Earnhardt fastest in Happy Hour
The stage is now set for the perfect NASCAR PR scenario. It could not get any better if they tried. Danica Patrick on the pole for the Daytona 500 and now, all of a sudden, Dale Earnhardt Jr's car, which was slow all week, gets fast just in time for the race. Patrick and Earnhardt are of course the two most popular drivers in the series. Danica, the biggest star in the sport, did not practice for fear she would wad the car up and not be able to start on pole, thereby missing a big PR moment for NASCAR.
Happy Hour Speeds
| Pos | Car | Driver | Team | Time | Speed | Behind | Gap |
| 1 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | National Guard Chevrolet | 45.319 | 198.592 | —.— | —.— |
| 2 | 38 | David Gilliland | Love's Travel Stops Ford | 45.358 | 198.421 | -0.039 | -0.039 |
| 3 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | 5-hour Energy Toyota | 45.399 | 198.242 | -0.080 | -0.041 |
| 4 | 9 | Marcos Ambrose | Stanley Ford | 45.421 | 198.146 | -0.102 | -0.022 |
| 5 | 43 | Aric Almirola | Smithfield Ford | 45.446 | 198.037 | -0.127 | -0.025 |
| 6 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Target Chevrolet | 45.485 | 197.867 | -0.166 | -0.039 |
| 7 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Fastenal Ford | 45.533 | 197.659 | -0.214 | -0.048 |
| 8 | 55 | Mark Martin | Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota | 45.534 | 197.654 | -0.215 | -0.001 |
| 9 | 56 | Martin Truex Jr | NAPA Auto Parts Toyota | 45.573 | 197.485 | -0.254 | -0.039 |
| 10 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Best Buy Ford | 45.584 | 197.438 | -0.265 | -0.011 |
| 11 | 39 | Ryan Newman | Quicken Loans Chevrolet | 45.586 | 197.429 | -0.267 | -0.002 |
| 12 | 16 | Greg Biffle | 3M Ford | 45.742 | 196.756 | -0.423 | -0.156 |
| 13 | 36 | JJ Yeley | Golden Corral Chevrolet | 45.914 | 196.019 | -0.595 | -0.172 |
| 14 | 26 | Michael Waltrip | Sandy Hook School Support Fund Toyota | 45.949 | 195.869 | -0.630 | -0.035 |
| 15 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Farmers Insurance Chevrolet | 45.982 | 195.729 | -0.663 | -0.033 |
| 16 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Lowe's Chevrolet | 46.128 | 195.109 | -0.809 | -0.146 |
| 17 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Miller Lite Ford | 46.153 | 195.004 | -0.834 | -0.025 |
| 18 | 22 | Joey Logano | Shell Pennzoil Ford | 46.187 | 194.860 | -0.868 | -0.034 |
| 19 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Budweiser Chevrolet | 46.187 | 194.860 | -0.868 | -0.000 |
| 20 | 21 | Trevor Bayne(i) | Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford | 46.200 | 194.805 | -0.881 | -0.013 |
| 21 | 35 | Josh Wise(i) | MDS Transport Ford | 46.403 | 193.953 | -1.084 | -0.203 |
| 22 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Caterpillar Chevrolet | 46.442 | 193.790 | -1.123 | -0.039 |
| 23 | 98 | Michael McDowell | K-Love/Curb Records Ford | 46.486 | 193.607 | -1.167 | -0.044 |
| 24 | 78 | Kurt Busch | Furniture Row Chevrolet | 46.521 | 193.461 | -1.202 | -0.035 |
| 25 | 93 | Travis Kvapil | Burger King Toyota | 46.619 | 193.054 | -1.300 | -0.098 |
| 26 | 34 | David Ragan | Detail Doctor Ford | 46.683 | 192.790 | -1.364 | -0.064 |
| 27 | 83 | David Reutimann | Burger King Toyota | 46.726 | 192.612 | -1.407 | -0.043 |
| 28 | 33 | Austin Dillon(i) | Honeynut Cheerios Chevrolet | 46.999 | 191.493 | -1.680 | -0.273 |
| 29 | 7 | Dave Blaney | Florida Lottery Chevrolet | 47.017 | 191.420 | -1.698 | -0.018 |
| 30 | 27 | Paul Menard | Menards/Peak Chevrolet | 47.041 | 191.322 | -1.722 | -0.024 |
| 31 | 95 | Scott Speed | Leavine Family Racing Ford | 47.308 | 190.243 | -1.989 | -0.267 |
| 32 | 51 | Regan Smith(i) | Phoenix Construction Chevrolet | 47.331 | 190.150 | -2.012 | -0.023 |
| 33 | 47 | Bobby Labonte | Kroger Toyota | 47.558 | 189.243 | -2.239 | -0.227 |
| 34 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | McDonald's Chevrolet | 0.000 | 0.000 | -0.000 | -0.000 |