Speedweek has finally arrived and the drivers are ready to hit the track.  With no practice, 42 drivers will take o the track for single car qualifying in an attempt to sit on the front row for the Daytona 500.

Qualifying for the 500 is like no other race.  Once the front row is set, the drivers are divided into two groups where they will race in one of two Duel races to set the field for the 500.  With a maximum of 40 starting spots, two of the drivers will not make the race.

Before the engines even get started Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and William Byron’s car all failed the inspection process twice.  Jimmie Johnson’s number 84 car, Denny Hamlin’s number eleven, and Christopher Bell’s number 20 have all passed inspection on the third try.

The Money Team is working feverishly to repair an oil line that was damaged by an electrical issue and the team hopes that they will have the car repaired in time for qualifying.

Michael McDowell was late coming to the track because on baby watch, he thought his wife was going into labour.  It was a false alarm and McDowell makes it Daytona in time to qualify his number 34 car.

As the drivers prepare to qualify the cars, Clint Bowyer points out that it has been 22 years since the pole sitte won a Daytona 500.

After a random draw, Chandler Smith is the first car but reports that that he is having some engine issues – saying the engine keeps cutting off.  Smith got the car moving but  is shut off again.  NASCAR will allow the crew to make adjustments to the car and try to qualify.  Smith made it back on the track but still had an issue with the engine.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr takes the track and is the first driver to post a time and gets around the two and a half mile track with a time of 50, 583.

Conor Daly’s team could not get the car repaired in time and will not make a qualifying run.

Harrison Burton is the first driver to break the 50 second mark with a time of 49.996 seconds.

Jimmie Johnson posts a qualifying time of 50.202 seconds after not being in a NASCAR Cup Series car in over two years.  Johnson is guaranteed a spot in the Daytona 500!

In his debut in a Cup Series car, Travis Pastrona posts a time of 50.208 seconds.  Pastrana is the second of the six open drivers who is guaranteed a spot in the 500.

Zane Smith, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, and Conor Daly will all have to race their way into the 500 with two of them going home.

Bubba Wallace misses out on topping the board by 1/1,000th of a second with a time of 49.997 seconds.

In his 22nd and final time to qualify for the Dayton 500, Kevin Harvick posts a time of 50,088 seconds.

Travis Pastrana called it a “dream come true” making it into the 500.

Chase Briscoe posts a time of 49.869 to put his number 14 car at the top after 24 cars have been on the track.

After being with Joe Gibbs Racing for 15 years, Kyle Busch moves to Richard Childress Racing and posts a time of 49.920 seconds.

Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Aric Almirola, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney, Harrison Burton, and Austin Cindric will all move on to the second round of qualifying to determine who will sit on the pole.

Harrison Burton is the first driver on the track for round two of qualifying ans posts a time of 50.070 seconds.

Kyle Busch has had his second round qualifying fun disallowed after his car went below the double yellow line at the apron.  Drivers are not allowed to to below the line.  He will be placed in 10th place.

Once again Hendrick Motorsports will take both of the front row spots for the Daytona 500 with Alex Bowman setting a new record for his sixth front row start in a row.  With a time of 49.536 seconds, Alex Bowman will sit on the pole with teammate Kyle Larson starting alongside.  Bowman and Larson will be the polesitters for the Duel races on Thursday evening.