Jimmie Johnson wins pole for Daytona 500

Jimmie Johnson

Hendrick Motorsports driver and defending series champion Jimmie Johnson won the pole for the Daytona 500 with a lap of 187.075 mph. Yet his performance was overshadowed by that of Michael Waltrip, a driver whose team is outside the top 35 in owners points and who, just hours before earning the spot, was in danger of missing the race entirely.

"Last night we had a great race, but I'm really looking forward to what this car can do in the 500," said Johnson, who finished second in the Budweiser Shootout on Saturday in a car that was used at Martinsville Speedway but had to be called into service as a backup at Daytona.

Waltrip went out late in Sunday's Daytona 500 qualifying session and posted a lap of 186.734 mph. He then watched as a handful of drivers go out and try to challenge his time, but only Johnson surpassed him.

Michael Waltrip

"This is a step in the right direction," Waltrip said.

“I did not expect to sit on the front row. I knew we would have a chance, but what I hoped, and this was all I was bold enough to hope, was that we could be the fastest car with a star beside it (required to qualify on time). That’s the case and we’ve got another car that’s one of the fastest, so it’s a very, very successful day for our team. There’s much relief for everybody. There were questions over the summer whether we would even make it to the end of last year and we not only start 2008 with a solid team — we’re a lot better team than we’ve ever been before. We expect to perform week-in and week-out and testing has shown us that we’re fast. It’s nice for the whole world to get to see it now."

The rest of the field will be sorted out after the qualifying races are run Thursday. For now, only the top 35 in owners points and three team's outside that group – Waltrip, Furniture Row Racing's Joe Nemechek and MWR's David Reutimann are locked into the field.

Behind them are a group of drivers that would be most comfortable racing their way in by virtue of the qualifying races, but if they failed to do so, still might get into the race based on their qualifying speed. No Fear Racing's Boris Said, Gillett Evernham Motorsports Patrick Carpentier, Red Bull Racing's Brian Vickers and Bill Davis Racing's Jacques Villeneuve are in this group.

Eight others will need to race their way in based on speed or go home: RBR's AJ Allmendinger, Furniture Row Racing's Kenny Wallace, Front Row Motorsports' Eric McClure, BAM Racing's Ken Schrader, Front Row Motorsports' John Andretti, Phoenix Racing's Sterling Marlin, Ski Motorsports Stanton Barrett and E&M Motorsports Carl Long.

Then there are three past champions. Penske Racing's Kurt Busch is locked into the field as the most recent past champion, but if he makes the race by virtue of finish or speed, then MWR's Dale Jarrett can take the provisional. If both of those drivers are in, it would fall to Wood Brothers Racing's Bill Elliott. Both Jarrett and Elliott must race their way in or use that provisional or they will not make the race.

Qualifying Results