Joey Logano wins pole position for 2024 Daytona 500

Nick Bromberg
Joey Logano reacts after taking the pole position during qualifying for the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Joey Logano will start first in Sunday's Daytona 500. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Hendrick Motorsports’ Daytona 500 pole streak is over.

Joey Logano edged Michael McDowell for the top starting spot in Sunday’s season-opening NASCAR race in the second round of qualifying on Wednesday. It’s the 29th career pole for Logano and his first for the Daytona 500.

Hendrick drivers entered the season with three straight Daytona 500 poles. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2020 had been the only non-Hendrick driver since 2014 to start first in the famed race. But McDowell snapped that streak with a blistering lap before Logano — who posted the fastest lap in the first round of qualifying — beat him in the evening’s final qualifying run.

Logano’s pole is the first for Ford since the 2012 season. Chevy drivers had won the last 11 Daytona 500 pole positions. After he got out of his car, Logano didn’t take any credit for a lap in which he simply mashed the gas and kept his car low on the track.

“This is all about the team,” Logano said. “Honestly I’d like to take credit, but I can’t today.”

Wednesday night’s qualifying session only determined the first two spots in Sunday’s race. The rest are up for grabs during Thursday night’s Duel races. With 42 cars entered for 40 spots in the race, 21 cars will participate in each of the two races on Thursday night. The first race will set the odd-numbered positions on the grid while the second race will set the even-numbered starting spots.

With 36 teams locked into the race, there are six drivers racing for four open spots and the two fastest cars among them on Wednesday night earned starting spots. Anthony Alfredo and David Ragan are guaranteed to start Sunday’s race, while Jimmie Johnson, JJ Yeley, Kaz Grala and B.J. McLeod are racing for two spots.

Johnson just needs to beat Yeley in the first Duel to get into the race while Grala needs to finish ahead of both Ragan and McLeod in the second race. Yeley posted the slowest time of any driver Wednesday night; it’ll be a shock if he gets into the race ahead of Johnson.

Duel 1 starting lineup

1. Joey Logano

2. Kyle Larson

3. Chase Elliott

4. Austin Dillon

5. Ross Chastain

6. Todd Gilliland

7. Ryan Preece

8. Chris Buescher

9. Alex Bowman

10. Daniel Suarez

11. Anthony Alfredo

12. Erik Jones

13. Daniel Hemric

14. Martin Truex Jr.

15. Ty Gibbs

16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

17. Corey LaJoie

18. Jimmie Johnson

19. Tyler Reddick

20. Carson Hocevar

21. JJ Yeley

Duel 2 starting lineup

1. Michael McDowell

2. Austin Cindric

3. William Byron

4. Kyle Busch

5. Harrison Burton

6. Riley Herbst

7. Chase Briscoe

8. Noah Gragson

9. Ryan Blaney

10. AJ Allmendinger

11. Josh Berry

12. Brad Keselowski

13. David Ragan

14. Bubba Wallace

15. Justin Haley

16. Christopher Bell

17. Denny Hamlin

18. Zane Smith

19. John Hunter Nemechek

20. B.J. McLeod

21. Kaz Grala

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