Daytona 500 Starting Lineup

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) and see the Daytona 500 Starting Lineup page.(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)

Coverage of the Qualifying races the Gatorade Duel 150's to make the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 2:00pm/et.
TV: SPEED - 2:00pm/et
Green Flag approx 2:15pm/et
Radio: Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio
Gatorade Duel 150's Re-Air: 8:00pm/et on SPEED

Gatorade Duel - To the Back: #15-Bowyer (failed post qual inspections); #5-Kahne (backup); #97-Elliott (engine)

The Daytona 500 is a different with the Qualifying Races, but the Top 35 are still guaranteed a starting spot, see the rules below click here.

Great Explanation on how to make the Daytona 500: #21-Trevor Bayne and #30-David Stremme from Duel 1 and #26-Tony Raines from Duel 2 are already locked into the Daytona 500 since they were the three fastest non-top 35 qualifiers. However, the incentive remains to finish in a transfer spot to improve starting position for the 500. Without a transfer spot, none of these three are slated to start better than 40th.
" #32-Terry Labonte is locked into the Daytona 500 by virtue of the past series champion's provisional. However, he can also make the field via a transfer position or possibly fall back on qualifying speed, which would then shift the champion's provisional to #97-Bill Elliott should he need it.
" There are multiple ways for #09-Kenny Wallace (Duel 2), #32-Terry Labonte (Duel 1), #26-Dave Blaney (Duel 2) and #40-Michael Waltrip (Duel 1) to make the Daytona 500 field. The easiest way, of course, is for each driver to finish in one of the two transfer spots in his qualifying race. Barring that ...
" K. Wallace: He will make the Daytona 500 based on his speed from qualifying if ...
Bayne, Raines or Stremme finish in a transfer spot in either qualifying race
" T. Labonte: He will make the Daytona 500 based on his speed from qualifying if ...
The two transfer spots in Duel 1 are filled by Bayne and Stremme
OR
At least one of the two transfer spots in Duel 1 is filled by Bayne or Stremme AND at least one of the two transfer spots in Duel 2 is filled by Raines or K. Wallace OR
The two transfer spots in Duel 2 are filled by Raines and K. Wallace
" Blaney: He will make the Daytona 500 based on his speed from qualifying if ...
The two transfer spots in Duel 1 are filled by a combination of Bayne, Stremme or T. Labonte AND at least one of the two transfer spots in Duel 2 is filled by Raines or K. Wallace
OR
At least one of the two transfer spots in Duel 1 is filled by Bayne, Stremme or T. Labonte AND the two transfer spots in Duel 2 are filled by Raines and K. Wallace
" Waltrip: He will make the Daytona 500 based on his speed from Sunday's qualifying if ...
The two transfer spots in Duel 1 are filled by a combination of Bayne, Stremme or T. Labonte AND the two transfer spots in Duel 2 are filled by a combination of Raines, K. Wallace or Blaney
" All other non-top 35 drivers must finish in one of the two transfer spots in his qualifying race to earn a starting spot in the Daytona 500.(more at CBS Sports)(2-23-2012)

Track Specs:
Track/Race Length: 2.5 mile oval, 60 laps, 150 miles
Tri-oval with 31-degree banking in the turns
18-degree banking in the tri-oval and 6-degree banking on the straightaways
Date track opened: 1959
Banking in turns 1-4: 31 degrees
Banking in tri-oval: 18 degrees
Banking on backstretch: 3 degrees
Banking on the straightaway: 6 degrees
Length of frontstretch: 3,800 feet
Length of backstretch: 3,400 feet
Pit Road Speed: 55 mph
Pace Car Speed: 70 mph
Pit Road Length: 1,600 feet
Pit Road Width: 50 feet

Race Festivities/Officials:
Duel 1 Grand Marshal: Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte
Duel 1 Command to start engines: Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte
Duel 2 Grand Marshal: Harris Teeter's Steve Kravitz
Duel 2 Command to start engines: Harris Teeter's Steve Kravitz
Honorary Starter/Wave Green Flag: ?
Invocation: Dr. L. Ronald Durham, Great Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Daytona Beach, FL
National Anthem: Catina Mack
Military Flyover: 2 T-45 Goshawk, Naval Air Station, Meridian, MS

Elliott's team changes engines: Dawsonville's Bill Elliott NEMCO Motorsports team found a motor issues in his #97 Toyota after Wednesday's practice for today's Dual Qualifying races and had to make a motor change. Elliott, will have to start at the rear of the field in his dual race and must race his way into Sunday's Daytona 500. However, if past Cup Champion Terry Labonte races his way in [or uses qyalufiying speed to make the race], Elliott can use his Past Champion provisional to make the field.(41nbc.com)(2-23-2012)

4th practice for the Daytona 500 [and Happy Hour for the Gatorade Duels] Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway is over, after 90 scheduled minutes, the top 5, slowest and notes:
#43-Almirola 199.712
#30-Stremme 199.331
#78-Smith 198.360
#23-Richardson Jr., 197.972
#16-Biffle 197.655
Slowest: #93-Reutimann 189.036 & #83-Cassill 189.143
Only 25 cars ran the practice.
Notes: for the most part cars were running in packs and the draft. Early in practice #42-Montoya got slightly into #5-Kahne off turn 4 in practice, #5 slid and bounced thru the tri-oval grass, lots of damage to the nose, going to a backup for the Gatorade Duels. Will go to the rear for the Duel, not the Daytona 500.
See fastest speeds, 10 lap average, laps run on the Daytona Practice 4 Speeds page (pdf).(2-22-2012)

3rd practice for the Daytona 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway is over, the top 5, slowest and notes:
#17-Kenseth 200.853
#21-Bayne 200.817
#6-Stenhouse Jr., 200.673
#9-Ambrose 200.280
#55-Martin 200.196
Slowest: #48-Johnson 193.316 and #88-Earnhardt Jr. 194.999
No speeds listed: #36-Raines, #30-Stremme, #37-MWallace, #61-Busch, #83-Cassill and #93-Reutimann.
Notes: for the most part cars were running in packs and the draft. There was once incident when #15-Bowyer got into #2-Keselowski when the #2 slowed to avoid the #39-Newman car, the #2 slid thru the backstretch grass. There was a little damage to the car, but Keselowski doesn't plan to practice in the next practice.
See fastest speeds, 10 lap average, laps run on the Daytona Practice 3 Speeds page (pdf).(2-22-2012)

NASCAR considering minor changes for Daytona UPDATE: NASCAR will consider minor adjustments to reduce the possibility of engines overheating prior to the Daytona 500. But otherwise officials were pleased with the results of Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout, the first race since implementing changes to reduce tandem racing. Vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said before Sunday's qualifying for the 500 that complaints from teams about overheating were "moderate'' at best. He said changes could come in the form of opening up the front grill slightly to allow more air flow or adjusting the pressure release valve. Pemberton said NASCAR will re-evaluate later in the week with temperatures expected to be much warmer during Thursday's qualifying races and Sunday's 500 than it was during the Shootout held at night. "We said all along there was potential to make adjustments,'' Pemberton said. Pemberton said there are no plans to tell drivers they cannot bump draft in the corners or make adjustments in the spoiler height to provide more stability. There were three major wrecks of eight, six and nine cars in the Shootout. "The drivers know they can't push on the left rear end,'' Pemberton said. "They have to get acclimated.''(ESPN.com)(2-20-2012)
UPDATE: SPEED's NASCAR Live reports that NASCAR made a change, allowing the teams to change the PSI on the radiator pressure release valve from 25 psi to 28 psi.(2-22-2012)

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)

Duel wins doesn't equal 500 win: Only eight times has the winner of a 125 / 150-mile race gone on to win the Daytona 500:
Fireball Roberts was the first to do so, in 1962
Cale Yarborough did it twice, in 1977 and 1984
others:
Bill Elliott (1985)
Bobby Allison (1988)
Sterling Marlin (1995)
Dale Earnhardt (1998)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2004)

Qualifying: The top-two qualifiers will start on the front row for the 2012 Daytona 500: #99-Carl Edwards (first) and #16-Greg Biffle (second). The bottom line  for the 2012 Daytona 500 - is that the top-two qualifiers are in. The remaining top-35 guaranteed starters are in. Four drivers will make the field based on their performance in the Duels, leaving four positions in the starting field. The three fastest non-guaranteed starters, that do not race their way in by their finish in the Duels, will make the field because they will revert to their qualifying times: #21-Bayne, #26-Rainesl and #30-STremme. #32-Terry Labonte will be in on Past Champion provisional if he does not race his way in.

Gatorade Duel Assignment:
" The eligible highest ranked 35 in 2011 car owner points are assigned to Gatorade Duel races based on their standing in the 2011 final car owner points. Odd-numbered owner points will compete in the first Gatorade Duel; even numbered owners will compete in the second. The only exception is that the fastest qualifier (Edwards) will compete in the first Gatorade Duel and the second fastest (Biffle) will compete in the second, regardless of 2011 car owner point standings.
" The remaining teams are assigned to a Gatorade Duel based on qualifying times beginning with the fastest team  the #21 of Trevor Bayne. The final lineups will be 25 in Duel 1 and 24 cars in Duel 2.
" Starting positions for the Gatorade Duels are based on qualifying times.

Drivers Locked IN:
#99-Carl Edwards - pole winner
#16-Greg Biffle - outside pole winner
33 other drivers in the top 35 of 2011 owners pts

non top 35 owners pts drivers locked in:
#21-Trevor Bayne - 1st fastest of drivers not on top-35
#26-Tony Raines - 2nd fastest of dirvers not in top 35
#30-David Stremme - 3rd fastest of dirvers not in top 35
#32-Terry Labonte - past series champion

If any of the above four drivers NOT in the top-35 races into a transfer spot, 2 spots in each Duel
the following four drivers could get via their qualifying speed:
#09-KWallace - 4th fastest of dirvers not in top 35
#32-TLabonte - 5th fastest of dirvers not in top 35 [past champ]
#36-Blaney - 6th fastest of dirvers not in top 35
#40-Waltrip - 7th fastest of dirvers not in top 35

If #32-Terry Labonte races into a transfer spot or makes the race via his qualifying speed, then the following driver could use a past chamnpions provisional if needed:
#97-Bill Elliott (1988 Sprint Cup Champion)

Race info at: Daytona 500 Race Info Page

Event Entry List

Qualifying Procedure for the Gatorade Duels/Daytona 500: