Elliott upstages Earnhardt
“I’m happy to share the front row with (Dale Earnhardt Jr.). But I’m happier to beat him. ... That’s what you’re trying to do.” Daytona 500 pole winner Chase Elliott
as Elliott and Earnhardt, in the unique format to set the grid for the race, are assured their spots while the ensuing 38 slots will be filled by two 150-mile qualifying races Thursday.
“Obviously, Dale is good down here, and we all knew he was going to be fast today,” Elliott said. “That’s no surprise. But I don’t really care who it is. I’m not going to feel bad about beating somebody. So it’s cool to share a front row with a teammate; (that) is really the biggest thing I look at with that.”
Understated Elliott provided a dramatic moment in the staid single-car qualifying format, posting his pole-winning lap of 192.872 mph as the last qualifying driver, immediately after Earnhardt had taken the provi- sional pole with a lap of 192.864.
Gustafson became the first crew chief to win three Daytona 500 poles consecutively since Elliott’s uncle, Ernie Elliott, with Elliott’s father, 1988 series champion Bill, from 1985 to 1987.
Elliott added a new layer to his rich family history Sunday, becoming the first driver to win consecutive Daytona 500 poles since Ken Schrader from 1988 to 1990, but it’s no assurance of performance at a track where drafting and position management is crucial. Possessing a fast car in qualifying is certainly a plus, but it has rarely been enough alone. Only nine times in 58 previous installments has the Daytona 500 been won from the pole, most recently by Dale Jarrett in 2000, when Elliott was 4. Elliott wrecked out early with his pole-winning car last season, underscoring the fragility of the accomplishment.
So he’s not apologizing for seizing it.
“Dale’s a good guy,” he said. “I’m happy to share the front row with him. But I’m happier to beat him. Regardless of who it is, that’s what you’re trying to do.”