CONCORD, N.C. – Hendrick Motorsports is synonymous with qualifying success for the DAYTONA 500. The organization’s 15 poles at "The Great American Race" are the most of any organization and account for 23% of the all-time DAYTONA 500 poles.
Winning the pole for the DAYTONA 500 carries great importance at Hendrick Motorsports. In an interview last week with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, No. 5 crew chief Cliff Daniels shared how much it means to team owner Rick Hendrick.
"I think what it represents to him is everyone in the company working together and really trying to put our best foot forward to start the season," Daniels said. "It’s not any quirkiness to how you qualify at Daytona. It is straight up, legit, single-car speed. Either you got it or you don’t. I think that’s why it’s always meant a lot to him in years past.
"He’s mentioned it to us again this year. He certainly wants the pole at Daytona. It’s a tough feat. We have done it enough recently that people might say, 'it’s just what they do,' but there’s a lot of time, effort and energy put into it. Everyone takes it seriously. Everyone knows how much it means to the boss. We all have a lot of ownership in that to try and make it happen."
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Hendrick Motorsports has earned seven of the last eight poles for the season-opening points race, contributing to the active run of 10 straight poles by manufacturer Chevrolet. In that stretch, all four of the current drivers in the fold have earned at least one pole – Chase Elliott in 2016 and 2017, Alex Bowman in 2018 and 2021, William Byron in 2019 and Kyle Larson in 2022.
Hendrick Motorsports poles for the DAYTONA 500:
2022: Larson
2021: Bowman
2019: Byron
2018: Bowman
2017: Elliott
2016: Elliott
2015: Jeff Gordon
2011: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2010: Mark Martin
2008: Jimmie Johnson
2002: Johnson
1999: Gordon
1990: Ken Schrader
1989: Schrader
1988: Schrader
Factor in Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s pole in 2020 for JTG Daugherty Racing and the Hendrick Motorsports engine program has earned the last eight poles.
"We always take pride in having speed and winning a pole in Daytona," Hendrick Motorsports director of powertrain Scott Maxim said. "To do that takes the hands of everyone. There’s a contribution from everybody. What’s enjoyable is having that collaborative effort together. Knowing that you cannot do it alone. Accomplishing that together is certainly very satisfying."
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Bowman, in particular, has led the charge with a record five consecutive front-row starting spots for the DAYTONA 500. He is the only driver to start on the front row in five straight DAYTONA 500s.
Hendrick Motorsports has swept the front row in DAYTONA 500 qualifying eight times. Five of those instances have come in the last eight years and three have occurred in the last four years.
Hendrick Motorsports front row sweeps in qualifying at DAYTONA 500:
2022: Larson-Bowman
2021: Bowman-Byron
2019: Byron-Bowman
2017: Elliott-Earnhardt Jr.
2015: Gordon-Johnson
2011: Earnhardt Jr.-Gordon
2010: Martin-Earnhardt Jr.
1989: Schrader-Darrell Waltrip
Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts team with Elliott, is one of three crew chiefs in NASCAR Cup Series history to earn four DAYTONA 500 poles. Two of those came with Elliott, while one was with Gordon to open his final full-time season and the other was with Martin. NASCAR Hall of Famers Leonard Wood and Waddell Wilson are the other two crew chiefs to accomplish that feat.
Hendrick Motorsports also holds the unique distinction of having both the youngest and oldest pole winners in DAYTONA 500 history. Elliott's 2016 pole saw him become the youngest driver to earn the pole position at 20 years, two months and 17 days. The feat came in just his sixth Cup Series start. On the opposite end, Martin’s 2010 pole at 51 years old made him the oldest driver to win the pole position.
Tune in to watch qualifying for the 2023 DAYTONA 500 on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90). Qualifying will set the front row for the DAYTONA 500 with the duel qualifying races taking place on Thursday, Feb. 16 (starting at 7 p.m. ET on FS1) to set the rest of the lineup. The DAYTONA 500 will get underway on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
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