2011 Daytona 500 Pole Sitter: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 186.089, finished 24th

2011 July Pole Sitter: #5-Mark Martin, 182.065, finished 33rd

Track Qualifying Record: Bill Elliott, 210.364mph, February 1987

Track Qualifying Record with Restrictor Plate: Ken Schrader, 196.996, February 1989

Oldest Pole Winner: 52 years, 5 months, 23 days, Daytona, 7/1/2011

Youngest Pole Winner: Jeff Gordon, 24 years, 11 months, 2 days, 7/6/1996

Fastest Last Practice Speed: #16-Biffle, 193.395mph, scheduled to qualify 9th out of 49 drivers

The Daytona 500 is a different with the Qualifying Races,
but the Top 35 are still guaranteed a starting spot
, see the rules on my Daytona Track News, Stats page.

Kenseth wins Gatorade Duel 2: #17-Matt Kenseth won the 2nd Gatorade Duel 150 Qualifying Race for the Daytona 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway followed by #78-Smith, #48-Johnson, #33-Sadler, #16-Biffle, #20-Logano, #18-Busch, #24-Gordon, #39-Newman and #5-Kahne. #36-Blaney (12th) and #87-Nemechek (22nd) got the two transfer spots and will race in the Daytona 500. #26-Raines fell back early and will use qualifying speed to make the race. #32-Terry Labonte will use the past champions provisional to make the Daytona 500. #09-KWallace had fuel pressure issues and finiished 21st, failing to make the race. The average speed was 194.175mph. There were 7 lead changes among 5 drivers and 0 cautions for 0 laps.
Go-or-Go Homers: making the Daytona 500 were #98-McDowell [transfer spot 6th Duel 1], #7-Gordon [transfer spot 9th Duel 1], #36-Blaney [transfer spot 12th Duel 2], #87-Nemechek [transfer spot 22nd Duel 2], #21-Bayne [qualifying speed], #26-Raines [qualifying speed],#30-Stremme [qualifying speed] and #32-Terry Labonte [past champions provisional].
DNQ's not making the Daytona 500 were #09-KWallace, #40-Waltrip, #37-MWallace, #97-Elliott, #23-Richardson Jr. and #49-Yeley.
See race results on the Gatorade Duel 150 Race 2 Results page (pdf).(2-23-2012)

Stewart wins Gatorade Duel 1: #14-Tony Stewart won the 1st Gatorade Duel 150 Qualifying Race for the Daytona 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway followed by #88-Earnhardt Jr., #9-Ambrose, #31-Burton, #99-Edwards, #98-McDowell, #29-Harvick, #22-Allmendinger, #7-Gordon and #1-McMurray. #98-McDowell and #7-Gordon got the two transfer spots and will race in the Daytona 500. #21-Bayne and #30-Stremme will have to use their qualifying speed to make the race, so Bayne will start 40th and Stremme 42nd. #32-Terry Labonte will probably use the past champions provisional to make the Daytona 500 but could still make the race via speed if #26-Raines and #09-KWallace use the transfer positions in the 2nd Duel, Labonte would be the 3rd fastest qualifier left. There were a few wrecks, the first early in the race when #38-Gilliland got tagged and shot up into #42-Montoya collecting #27-Menard and #2-Keselowski. #40-Waltrip made a late pit stop and came off pit road and got loose coming off the apron, shot up and went head first in to the wall, so Waltrip will not make the 500. On the final lap, #1-McMurray moved down, got in to #43-Almirola who tagged #10-Patrick, sending the #10 Chevy head first in to the SAFER wall. All drivers were reported to be ok. Looks like the #10, #27, #38 and #42 team will all have to go to backup cars.
The average speed was 159.104mph. There were 8 lead changes among 5 drivers and 3 cautions for 8 laps.
See race results on the Gatorade Duel 150 Race 1 Results page (pdf).(2-23-2012)

NOTE: not doing semi-live qualifying anymore. WIth NASCAR.com and FoxSPorts having realtime qualifying and hits for my qualifying pages way down due to the availabilty of the real-time qualifying found elsewhere, not worth the time.
Will still post my unique qualifying results here, to help explain how drivers make the race.
For Realtime qualifying, check out:
NASCAR.com
FoxSports
And today only, you can listen to qualufying on Motor Racing Network's website

Edwards wins Daytona 500 pole: #99-Carl Edwards won the pole for the Daytona 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway with a lap of 194.738mph for his first Daytona 500 pole and 11th career pole and it is Roush Fenway Racing's 80th pole. Edwards is the 37th driver to win the Daytona 500 pole. #16-Biffle gets the outside pole and will start 2nd. Only Edwards and Biffle have secured their exact starting spot. #88-Earnhardt Jr was 3rd fastest followed by #9-Ambrose, #13-Mears, #24-Gordon, #56-Truex Jr., #6-Stenhouse Jr., #21-Bayne and #14-Stewart. Edwards will start from the pole in the first Gatorade Duel and Biffle will start 1st in the 2nd Gatorade Duel. #15-Bowyer has not passed the height sticks and his qualifying time disallowed
#21-Bayne (9th), #26-Raines (26th) #30-Stremme (27th) all earned spots in the race as the three fastest drivers among those required to qualify on speed. #32-Terry Labonte will also start the race since he has a past champions provisional to use unless he races his way into one of the two spots available in the Duel he races or gets in by speed since he is 5th fastest of the go-or-go homers.
If Bayne, Raines, or Stremme race into the Daytona 500 via the Gatorade Duels. #09-KWallace, #36-Blaney and/or #40-Waltrip could make the field via speed. #97-Elliott could use the past champions provisional if Terry Labonte races into the field or uses speed [5th best of go-or-go homers] to make the race.
#15-Clint Bowyer had 22nd-fastest speed, but his car failed to pass post-qualifying inspection as the car did not meet front-end height requirements. So Bowyer will have to start at the rear of his Gatorade Duel, race 2. It doesn't effect his starting spot in the Daytona 500.
With the exception of the front row, the starting lineup will be set by the Gatorade Duel races, scheduled for Thursday, February 23rd at 2:00pm/et on SPEED.(2-19-2012)

Qualifying Fast Facts - Daytona 500:
#99-Carl Edwards won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Daytona 500 with a lap of 46.216 seconds, 194.738 mph.
This is his 11th pole in 266 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first pole in 15 races at Daytona International Speedway.
Edwards' pole speed of 194.738 mph is the fastest pole winning speed in Daytona 500 Coors Light Pole qualifying since 1999 (Jeff Gordon, 195.067 mph).
With the Coors Light Pole, Carl Edwards has earned a spot in next year's Shootout at Daytona.
#16-Greg Biffle (second) posted his fifth top-10 start in 19 races at Daytona International Speedway. He will join his Roush Fenway Racing teammate on the front row of the Daytona 500.
This is Roush Fenway Racing's first Daytona 500 pole since 2004 (Greg Biffle).
The last time Ford swept the front row for the Daytona 500 was 2007 (David Gilliland and Ricky Rudd).
The last time teammates swept the front row for the Daytona 500 was 2011 (Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon).
The last driver to win the Daytona 500 from the pole was Dale Jarrett in 2000.
The last driver to win the Daytona 500 from the second starting position was Dale Jarrett in 1993.(NASCAR Statistics)(2-19-2012)

Coverage of Qualifying for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 1:10pm/et.
TV: FOX - 1:00pm/et
Radio: Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio
Qualifying Re-Air: none scheduled

Pole Progression: (who had the pole first, who got it next and who ended up with it)
#27-Menard, 1st out to qualify, 193.374, start position depends on Gatorade Duel finish
#13-Mears, 4th out, 193.844, , start position depends on Gatorade Duel finish
#99-Edwards, 5th out, 194.738, starts 1st - on the pole

How did the non Top-35 teams do in qualifying?
[49 entered for 43 spots]:
will make the race, at least thru the Past Champ Provisional:
#32-Terry Labonte [PC1],
have clinched a spot in the race:
#21-Trevor Bayne, 193.615
#26-Tony Raines, 192.534
#30-David Stremme, 191.963
can make the race by speed or via the Gatorade Duel:
#09-Kenny Wallace, 191.567
#32-Terry Labonte [PC1], 191.522, if not can race in or use past champ prov
#36-Dave Blaney, 191.506
#40-Michael Waltrip, 191.180
will need to race in via the Gatorade Duel:
#87-Joe Nemechek, 191.160
#98-Michael McDowell, 190.990
#97-Bill Elliott [PC2], 189.950 can use past champ prov if #32 races in or gets in by speed
#37-Mike Wallace, 189.853
#23-Robert Richardson Jr., 188.438
#7-Robby Gordon, 188.229
#49-J.J. Yeley, 187.954

Gatorade Duel's Starting Lineups, Results, Pitstalls, Notes

Daytona 500 Qualifying Rules

Race info at: Race Info Page

Event Entry List

All Time Sprint Cup Pole Winners

What happens if all qualifying gets cancelled [rain/weather/other]?
If bad weather cancels qualifying, the final starting lineup will be determined by practice speeds. The same rule book procedures will be used to determine eligibility to start a race. If weather cancels practice sessions, then the starting lineup will be set by points, per the rule book.
IF QUALIFYING AND ALL PRACTICES ARE CANCELED, then:
If it is the first 5 races of the season, the previous season OWNERS points are used:
#1) - First 35 by current Owner Points [team does not have to attempt all the races]
#2) - Last Years Cup Champ or the Event Champion if not already in the field
#3) - Car Owners whose team has won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#4) - Drivers who have won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#5) - Past Nextel Cup Champions not in by 1 thru 4
#6) - Qualifying Attempts with Owners points as the tie breaker
#7) - Qualifying Order Position
(all above apply as long as the team was entered by the entry deadline - usually 7-13 days before the race)

Past Champions Provisional Berths in Sprint Cup: A past champion's provisional may be used by an eligible driver a maximum of six times over the course of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. A team with a past champion eligible driver may only use this provisional a maximum of six times during a season. The provisional gives the eligible driver the 43rd and final starting position in the race field. This is only for a team/driver OUTSIDE the top-35 in owners points, drivers whose team is in the top-35 in owners points, would already be guaranteed in the field and not need the Past Champions Provisional
See my 2011 Past Champions Provisional Page for more.