Chase Briscoe earns Toyota’s first pole position for DAYTONA 500

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Chase Briscoe spoiled Ford’s pole position party during Wednesday night’s qualifying session for the 67th running of the DAYTONA 500.

Fastest in both rounds of time trials, Briscoe turned a lap in 49.249 seconds (182.745 mph) to secure the top starting spot for Sunday’s race (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The pole position was the first for a Toyota driver in the Great American Race. Briscoe edged 2022 DAYTONA 500 winner Austin Cindric (182.463 mph) by 0.076 seconds for the top spot on the grid.

Given the race’s unique qualifying format, Briscoe, in his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing, and Cindric are the only two drivers locked into their starting positions for Sunday’s race.

“A great way to start our season,” said an ecstatic Briscoe, who earned his third career pole. “Unbelievable way to start off the year. Unbelievable way to start off with Toyota. To be able to be the guy to deliver them the first anything when they’ve already accomplished so much is pretty cool.

“Can’t thank (owner) Coach Gibbs enough, the entire Joe Gibbs Racing organization. The whole offseason, everybody kept telling me the focus was trying to qualify better at superspeedways. That’s something I really struggled at last year. For our 19 group to come here and sit on the pole at the biggest race of the year is pretty special.”

The rest of the field will be set in Thursday night’s Duel at Daytona 15-mile qualifying races, though both Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson know they’ll be in the field for NASCAR’s most prestigious race after posting the two fastest qualifying times among nine drivers of unchartered cars.

Truex qualified 22nd overall and Johnson 29th.

“Definitely a big relief,” said Truex, who is driving the first TRICON Garage entry in the Cup Series. “You never know what can happen in the Duels, they can get crazy, something on pit road can get you in trouble. Great job to all of the guys. They worked their butts off on this car.

“They were sweating all afternoon, and luckily, we were able to put a good lap in… All of the guys at TRICON and also at JGR, Toyota and TRD. I’m sure, it’s a big deal for them—both cars that just locked in are Toyotas. Big night for them, and hopefully, we can have some fun the rest of the weekend.”

Johnson drove the No. 84 Toyota fielded by Legacy Motor Club, the team he co-owns.

“What I went through last year (in the Duels) was so frightening, and I’m glad I don’t have to go through it again,” Johnson said. “I certainly respect this process and don’t envy the guys that have to race their way in.”

In the final round, Ford drivers were second through fifth fastest, with Cindric, Ryan Preece, reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano and Josh Berry occupying those respective positions on the speed chart.

Denny Hamlin, Austin Dillon (in the fastest Chevrolet), Christopher Bell, Ty Dillon and Kyle Larson were sixth through 10th fastest in the money round.

Briscoe will start from the pole in Thursday’s first Duel, with Cindric leading the field to green in the second qualifying race. Preece will start second in Duel 1, with Logano on the outside of the front row in Duel 2.

Qualifiers in odd-numbered positions fill the field behind the pole winner in Duel 1, with even-numbered qualifiers filling the field of Duel 2. The highest-finishing unchartered driver in each of the Duels will advance to the DAYTONA 500.

Interviews:

Austin Cindric (No. 2 Team Penske Ford) and DAYTONA 500 Pole Winner Chase Briscoe (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) –

Jimmie Johnson (No. 84 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota) and Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 TIRCON Garage Toyota) –

NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – DAYTONA 500

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Florida

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

1. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 182.745 mph.
2. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 182.463 mph.
3. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 182.426 mph.
4. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 182.341 mph.
5. (21) Josh Berry, Ford, 182.275 mph.
6. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 182.138 mph.
7. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 182.024 mph.
8. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 181.947 mph.
9. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 181.943 mph.
10. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 181.737 mph.
11. (38) Zane Smith, Ford, 181.800 mph.
12. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 181.796 mph.
13. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 181.792 mph.
14. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 181.690 mph.
15. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 181.679 mph.
16. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 181.653 mph.
17. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 181.558 mph.
18. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 181.550 mph.
19. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 181.393 mph.
20. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 181.342 mph.
21. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 181.320 mph.
22. (56) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 181.302 mph.
23. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford, 181.232 mph.
24. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 181.105 mph.
25. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 180.934 mph.
26. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 180.926 mph.
27. (35) Riley Herbst #, Toyota, 180.832 mph.
28. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 180.785 mph.
29. (84) Jimmie Johnson, Toyota, 180.785 mph.
30. (88) Shane Van Gisbergen #, Chevrolet, 180.763 mph.
31. (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 180.632 mph.
32. (41) Cole Custer, Ford, 180.614 mph.
33. (40) Justin Allgaier(i), Chevrolet, 180.495 mph.
34. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 180.487 mph.
35. (01) Corey LaJoie, Ford, 180.437 mph.
36. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 180.317 mph.
37. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 180.011 mph.
38. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 179.910 mph.
39. (91) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet, 179.752 mph.
40. (62) Anthony Alfredo(i), Chevrolet, 179.677 mph.
41. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 179.469 mph.
42. (66) Chandler Smith(i), Ford, 178.745 mph.
43. (78) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 177.774 mph.
44. (44) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, 176.280 mph.
45. (51) Cody Ware, Ford, 173.628 mph.