Daytona 500 Time Trials
STEWART-HAAS RACING
Daytona 500 Time Trials
Date: Feb. 6, 2010
Event: 52nd Daytona 500 Time Trials (Round 1 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Pole Winner: Mark Martin of Hendrick Motorsports (47.074 seconds at 191.188 mph)
SHR Lineup: Ryan Newman (3rd, 47.225 seconds at 190.577 mph)
Tony Stewart (21st, 47.525 seconds at 189.374 mph)
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet Impala, led the two-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent in time trials for the 52nd annual Daytona 500 by qualifying a strong third for the season-opening NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Newman turned a lap of 47.225 seconds at 190.577 mph on the 2.5-mile oval.
“I just focused on trying to be smooth, hitting my marks,” said Newman, who won the 50th running of the Daytona 500 in 2008. “I felt like I did 90 percent of that. I got a little high down in (turns) three and four on my second lap. I thought it was more important to be smooth than it was to pull the car back down. It was a good lap for the U.S. Army Chevrolet. Tony Gibson (crew chief) and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing did a great job this off-season to get us ready for Daytona.”
Stewart, Newman’s teammate and the co-owner of SHR along with Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in the western world – qualified 21st in his No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet Impala. Stewart turned a lap of 47.525 seconds at 189.374 mph.
“Our lap was pretty uneventful,” said Stewart, who has 14 career victories at Daytona in Sprint Cup, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the defunct IROC Series. “Our Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy is pretty good here. It drove well and that’s what you’ve got to have here at Daytona – a good handling car.”
Locking up their starting spots for the Daytona 500 were Hendrick Motorsports teammates Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who qualified 1-2. Martin notched his first career Daytona 500 pole, his second at Daytona and his 49th in Sprint Cup with a time of 47.074 seconds at 191.188 mph. Earnhardt missed the top spot by .068 of a second as he turned a lap in 47.142 seconds at 190.913 mph.
Fifty-four drivers made a qualifying attempt for the Daytona 500.
While Saturday’s time trials locked in the front row, the next 40 positions will be determined via Thursday’s Gatorade Duel – twin 150-mile heat races that set the majority of the 43-car Daytona 500 field. Odd numbered teams in 2009 owner points will run the first race, while even numbered teams in 2009 owner points will compete in the second race. The top-35 teams in 2009 owner points are assured of advancing into the Daytona 500, as are the highest finishing teams in the 150-mile heat races not otherwise qualified, and the three fastest teams from time trials not otherwise qualified. If needed, the 43rd position will go to the most recent series champion not otherwise qualified.
Newman will start second in the first Gatorade Duel race. Stewart will start 11th in the second Gatorade Duel race. Both drivers are guaranteed a starting spot in the Daytona 500 no matter their respective finishes in the Gatorade Duel, as each finished among the top-10 in 2009 owner points.
As far as manufacturers went, Chevrolet swept the top-three qualifying spots with the runs made by Martin, Earnhardt and Newman. Ford was next best at the hands of fourth-quick Bill Elliott (47.226 seconds at 190.573 mph). Carrying the flag for Dodge was seventh-quick Kurt Busch (47.279 seconds at 190.359 mph). Toyota completed the manufacturer lineup with Kyle Busch posting the ninth-fastest time (47.355 seconds at 190.054 mph).
The Gatorade Duel gets underway at 2 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 11 with live coverage on SPEED. The green flag waves for the Daytona 500 at 1 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 14, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at noon.
-SHR-