There have been 4 winners after Daytona 500 qualifying

As all the time by the top of Wednesday night time on the fashionable Daytona 500, there have been 4 teams of winners after qualifying for the Nice American Race.

Kyle Busch and the Richard Childress Racing No. 8
Chase Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19
Corey Heim and the 23XI Racing No. 67
Justin Allgaier and the JR Motorsports No. 40

Busch and Briscoe locked into the entrance row whereas Heim and Allgaier posted the 2 quickest laps amongst the non-chartered groups. In different phrases, this leaves Corey Lajoie, Chandler Smith and Casey Mears set to race it out for a spot in Qualifying Race No. 1 and Anthony Alfredo, BJ McLeod and JJ Yeley racing it out in Qualifying Race No. 2.

For Busch, that is his twenty first yr in pursuit of the one trophy most clearly lacking from his case, however he picked up one other one he hadn’t earned beforehand with a Daytona 500 pole too.

“Yeah, it is a field we bought to examine,” Busch stated. “Right here we’re. This is a chance to have the ability to do this. I’ve come down right here loads of years. I believe I completed in about each place doable. It might be good to shut out 2026 with a victory right here within the Daytona 500.”

Does it get annoying that it’s the identical query yearly? Is that this the yr you’re going to win the Daytona 500?

“We simply bought to get the job carried out so we cease speaking about it,” Busch stated. “No higher time than proper now right here in 2026.

“It is simply the character of what this race is and what it holds. Being in the correct place on the proper time, making the correct strikes when you’ll be able to. We had been simply speaking about it. It might be good to guide all 200 laps, stink up the present and win this factor. I do not suppose you may make it on gas should you did that.

“There’s all types of various methods. There’s going to be 30 different guys plus which have that very same alternative that they imagine they will win this race as properly, too. That is why you bought to run the place and play all of it out because it comes.”

It’s an enormous confidence booster for brand spanking new crew chief Jim Pohlman too. Busch stated Pohlman was firm on Wednesday morning that this was achievable. Everybody has purchased into his course of this winter and have been instantly rewarded for it.

Workforce proprietor Richard Childress provided comparable reward for Pohlman but additionally made the following edict actually clear.

“Getting Jim on and simply watching how he match into our household at RCR, it is nice,” Childress stated. “I stand again and watch loads. To observe how they labored this winter, the way in which they only do all the things proper now, I am simply joyful and happy with all of ’em.

“Kyle, we bought to get this 500.”

Giddy Briscoe

Chase Briscoe says he looks like a Hendrick Motorsports driver after his second consecutive entrance row lock.

“I felt like endlessly Hendrick automobiles on the entrance row, seven, eight years in a row,” Briscoe stated. “It is cool for certain to have the ability to constantly two years in a row now. It is actually a testomony to the oldsters again at JGR. We have made so many enhancements on our superspeedway program. This race actually comes right down to, a minimum of in qualifying, consideration to element (and) simply doing each little factor.”

Out of a Joe Gibbs Racing group that’s holistically elite at so many issues, that the 19 group is frequently breaking by as one of many leaders of the pack excites him.

“Simply loads of pleasure in that, proper,” Briscoe stated. “I do know for me, each week once I get within the automotive, I do know I am in arguably the most effective automotive each single week. After we come right here and do stuff like we have carried out two years in a row validates that.

“It is the child in me to have the ability to lead the sphere to inexperienced two years — not lead the sphere, however being within the entrance row, for 2 years in a row on the Daytona 500.”

Second helpings

Final yr, when Allgaier and JR Motorsports certified their means into the Daytona 500, there was exuberance and pleasure.

This yr, there was pleasure, nevertheless it additionally felt like enterprise as traditional.

“Yeah, I imply, I believe final yr was so completely different emotionally,” Allgaier stated. “I believe, too, there’s loads of — I believe everyone in our group feels the wish to go be higher this yr, proper?

“Final yr we wished to get in, we wished to make laps and get JR Motorsports within the racetrack for the primary time and do all these items. We hit all these markers, completed within the high 10, and it was nice.”

Now, they wish to lead laps and be one of many dominant automobiles, and perhaps go problem for the Harley J. Earl.

Justin Allgaier, No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Picture by: Kevin C. Cox by way of Getty Pictures

For co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., a historian of the game, he bought to completely get pleasure from what it was like again within the day with a automotive that was adequate to make the present on time however nonetheless wanted to sweat it out.

There was no open exemption provisional for JR Motorsports.

“We bought right here in the present day and we had some nerves,” Earnhardt stated. “I saved pondering, Man, because of this it is enjoyable. If it was all handed to you, it would not be as a lot enjoyable.

“Coming down right here nervous and scared, standing on the market anxious, questioning should you’d run a adequate lap. I imply, that basically is the payoff to being in racing and motorsports. It is the nervousness and stuff, nevertheless it’s actually fulfilling as a result of when it really works out, it is such a terrific feeling.

“Loved the method and all the things on the market.”

Allgaier claimed the ultimate Wednesday lock-in by 0.004 over Lajoie.

Earnhardt is simply dwelling his finest life as soon as once more chasing the largest win of the yr, one thing he did twice as a driver, however now in his new lot in life as an proprietor. His second look within the Daytona 500 is simply as cool as the primary.

“I’d say that is like simply having extra dessert, man,” Earnhardt stated. “We ate the entire course final yr, and we’re attending to be again for seconds on the dessert desk, simply have a bit extra. Really feel like we’re in bonus time, if you’ll.”

Heim time

Corey Heim is aware of what it’s prefer to fail to qualify for a NASCAR Cup Sequence race. It was final yr in Downtown Chicago and he didn’t wish to expertise that on a a lot bigger scale in his first-ever try within the Daytona 500.

Final July, he simply despatched it onerous right into a nook going for a pole lap, however hit the wall and broke a toe hyperlink. This time, with superspeedway qualifying, it’s a bit extra procedural and no braking in any respect, however the stress is actual nonetheless.

“Yeah, I imply, it is positively been loads of stress,” Heim stated. “It has been nerve-racking I believe simply as a driver. You by no means can assure that you’ll lock in qualifying. Trying again ultimately yr, I sort of was in a position to see which groups had been profitable within the speedway qualifying facet of issues. It is 99 % automotive if no more so far as the place you qualify right here.

“Simply sort of wanting again on the different groups and the way they certified, I used to be like, ‘Dang, it should be fairly tight,’ relying on how we unload.”

Corey Heim, No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota

Picture by: Patrick McDermott by way of Getty Pictures

Nonetheless, one % may very well be the distinction between locking in and needing to race by way of the Daytona Duel.

“Undoubtedly was nerve-racking coming down right here to lock myself in,” Heim stated. “Yeah, I can not say sufficient concerning the piece we introduced. Such a aid off your shoulders to only go have some enjoyable within the Duels tomorrow, attempt to study. Even when I do make a mistake, it is not going to be a terminal mistake. That is positively a aid, and I am wanting ahead to the race.”

What stands out to him is that nobody at 23XI made him really feel responsible for his mistake at Chicago.

“I imply, sort of like I stated earlier, that is so depending on the automotive that 23XI brings to the racetrack,” Heim stated. “Clearly they introduced a extremely good one for me. That is what helped me lock into the present, whereas Chicago was only a mess-up on my half. Apples to oranges.

“On the finish of the day, we’re all a group, all one. After that Chicago race, everybody actually caught behind me and understood that I am a creating race automotive driver and I will make these errors. Labored their tails off to convey me a terrific Daytona 500 automotive. Tremendous cool feeling to have that help. Nobody gave up on me after that race. Hopefully we are able to construct off of this one and go race on Sunday and go compete in some extra after this.”

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