2009 Daytona 500

[FIRE]

What is the Duel?
The Gatorade Duel at Daytona is the largest-attended weekday sporting event in America. The two 150-mile qualifying races will determine the starting lineup for the Daytona 500.

From 1959-1968, the races were 100 miles in length; beginning in 1969, the distance was extended to 125 miles; and the current length was implemented in 2005.

The Daytona 500 uses a different qualifying procedure than any other race in the world. On qualifying day, the fastest two cars will solidify their starting spots for the Daytona 500, earning the pole and outside pole positions.

The fastest qualifier will earn the pole for both the Daytona 500 and the first 150-mile Gatorade Duel qualifying race. In addition to the polesitter, the odd-number positions (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) of the highest-ranked 35 finishers in the previous year's Sprint Cup Series car owner points standings will be assigned to the first qualifier.

The second-fastest qualifier earns the outside pole for the Daytona 500 and will start on the pole for the second 150-mile Gatorade Duel qualifying race. In addition to the second-fastest qualifier, the even-number positions (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.) of the highest-ranked 35 finishers in the previous year's series owner points standings will be assigned to the second qualifier.

The lineup for each qualifying race will be set based upon the qualifying speeds in the time trials for all cars, including those who are among the highest-ranked 35 in the final 2007 car owner point standings. The highest-ranked 35 designation does not determine the car's starting position, only the assignment of its 150-mile qualifying event.

Additional cars that were not among the highest-ranked 35 in the previous year's series owner points will be alternated between the first and second 150-mile qualifying events using an odd-even format. The odd-number positions will be assigned to the first qualifier while the even-number positions will be assigned to the second qualifier. The odd-even positions are not determined by where the car qualified in the overall field, but their specific qualifying order among those cars not part of the highest-ranked 35 group.

A maximum of 66 cars will be permitted to compete between the two qualifying races, and all cars must compete in one of these events to be eligible for the Daytona 500.

Starting positions for the Daytona 500 will be designated for the highest-ranked 35 positions from the previous year's series owner point standings from each qualifier, the two-highest finishing cars in each qualifier not among that highest-ranked 35 group and the two front-row qualifiers. The balance of the 43-car field will be filled by the fastest remaining qualifiers who have not earned a starting position, with the exception of the 43rd position which will be assigned to an eligible former or current series champion. Should there not be an eligible champion, the position will be assigned to the next fastest qualifier not in the field.

Qualifying

Pos	Driver	Car	Speed	Time
1.	Martin Truex Jr	Chevrolet	188.001	47.872
2.	Mark Martin	Chevrolet	187.817	47.919	+ 0.047
3.	Ryan Newman	Chevrolet	187.778	47.929	+ 0.057
4.	Juan Montoya	Chevrolet	187.742	47.938	+ 0.066
5.	Bill Elliott	Ford	187.739	47.939	+ 0.067
6.	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet	187.727	47.942	+ 0.070
7.	Aric Almirola	Chevrolet	187.649	47.962	+ 0.090
8.	Travis Kvapil	Ford	187.574	47.981	+ 0.109
9.	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet	187.402	48.025	+ 0.153
10.	Tony Stewart	Chevrolet	187.336	48.042	+ 0.170
11.	Bobby Labonte	Ford	187.211	48.074	+ 0.202
12.	Dale Earnhardt Jr	Chevrolet	187.079	48.108	+ 0.236
13.	Paul Menard	Ford	187.044	48.117	+ 0.245
14.	Regan Smith	Chevrolet	186.924	48.148	+ 0.276
15.	Kyle Busch	Toyota	186.896	48.155	+ 0.283
16.	Greg Biffle	Ford	186.889	48.157	+ 0.285
17.	Scott Speed	Toyota	186.842	48.169	+ 0.297
18.	David Reutimann	Toyota	186.827	48.173	+ 0.301
19.	Joe Nemechek	Toyota	186.807	48.178	+ 0.306
20.	Boris Said	Ford	186.780	48.185	+ 0.313
21.	Joey Logano	Toyota	186.753	48.192	+ 0.320
22.	Clint Bowyer	Chevrolet	186.726	48.199	+ 0.327
23.	Matt Kenseth	Ford	186.614	48.228	+ 0.356
24.	Jamie McMurray	Ford	186.509	48.255	+ 0.383
25.	Denny Hamlin	Toyota	186.451	48.270	+ 0.398
26.	Carl Edwards	Ford	186.389	48.286	+ 0.414
27.	David Ragan	Ford	186.374	48.290	+ 0.418
28.	Reed Sorenson	Dodge	186.070	48.369	+ 0.497
29.	Elliott Sadler	Dodge	186.066	48.370	+ 0.498
30.	Marcos Ambrose	Toyota	186.012	48.384	+ 0.512
31.	Jeff Burton	Chevrolet	185.958	48.398	+ 0.526
32.	Scott Riggs	Toyota	185.893	48.415	+ 0.543
33.	Brian Vickers	Toyota	185.858	48.424	+ 0.552
34.	Michael Waltrip	Toyota	185.805	48.438	+ 0.566
35.	AJ Allmendinger	Dodge	185.770	48.447	+ 0.575
36.	John Andretti	Chevrolet	185.590	48.494	+ 0.622
37.	Brad Keselowski	Chevrolet	185.571	48.499	+ 0.627
38.	Kasey Kahne	Dodge	185.517	48.513	+ 0.641
39.	Robby Gordon	Toyota	185.510	48.515	+ 0.643
40.	Casey Mears	Chevrolet	185.426	48.537	+ 0.665
41.	David Stremme	Dodge	185.391	48.546	+ 0.674
42.	Kurt Busch	Dodge	185.380	48.549	+ 0.677
43.	Jeremy Mayfield	Toyota	185.082	48.627	+ 0.755
44.	Sam Hornish Jr	Dodge	185.079	48.628	+ 0.756
45.	Kirk Shelmerdine	Toyota	184.854	48.687	+ 0.815
46.	Mike Wallace	Chevrolet	184.847	48.689	+ 0.817
47.	Tony Raines	Dodge	184.106	48.885	+ 1.013
48.	Mike Garvey	Dodge	184.004	48.912	+ 1.040
49.	Kevin Harvick	Chevrolet	183.602	49.019	+ 1.147
50.	Terry Labonte	Toyota	182.042	49.439	+ 1.567
51.	Derrike Cope	Dodge	182.020	49.445	+ 1.573
52.	Mike Skinner	Chevrolet	181.928	49.470	+ 1.598
53.	Kelly Bires	Dodge	181.701	49.532	+ 1.660
54.	Carl Long	Dodge	181.032	49.715	+ 1.843
55.	Geoff Bodine	Toyota	180.810	49.776	+ 1.904
56.	Norm Benning	Chevrolet	177.396	50.734	+ 2.862

Truex Jr on pole for the Daytona 500. Good old Mark Martin will be on 2nd position. The rest of the grid will decided by the Duels.

[john ruston]

I have a spare ticket.

[Flyin Ryan]

Their true names are Twins, not Duels.

I used to love the Twin 125s, the current qualifying rules though remove much of the drama from the event with only 2 spots meaning anything in each race.

[luke]

Come on Dale.

[Knowlesy]

Looking forward to this. The Earnhardt-Ganassi machines have been fast! Were it not for a bobble in turn 4 for Juan, they'd have the front row sewn up. Mark Martin up there too.

Just need to find a stream somewhere...

[Knowlesy]

Race 1 about to get underway.

[Knowlesy]

Fun times. Roll on Sunday.

Epic fail for Boris Said. Allmendinger, Mayfield and Riggs get into the race.

Good to see Jeff Gordon in victory lane, been a long time.

[2112]

AJ Almendinger is in the big show!

[john ruston]

Tony Stewart in.
Ryan Newman punted off when in good position

Stewart/Hass racing off to good start but you need a Hendrick engine on Sunday.

[john ruston]

Montoya and Jr miss pit box and mess their day up.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Montoya and Jr miss pit box and mess their day up.

Montoya, his crew and pitstops...

[Neil22]

Smoke sure looked good in that Chevy! Can't wait till Sunday!!

[gomick]

Bobby Labonte the top Ford - not the engine to have at Daytona in 09

[john ruston]

Off to a good start.60% chance of rain!

Logano in ninth starting position ,Elliot in and Scott Speed..Scott Riggs qualified for seventeenth.

Could be there on Monday

[ss_collins]

A rain delay would truly suck

[Cuckoo]

Looks like Goodyear are in for a troubled year again!

Smoke is telling it like it is after both he and Newman have both got to take back-up cars after more trouble with their rubber!

[Martin Haven]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

A rain delay would truly suck

Meh...

for millions of fans, maybe...

but it would at least mean that I could get home from work and watch it, so there IS an upside...

[Clive Brown]

Just thank God Goodyear don't make condoms .

[nic.v814]

Originally Posted by Clive Brown

Just thank God Goodyear don't make condoms .

Good one

[john ruston]

Stewart and Newman cars written off this morning.Back up cars need to be used.Mr Newman,two cars in two days,Question mark over tyres. .Smoke won Nationwide this afternoon but Kyle could have messed it up on last lap.Could have been big punch up if Smoke had have been punted into wall.

[f1toy]

tony was all over the tire manufacturer. i just wonder, hes an owner now.
he isnt critical of the car. the car is hard to turn. in order turn, they doing something thats torturing the right- front tire.

the accident will put tony and ryan together from the start.
and this is a drafting and handling race. they new as teamates, but not new to each other on track. i think one of them will win.

[bigted]

its no real disadvantage starting at the back, excpet for coverage, with a stout car and stout cars around you, you will pull up to the front soon any way. Just gotta avoid them wobbles

[Knowlesy]

Well I now won't be seeing ther race as some relatives from up north have decided to visit.

FFS.

[Cuckoo]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Well I now won't be seeing ther race as some relatives from up north have decided to visit.

FFS.

Can't you give them a fiver each and send em to the pictures?

Smoke looks like he is going to make an impression as a team owner.

I would agree with the comment about the possible handling of the car, but Newman's problem was not a right front, but a right rear.

[Knowlesy]

Wasn't such a big deal. Locked the rears on entry to his pitbox, it's out of the way now. He has a nice easy pitbox for the 500 itself.