Coke Zero 400 Qualifying Update

Daytona International Speedway -- 07/4/2009

Author: Becca Gladden

Published: Saturday Jul 4 2009 3:32am

Another week, another rained-out qualifying session in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series.

The rain actually started with two cars left to qualify in the Nationwide series. Those two drivers happened to be Kerry Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. After the shower, the track was dried and NWS qualifying was completed, but NASCAR apparently felt there was insufficient time to fit Cup qualifying in with the Nationwide race set to begin.

This is the second week in a row that Cup qualifying has been rained out and the fourth time in 18 races this year. Qualifying was cancelled due to rain last weekend in Loudon.

The rain puts Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon on the front row Saturday night as cars line up according to current owner points.

The eight ‘go-or-go home’ drivers that made the field are Brad Keselowski, Scott Speed, David Gilliland, Joe Nemechek, Dave Blaney, Patrick Carpentier, Tony Raines, and Regan Smith. Max Papis and Mike Wallace missed the cut.

Although Greg Biffle was slated to line up ninth based on points, he and Sam Hornish wrecked in practice Thursday and both will be going to backup cars and starting in the rear of the field. Hornish would have started 25th. If qualifying had not been rained out, both drivers would have retained their regular qualifying positions.

The first five rows will line up as follows:

Row 1: Tony Stewart / Jeff Gordon

Row 2: Jimmie Johnson / Kurt Busch

Row 3: Carl Edwards / Denny Hamlin

Row 4: Ryan Newman / Kyle Busch

Row 5: Matt Kenseth / Mark Martin

Because he is starting on the pole, Stewart received his choice of pit stalls and selected pit stall No. 1, while outside polesitter Gordon chose stall No.
21 - the next one with an opening in front of it.

The last time a Daytona race was won from the pole was on July 2, 2005. The winning driver that day was … Tony Stewart.

In all, 23 of 124 races at Daytona (both winter and summer dates) have been won from the pole. The deepest starting spot for a July race winner was 38th place, by Bill Elliott in 1988. Matt Kenseth started 39th to win the Daytona 500 earlier this year.

There have been two practice sessions at Daytona and both were on Thursday, with David Ragan pacing the first practice and David Reutimann the second one. Neither driver was able to run in the top 10 in both practices, however, but a few drivers did, including Casey Mears, Brian Vickers, Kyle Busch, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Kurt Busch.

Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, and Jeff Gordon were also in the top 10 in Happy Hour.

Clint Bowyer, who I selected Thursday as my dark horse pick, won the Nationwide race Saturday. Carl Edwards was also strong. For years, Daytona was not known as a Roush-friendly track, but the organization has improved its plate program considerably the last few years.

Odds-makers' Favorites:

Tony Stewart +650
Kyle Busch +700
Jeff Gordon +700

Mid-pack Maybes:

Jimmie Johnson +1000
Kurt Busch +1100
Carl Edwards +1500

Long-shots to Watch:

Matt Kenseth +1800
Ryan Newman +2000
Clint Bowyer +3000

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