NASCAR Chevy Teammates Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson On 2023 Daytona 500 Front Row
For the second year in a row, Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 NASCAR Chevy Camaro ZL1 and Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Camaro, will start on the front row for the 2023 Daytona 500.
Bowman guided the No. 48 Camaro to the pole position, laying down a hot lap of 181.685 mph around the 2.5-mile asphalt oval. His efforts during Wednesday’s qualifying session mark the third time Bowman will start from the pole position for the Great American Race.
Meanwhile, Larson’s No. 5 NASCAR Chevy will start beside him in second place, having posted a hot lap of 181.057 mph, meaning that Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) has dominated the front row once again. In fact, the third-best qualifier was William Byron’s No. 24 Camaro, who is also fielded by HMS, setting the tone for a potentially dominant performance by The Bow Tie during this year’s Daytona 500.
Additionally, Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 84 Camaro, along with Travis Pastrana, driver of the No. 67 Toyota TRD Camry, solidified their slots in the upcoming Daytona 500. However, it’s important to note that only Bowman’s No. 48 Camaro and Larson’s No. 5 Camaro will be allowed to keep their starting positions based on qualifying times. The rest of the field will race for position in the Duels at Daytona on February 16th, after which the starting lineup will be officially set for Sunday’s Cup Series race.
Bowman and Larson will both start up front for their respective Duel events, although they may elect to drop to the back to avoid incident in order to protect their Daytona 500 race cars and avoid having to start at the rear of the field due to a crash.
It’s also worth noting that Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 8 NASCAR Camaro, had his time disallowed after he crossed below the double yellow line during his lap, which is not allowed by NASCAR.
SOURCE: GM AUTHORITY