An ‘unbelievable’ solution to begin off the 12 months and season, in line with Chase Briscoe, who rocketed to the highest of the Daytona 500 qualifying charts with a 49.249s lap within the remaining spherical. The celebrated pole is large for Briscoe, however even greater for producer and staff as Toyota has by no means earlier than earned pole place within the Daytona 500 and Joe Gibbs Racing hasn’t taken the highest spot in 500 qualifying since 1998 with Bobby Labonte.
Briscoe’s gorgeous pole run noticed him greatest Staff Penske’s Austin Cindric, which inevitably ended Ford’s run of 9 consecutive poles at drafting tracks. The Blue Oval did make a press release, although, taking each spot contained in the top-five — besides first place.
“[It’s] a good way to begin our season,” stated Briscoe, who has two earlier Cup Sequence poles. “Unbelievable solution to begin off the 12 months. Unbelievable solution to begin off with Toyota. To have the ability to be the man to ship them the primary something once they’ve already completed a lot is fairly cool … Cannot thank Coach Gibbs sufficient, your entire Joe Gibbs Racing group. The entire low season everyone stored telling me the main focus was attempting to qualify higher at superspeedways. That is one thing I actually struggled finally 12 months. For our 19 group to come back right here and sit on the pole on the largest race of the 12 months is fairly particular.”
Ryan Preece was third on the time sheets, Joey Logano fourth, Josh Berry fifth, Denny Hamlin sixth, Austin Dillon seventh, Christopher Bell eighth, Ty Dillon ninth, and Kyle Larson tenth.
Two champs lock in
And Toyota’s good night time went far past Briscoe’s pole lap. Of the 9 open drivers, solely two had the chance to lock themselves into the race in Wednesday night time and each have been members of the Toyota camp. It was the 2 former NASCAR Cup champions — Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson — who edged out the remainder of the large open subject. Of be aware, they have been additionally the one Toyota drivers not but locked into the race. Because the producer trails each Chevrolet and Ford in complete automobile rely, they want all of the allies they will get for Sunday.
Martin Truex Jr., Tricon Storage Toyota
Picture by: James Gilbert / Getty Pictures
“Positively a giant reduction,” stated Truex, who will make his twenty first look within the 500 on Sunday. “You by no means know what can occur within the Duels – they will get loopy, one thing on pit street can get you in bother. Nice job to all the guys – they labored their butts off on this automobile. They have been sweating all afternoon, and by chance, we have been capable of put a very good lap in.”
For Johnson, he was simply completely satisfied that he will not must undergo the stress of final 12 months’s try to struggle his method into the five hundred with a last-lap move in his qualifying race. “What I went by final 12 months was so scary and I’m glad I don’t must undergo it once more. I definitely respect this course of and don’t envy the fellows that must race their method in. It’s so robust. I’m very pleased with my Toyota. I’m very pleased with everyone at Legacy Motor Membership. We’ve acquired three automobiles right here which can be all fairly quick. It’s a giant enchancment from final 12 months. We’ve labored onerous within the low season. We’re within the large present.”
Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Membership Toyota
Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Pictures
Third-fastest of the open entry drivers was Justin Allgaier, in an entry co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. which places him in a strong place to switch on time ought to both Truex or Johnson be the very best open driver of their respective Duel race. But when that does not occur, Allgaier may have the identical purpose as the remainder of the open subject — end greater than the remaining and race their method into the five hundred.
Because it stands, the next open drivers will compete within the Duel 1 race: Truex, Allgaier, Helio Castroneves, and J.J. Yeley. Castroneves can breathe a bit simpler as he can fall again on the Open Exemption Provisional for a assured beginning spot if he fails to race his method in. In Duel 2, the open drivers can be as follows: Johnson, Corey LaJoie, Anthony Alfredo, and B.J. McLeod.
The dual 150-mile qualifying races start at 7 p.m. EST Thursday night time the place the complete subject of drivers will lastly be set.
Photographs from Daytona 500 – Wednesday
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Jimmie Johnson
Martin Truex Jr
Chase Briscoe
Joe Gibbs Racing
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