Iconic ‘88’ grabs pole at Daytona

Dale Jr.’s replacement, Bowman, left awestruck

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Alex Bowman put a familiar car atop the Daytona 500 leaderboard.

Bowman won the pole for “The Great American Race” in his debut as the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet, piloted until last season by NASCAR rock star Dale Earnhardt Jr. Six of Earnhardt’s 17 career victories at Daytona International Speedway came in that car, including one of his Daytona 500 victories.

Earnhardt was a seven-time pole winner at Daytona, too.

Now retired, the empty seat in the No. 88 went to Bowman, and he wasted little time making the Camaro his own. Bowman turned a lap at 195.644 mph Sunday to earn the top starting spot for the Daytona 500.

“I think it’s still a little surreal,” said Bowman, who will race in his second Daytona 500.

“It’s a dream come true just to drive for Hendrick Motorsports,” Bowman said. “I never would have thought it would happen after the path my career took.”

Denny Hamlin, the 2016 winner, qualified second in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing with a lap of 195.092. Only the top two cars locked in spots for next Sunday’s season-opening race in this round of qualifying. The remainder of the field will be set by a pair of qualifying races Thursday.

Bowman was a driver struggling to piece together a schedule when Earnhardt was injured in 2016. Earnhardt missed the second half of that season with a concussion, and Bowman was tabbed to fill in for 10 of those races.

The 24-year-old Arizona native impressed Rick Hendrick enough that when Earnhardt said he would retire at the end of 2017, Bowman got the job.

He made his boss proud, too, with the pole-winning run. Hendrick is now tied with Harry Ranier for the record of most consecutive Daytona 500 poles at four. Jeff Gordon won the pole in 2015, Chase Elliott won it the past two seasons and now Bowman has the honor.

Bowman downplayed his role. “I just held the steering wheel. It’s Daytona,” he said.

Las Vegas native Kurt Busch, winner of the Daytona 500 last year, was 17th fastest at 192.810 mph. Younger brother Kyle Busch (194.704) was fourth fastest

Danica Patrick was 28th (191.160) in her final NASCAR single-car qualifying session.

The Clash

Brad Keselowski led a 1-2 Team Penske sweep in the exhibition The Clash at Daytona race that marks the opening of Speedweeks.

The three-car Penske contingent moved to the front of the field and had the race in control as they closed in on the checkered flag.

Ryan Blaney pulled out of line from behind Keselowski on the final lap in an attempt to beat his teammate, but he was left alone in the bottom lane and faded into traffic. Joey Logano didn’t have enough help to mount a challenge on Keselowski and had to settle for second.

Kyle Larson made contact with Jimmie Johnson on the final lap to trigger an accident that allowed Keselowski an easier route to Victory Lane.

Kurt Busch finished third in the 17-car field while Kyle Busch was seventh.