Earnhardt Jr. wins pole for Daytona 500

NASCAR’s most popular driver will lead the field down to the green for the 53rd Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who ran a lap of 48.364 seconds—an average of 186.089 mph—will lead the field of 43 cars next week.

“The main thing [the pole] does for me is take the pressure off Thursday’s race,” said Earnhardt. “I can go out and have fun and not worry about where I finish or getting a good starting spot for the Daytona 500.”

For the last two years Mark Martin has been on the front row at Daytona. Not this year. However, his crew chief still is.

Jeff Gordon and new crew chief Alan Gustafson will start beside their Hendrick Motorsports teammate. Gordon turned a lap of 48.396 seconds to claim the second starting spot in next week’s race.

The 52-year-old Martin, who will make his 795th Sprint Cup start in one week, timed in eighth, at 48.651 seconds.

Only Gordon and Earnhardt Jr. will start where they qualified this week. The rest of the Daytona 500 field will be set on Thursday by two qualifying races.

Bill Elliott, Joe Nemechek and Travis Kvapil also timed their way into the field, and Terry Labonte will be locked in due to his past champion’s provisional.