On February 11, during the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Daytona International Speedway, two drivers outpaced the full field of 45 entrants, earning the front row positions for the 68th Daytona 500. Chase Briscoe and Kyle Busch delivered the fastest times in the qualifying session, ensuring their place at the head of the grid on race day.
Kyle Busch achieved his first Daytona 500 Pole Award by completing a lap in 49.006 seconds at an average speed of 183.651 mph driving the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Busch credited his newly appointed crew chief Jim Pohlman for instilling confidence and preparing the team for success.
This guy (Jim Pohlman, new crew chief) knew we could win the pole tonight,
Busch said. “He had more confidence than I did, but that’s not a bad thing. This is a great boost for this RCR team and all we’ve done to get ready for the 500. Bringing Jim on board has been good for us and it sure feels good to see all the work that went on behind the scenes paying off.
It’s a great opportunity for us to start our season off in a positive way like this. I’ve been with Richard (Childress) for three years and we’ve wrecked out of two of them here before. Getting through the Duel tomorrow night and hanging on to the pole is important.
Chase Briscoe narrowly missed the pole by mere fractions, clocking a 49.023-second lap at 183.587 mph in the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Briscoe, who started on the front row last year, expressed pride in returning to this prime position for the second consecutive Daytona 500.
It’s pretty cool just to be on the front row for two consecutive years,
Briscoe said. “We have really worked hard on our superspeedway program. For me, it’s a really big deal to lead the field to green for the Daytona 500 once again.
“I’m sure Johnny Morris (Bass Pro Shops) is blowing up my phone right now because he’s been so excited for this race. I’ve never won a race on a superspeedway until Talladega last year. So, this is a great way to get back to improving on what we learned last year.
Our car was bouncing pretty bad hitting the ground during practice. When we qualified tonight, it was a lot better and it showed in the results.
The front row positions are locked in regardless of outcomes in the upcoming Duel races, cementing Busch and Briscoe’s starting spots on Sunday.
Top Ten Qualifiers and Duel Starting Positions Defined
Following the initial qualifying session, a subsequent run sorted the remainder of the top 10 fastest drivers, setting their starting spots for the Duel races held on Thursday night. These races determine the final lineup for the Daytona 500 beyond the front row.
The drivers placing from third through tenth were Ryan Preece, Denny Hamlin, Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Corey Heim, Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott, and Joey Logano, listed by speed order. Drivers ranked second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth will start second, third, fourth, and fifth in the first Duel respectively, while those placed third, fifth, seventh, and ninth will assume the corresponding slots in the second Duel.
Each Duel is 60 laps and 150 miles long, finalizing the majority of starting positions for Sunday’s race. These contests will also eliminate four teams that fail to qualify outright for the 500.
Non-Chartered Teams Heim and Allgaier Earn Race Entry through Speed
Among the eight non-chartered teams vying to make the race based solely on speed, Corey Heim and Justin Allgaier secured their spots with impressive laps. Heim will participate in his maiden Daytona 500, while Allgaier returns for his second time. Heim recorded a lap of 49.135 seconds at 183.158 mph in the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing, even advancing into the final round of ten. Meanwhile, Allgaier’s 182.923 mph lap in the No. 40 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports was swift enough to lock him into the event directly.
The remaining six open cars will compete in the Duel races to claim the two last available positions.
Noah Gragson’s Qualifying Time Nullified Amid Rule Infraction
Noah Gragson’s qualifying time was disallowed due to a procedural infraction. While driving along the backstretch, Gragson placed his left hand near the B pillar of his No. 4 Ford during his qualifying lap, violating NASCAR’s recent regulation that forbids drivers from touching anything adjacent to the driver’s window during superspeedway qualifying.
I totally forgot about that rule, so that one is on me.
Gragson told Fox broadcaster Jamie Little. “I feel like, for the Daytona 500, it’s a long enough race you can kind of start wherever. It is what it is.
Yeah, I feel like an idiot for that and putting my hand there. Oh well, we got the race tomorrow (The Duels) to get in. I’m down for that.
Gragson and other drivers awaiting final starting positions will compete in the Duel races Thursday evening, with the first race starting at 7 p.m. and the second at 8:45 p.m. Fans can watch on FS1-TV or listen on MRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
Implications of Front Row Positions and Upcoming Duels
Securing the front row at Daytona gives Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe a psychological and tactical advantage as they lead the pack into the biggest NASCAR race of the year. For Busch, this marks not only his first pole for the Daytona 500 but also an important milestone signaling renewed momentum under new crew chief Jim Pohlman. Briscoe’s continued presence near the front demonstrates Joe Gibbs Racing’s growing superspeedway competitiveness.
The Duels will be critical for remaining drivers, especially the non-chartered entrants, to validate their starting spots. With two open slots still available, the pressure to perform during these races remains intense, ensuring that only the fastest and most resilient teams will join the historic 500-lap event on Sunday.
