Young operators answer call in famed Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Never before has one race displayed NASCAR’S rapidly changing look more than this year’s Daytona 500.
Three drivers under age 25 will start in the first two rows, new rules will make the cars difficult to drive and NASCAR’S longtime most popular driver will watch from the sidelines.
NASCAR begins its season Sunday with the 60th running of “The Great American Race” and Alex Bowman on the pole .
Who? Well, the guy who got Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s coveted seat at Hendrick Motorsports when concussions forced the superstar to retire. Bowman is 24 and had washed out of NASCAR once before when he got the call to help during Earnhardt’s absence. Team owner Rick Hendrick gave him a car capable of earning the top starting spot for the biggest race of the year , and after nearly a full year out of a race car, Bowman will lead the field to green.
“I haven’t speedway raced in a year, so it’s going to be tough,” Bowman said. “I have to get my feet back under me as far as speedway racing goes.”
Bowman has given no indication how his car will handle because, in an effort to keep it safe for the Daytona 500, he dropped to the back of the field during his qualifying race and avoided drafting. Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott took the opposite approach, won his qualifying race and earned a starting spot in the second row.
Elliott is 22 and one of NASCAR’S budding stars. His peers believe he’ll replace Earnhardt in fan voting for NASCAR’S most popular driver , and Hendrick gave him a boost this year by switching Elliott’s car number to No. 9 so the driver can honor his Hall of Fame father, Bill.
“Car looks good. I’m a little biased, but the 9 looks good on top of the scoring pylon,” Elliott said after Thursday night’s victory. “I would love to have it there more throughout the season.”
Elliott is still seeking his first points victory in the Cup Series after five runner-up finishes last season. He won his Daytona qualifying race last year, too, but ran out of gas racing for the Daytona 500 victory.
Elliott will be Hendrick’s answer to the Ford brigade that has so far been led by Team Penske at Daytona. Ford drivers won all four restrictor-plate races last season, including Kurt Busch’s victory in the Daytona 500 , and Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney have one win apiece this Speedweeks.