Elliott, Bowman will lead field to green at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman will lead the field to the green flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 Saturday night.

Elliott posted the fastest lap time in both rounds of qualifying Friday, posting a lap time of 46.381 (194.045 mph) to propel his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to the top starting position.

His teammate Bowman posted the second-fastest lap 46.621 seconds (193.046) in the final round.

It was Elliott’s fourth career pole in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and first this season. He has earned all his poles in the Cup Series at restrictor-plate tracks.

Other active drivers who have earned four poles in their Cup Series careers are Ryan Blaney and A.J. Allmendinger.

“We have put a lot of effort into our speedway program at Hendrick Motorsports,” Elliott said. “The engine shop, chassis shop, body shop, we take a lot of pride in coming to these races.

“They pay the same amount of points as the rest of them, so it matters and our team treats it that way and their hard work pays off.”

Rounding out the top five are Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.

Defending race winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will start sixth.

Austin Dillon, the most recent points-awarding winner at Daytona in The Great American Race, will start 10th.

Television coverage of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 will be on NBC Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

SOURCES
Racing-Reference.info
Team Chevrolet