Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has started 2022 off the way he ended 2021 – out front. The 29-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver won the pole position for Sunday’s Daytona 500 season-opener with a lap of 181.159 mph in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Wednesday night at Daytona International Speedway.
And for a record fifth consecutive year, Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman has also earned a front-row starting position in the Daytona 500. He’ll start the No. 48 Chevrolet second.
Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula One world champion and 1995 Indianapolis 500 winner, qualified for his career first Daytona 500 Wednesday night by virtue of earning one of two “Open’ positions available in pole qualifying – recording the 36th fastest speed in the No. 27 Team Hezeberg Ford.
Noah Gragson, a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series championship contender, also earned an automatic bid into the Daytona 500 with a 33rd best qualifying lap. Sunday will mark his NASCAR Cup Series debut.
Gragson’s showing in the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet was equally as dramatic. His team owner Linda Beard – along with her children – is fielding the family-owned team in honor of her late husband Mark. It is only planning on running the superspeedway races and Gragson’s work Wednesday marks the team’s fifth start in the Daytona 500.
“It’s really emotional being able to make the race after not making it last year,” Gragson said, adding, “Last year not making the race, makes this year that much more special. … I really hope to make the Beard family proud this weekend.”
Judging by the smile and emotion she showed on pit road following the qualifying session, Gragson indeed made her proud.
“People that don’t race have no idea how much this means. .. when you are a team like us, we love it,” Linda Beard said. “To do this means so much to us, not only emotionally but just the thrill of it.”
https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2...-busch-light-pole-award-for-2022-daytona-500/
The Bluegreen Vacation Duels that determine the rest of the qualifying order will be run today.
Thursday, Feb. 17
Midnight, NASCAR Cup Series Pole Qualifying (re-air), FS1
4 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series Pole Qualifying (re-air), FS1
8 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series Pole Qualifying (re-air), FS2
10 a.m., Untold Stories: Daytona (re-air), FS2
11 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub Best of Radioactive: Daytona (re-air), FS2
12 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Pole Qualifying (re-air), FS2
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FS1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Daytona, FS1
7 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacation Duel at Daytona, FS1
10 p.m., 100,000 Cameras: Busch Light Clash, FS1
https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2022/02/13/nascar-tv-schedule-week-of-feb-14-20-2022/
The race broadcast will be on Sunday at 2:30 pm EST on FOX.
And for a record fifth consecutive year, Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman has also earned a front-row starting position in the Daytona 500. He’ll start the No. 48 Chevrolet second.
Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula One world champion and 1995 Indianapolis 500 winner, qualified for his career first Daytona 500 Wednesday night by virtue of earning one of two “Open’ positions available in pole qualifying – recording the 36th fastest speed in the No. 27 Team Hezeberg Ford.
Noah Gragson, a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series championship contender, also earned an automatic bid into the Daytona 500 with a 33rd best qualifying lap. Sunday will mark his NASCAR Cup Series debut.
Gragson’s showing in the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet was equally as dramatic. His team owner Linda Beard – along with her children – is fielding the family-owned team in honor of her late husband Mark. It is only planning on running the superspeedway races and Gragson’s work Wednesday marks the team’s fifth start in the Daytona 500.
“It’s really emotional being able to make the race after not making it last year,” Gragson said, adding, “Last year not making the race, makes this year that much more special. … I really hope to make the Beard family proud this weekend.”
Judging by the smile and emotion she showed on pit road following the qualifying session, Gragson indeed made her proud.
“People that don’t race have no idea how much this means. .. when you are a team like us, we love it,” Linda Beard said. “To do this means so much to us, not only emotionally but just the thrill of it.”
https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2...-busch-light-pole-award-for-2022-daytona-500/
The Bluegreen Vacation Duels that determine the rest of the qualifying order will be run today.
Thursday, Feb. 17
Midnight, NASCAR Cup Series Pole Qualifying (re-air), FS1
4 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series Pole Qualifying (re-air), FS1
8 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series Pole Qualifying (re-air), FS2
10 a.m., Untold Stories: Daytona (re-air), FS2
11 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub Best of Radioactive: Daytona (re-air), FS2
12 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Pole Qualifying (re-air), FS2
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FS1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Daytona, FS1
7 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacation Duel at Daytona, FS1
10 p.m., 100,000 Cameras: Busch Light Clash, FS1
https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2022/02/13/nascar-tv-schedule-week-of-feb-14-20-2022/
The race broadcast will be on Sunday at 2:30 pm EST on FOX.
