTG Daugherty Racing after a decade with Roush Fenway Racing ahead of the 2020 season, and his natural aggression is perfectly matched to his latest vehicle.

In conversation with Eric Johnson of Racer, Stenhouse said he's looking forward seeing what he can get out of his new car:

"Yeah, it definitely is a fast car. Any time you qualify that fast, you’re always kind of curious if the car is going to drive good during the race and if it is going to be ale to do the things it needs to do to stay up front, and it definitely did. I was surprised about that, and I think other people were too. It was also a good opportunity for us to show the other competitors and sort of say, ‘Yeah, it’s fast, but it also drives good enough to make the moves that I need to make'."

Stenhouse tweeted about his delight at winning pole position for the race:

Pretty special day yesterday for me and my whole @JTGRacing team. It was a all hands on deck team effort to build the speed into these cars and I’m thankful it worked out to grab the pole for the #greatamericanrace #daytona #daytona500 #shapedlikeabullet pic.twitter.com/EHpOOzmThg

— Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (@StenhouseJr) February 10, 2020

His pole might have surprised a few, and the grid positions of Joe Gibbs Racing pair Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch—21st and 28th, respectively—suggest a surprise result could be in the offing.

Hamlin won last year's Daytona 500, and Busch placed second on his way to the Cup Series crown. After the best season of his career, with 19 top-five finishes recorded in 2019, Hamlin will believe he can beat Busch to the Cup Series title.

Elsewhere, there will be plenty of emotion trackside when Johnson takes his place in his final Daytona 500. After a NASCAR career that has seen him become a seven-time Cup Series champion, Johnson will bid farewell to the Great American Race.

Johnson hasn't won a race since June 2017, but his grid position could help him to cause a surprise if he can roll back the years.