Chase Elliott wins Daytona 500 pole position for second consecutive year

“We’d love to get on the front row, take a little pressure off us”.

NASCAR made baseline concussion tests mandatory for all drivers in 2014, but expanded the protocol this year just nine days before the Daytona 500 with a consistent screening tool and additional neurological support in the hope of keeping drivers healthier. Among those drivers meeting the criteria to compete in the 75-lap event will be polesitters and playoff drivers from previous year, as well as former Daytona 500 and Clash (Duel) winners. He isn’t an ideal cash game play because of all the points he could lose in the place differential category, but I expect him to be one of the main contenders for the win and one of the drivers you need plenty of exposure to in tournaments. All other spots will be determined during Thursday night’s Duel qualifying races. Hamlin led the field to the green flag on Lap 53.

Until the wreck, Elliott was the star of Speedweeks.

“It’s a momentum builder, that’s what this is”, said Logano, the 2015 Daytona 500 champion. “I have watched a lot of races, replays and stuff where we have had success and I remember that feeling of being invincible”. “We’ve obviously got to get through the Duels, first”.

“I was just minding my own business in the low groove and we got tagged in the right-rear”, Busch said. “We will take some notes and learn from those mistakes and apply that to the (Daytona) 500 vehicle”. He is the defending winner of the Clash and a three-time winner of the event overall, and he is also the defending winner of the Daytona 500. It’s another race. It’s another opportunity to have a lot of fun with Hendrick Motorsports.

“It’s owed to Alex”, Earnhardt said.

Earnhardt and Elliott are both sons of NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers.

Earnhardt is instead an analyst for this race for Fox Sports. Keselowski won at Daytona last July, and he and Logano each won races at Talladega Superspeedway in 2016. He’s entering the final year of his contract with Hendrick and told reporters that he wants to wait a couple months before seriously engaging in extension talks with the team.

The 59 edition of the Monster Energy Cup Series will return to the Daytona International Speedway to host NASCAR’s grandest event.

NASCAR ditched its knockout group qualifying format for Daytona for single cars making one qualifying lap.

Joey Logano has won the Clash at Daytona, stealing a victory when leader Denny Hamlin and second-place Brad Keselowski wrecked on the final lap. There were 36 drivers guaranteed a spot because of the charter system.

Setting the starting lineup for the Daytona 500 is different from the other 35 races. Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 victor, will drive the No. 15 Toyota for Premium Motorsports. Danica Patrick finished fourth, her best finish in the race for her career.

The safety crew will come from American Medical Response and ensure that a physician and paramedics are in the safety vehicle at all Monster Energy Cup events.