Qualifying for the 58th Daytona 500
Date: Feb. 14, 2016
Event: Qualifying for the 58th Daytona 500 (Round 1 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Pole Winner: Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (45.845 seconds at 196.314 mph)
SHR Lineup:
Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet SS, led the four-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent Sunday at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway by setting the 11th-fastest lap in qualifying for next Sunday’s 58th annual Daytona 500. Busch turned a lap of 46.270 seconds at 194.510 mph on the 2.5-mile oval in the final round of knockout qualifying for the season-opening NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
Qualifying consisted of two rounds of single-car qualifying, with drivers getting one timed, green-flag lap per round. The fastest 12 drivers from the first round advanced to the final round of qualifying where they battled for the pole.
Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified 16th with a lap of 46.404 seconds at 193.949 mph.
Brian Vickers, interim driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS for SHR as he subs for the injured Tony Stewart, qualified 21st with a lap of 46.466 seconds at 193.690 mph.
Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 Nature’s Bakery Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified 31st with a lap of 46.804 seconds at 192.291 mph.
However, following post-qualifying inspection, NASCAR officials determined the track bar on the Nos. 4 and 14 cars were “not in compliance with prescribed specifications” and the qualifying times for Harvick and Vickers were disallowed. This means both drivers will have to start at the rear of their respective Can-Am Duel races on Thursday.
The Can-Am Duel consists of twin 150-mile heat races where a driver’s finishing position determines his/her starting spot in the Daytona 500. Only the first two starting positions for the Daytona 500 were secured today. The remainder of the 40-car field will be determined when the Can-Am Duel is complete.
Locking up their starting spots for the Daytona 500 were Chase Elliott and Matt Kenseth, who qualified 1-2. Elliott won the pole in the final round of knockout qualifying with a lap of 45.845 seconds at 196.314 mph. It was his first career Sprint Cup pole. Kenseth missed the top spot by .065 of a second as he turned a lap of 45.910 seconds at 196.036 mph.
Forty-four drivers made a qualifying attempt for the Daytona 500.
Those cars earning even-numbered positions from qualifying were assigned to the first Duel race. Those cars earning odd-numbered positions from qualifying will compete in the second Duel race. The starting positions for each Duel race were based on qualifying times.
Harvick will start 22nd in the in the first Can-Am Duel race, while Busch, Patrick and Vickers will start fifth, 14th and 22nd, respectively, in the second Can-Am Duel race.
The Can-Am Duel gets underway at 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 18 with live coverage on FOX Sports 1. The green flag waves for the Daytona 500 at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21, with live coverage provided by FOX.
-SHR-