Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson will lead the charge at Sunday’s Daytona 500 to officially kick off the 2023 NASCAR season and also put Hendrick Motorsports in a great position.
Bowman took his third career pole at the track with the fastest lap on Wednesday night. He will drive the No. 48 Chevrolet on Sunday, and alongside him will start his teammate Larson, who is back in the No. 5 Chevrolet to start the season.
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Alex Bowman exits turn four during qualifying for the NASCAR Daytona 500 car race on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bowman took pole position for Sunday’s race. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
It’s a good start to the year for Bowman, who missed several races of the 2022 season with a concussion.
«It may not be the biggest,» Bowman said. «But it’s not bad to have it.»
Larson sat on the pole for last year’s start and Bowman was No. 2. Larson was the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion but was eliminated in the Round of 16 in 2022.
Bowman has been on the front row at every Daytona race in 2018. He holds the record for most consecutive front-row starts in the race with six.
Jimmie Johnson was a familiar face in the lineup. He returned to NASCAR after a two-year flirtation in IndyCar for an ownership stake in Legacy Motor Club. He joined the 40-car field with a fairly quick qualifying time in the No. 84 Chevrolet.
Alex Bowman gets out of his car after qualifying for the NASCAR Daytona 500 car race at Daytona International Speedway, Wednesday, February 15, 2023, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
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«I think I really have a chance to win,» he said before qualifying. «If I survive and get through the first two stages, I really have a chance to win this race.»
Travis Pastrana gave his best shot in Daytona 500 qualifying and also made the cut. The X-Games and extreme sports legend said that competing in the Daytona 500 was one of his last goals in motorsports, and this was his last, best chance to get there. He will drive the No. 67 Toyota for the racing team of Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.
The Bluegreen Vacations duels are scheduled for Thursday night. The two 60-lap contests will establish the rest of the race lineup.
Jimmie Johnson, right, and Travis Pastrana talk before qualifying for the NASCAR Daytona 500 car race on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
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Rookie Austin Cindric won the race last year. Bubba Wallace was the runner-up followed by Chase Briscoe, Ryan Blaney and Aric Almirola.
Associated Press contributed to this report.