Alex Bowman has chance at NASCAR history
If Alex Bowman captures a front row start for Sunday’s Daytona 500, he will become the first driver in the NASCAR Cup Series to earn six front row starts for NASCAR’s biggest race.
Bowman could break a six-way tie with Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker and Bill Elliott for the most front row starts for The Great American Race.
Bowman has earned all of his front row starts consecutively since becoming a full-time Hendrick Motorsports driver in 2018, including two poles (2019 and 2021).
Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won the pole for the Daytona 500 in seven of the last eight years.
CURRENT DRIVERS WITH DAYTONA FRONT ROW STARTS
Alex Bowman – 5
Jimmie Johnson – 4
William Byron – 2
Chase Elliott – 2
Martin Truex Jr. – 2
Austin Dillon – 1
Denny Hamlin – 1
Kevin Harvick – 1
Kyle Larson – 1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – 1
HISTORY
This year will mark the 65th annual Daytona 500 in NASCAR’s 75th season.
Collectively, 66 drivers have earned a front row start for The Great American Race.
Bob Welborn and Shorty Rollins were the first drivers to earn the front row starting positions in the first Daytona 500 in 1959.
OUTLOOK
Qualifying to set the front row for the Daytona 500 will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 8:15 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.
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Dominic Aragon View All
Dominic Aragon is currently the editor-in-chief for The Racing Experts.
From Grants, New Mexico, USA, Aragon started watching NASCAR in 2004 and has been covering the sport since 2009. Aragon is a 2012 graduate of Grants High School and a May 2016 graduate of the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in Mass Communications & Journalism. Aragon has worked in local and national media, as a musician, and an educator. He is co-author of the 2024 book "All of It: Daytona 500 Champion Tells the Rest of the Story" with racer Geoff Bodine.
Aragon, his wife Feliz, and son Christopher currently reside in Grants, New Mexico, USA.
You can reach Dominic at daragon@theracingexperts.net.