Bowman, Larson give Hendrick sweep of front row at Daytona

Alex Bowman admired yet another Daytona 500 pole trophy that he won from mastering the superspeedway over one fast lap ahead of NASCAR’s marquee race.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver still wants to add to his Daytona collection. There’s a championship trophy missing.

“It may not be the big one,” Bowman said. “But it’s not a bad one to have.”

Bowman and Kyle Larson turned Daytona 500 qualifying into another Hendrick Motorsports romp.

Bowman posted the top speed in his No. 48 Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway and won his third career pole for the race. He’ll be joined by Larson in the No. 5 Chevrolet on the front row for NASCAR’s

season opener.

The Hendrick dominance is a recurring theme at Daytona.

“They’ve got something figured out, for sure,” Larson said. “There’s obviously tricks they’ve learned along the way that still apply to these cars.”

Bowman, who missed five races late last season because of a concussion, is on the Daytona 500 front row for the the sixth straight time, and the organization has produced a pole winner in eight of the last nine years.

“There’s a ton of effort that goes into trying to qualify well here,” Bowman said.

Jimmie Johnson made a triumphant return to NASCAR on Feb. 15 and qualified for the Daytona 500, a tremendous start for the the seven-time champion as he heads into his first Cup race since 2020.

The 47-year-old Johnson returned from a two-year dalliance in IndyCar for an ownership stake in Legacy Motor Club — and he quickly added to his own, joining the 40-driver field in his No. 84 Chevrolet.

Yes, a reverse of the No. 48 he ran when he won two Daytona 500s.

“I think I really have a shot to win,” Johnson said before he qualified. “If I survive and get through the first two stages, there’s really a shot that I have to win this race.”

Johnson will be joined Feb. 19 by another 40-something part-timer in former X Games thrill-seeker Travis Pastrana. Pastrana said racing in the Daytona 500 was one of his last motorsports goals and this was his last, best shot to get there. He landed a ride for Daytona in the No. 67 Toyota as a third entry for the NASCAR team owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.

With 36 drivers already locked into the 40-car field based on NASCAR’s charter system, Johnson and Pastrana were among six others competing for the final four starting spots at Daytona International Speedway.

Johnson and Pastrana embraced on pit row after they locked themselves into the race. They can rest easy for a night.

So can Bowman, who has yet to parlay the top spot into a Daytona 500 win, and Larson.

JOHN RAOUX — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Alex Bowman climbs out of his car after qualifying for the Daytona 500on Feb. 15.