Grids set for Daytona 500 qualifiers

Daytona's unique grid equation is thus: The front two positions (Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick) were filled in Saturday's pole runs. Spots 31 through 36 are made according to fastest remaining times among those who did not make the top 15 in the Gatorade 125s. Positions 37 through 43 are provisional and are based on last year's owner-points rankings.

In general, regardless of what happens in the 125s, a car is considered safe if it has a top-20 speed from trials and/or a top-30 points position. Strange things can happen, however, and the clearest way to safety is to make top 15 in the Thursday's races (see starting grids below).

With 53 entrants for the 500, 10 will go home after Thursday's races. Five of those 10 are likely to be Benning, Shelmerdine, Carl Long, Hermie Sadler and Bobby Gerhart. That leaves five more contenders in the dark, including Mike Skinner, Kyle Petty, Jimmy Spencer, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Todd Bodine, Buckshot Jones, Rick Mast, Stacy Compton, Shawna Robinson and Geoff Bodine.


1, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
2, Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet
3, Ward Burton, Dodge
4, Terry Labonte, Chevrolet
5, Bill Elliott, Dodge
6, Mike Wallace, Chevrolet
7, Dale Jarrett, Ford
8, Ricky Rudd, Ford
9, Bobby Hamilton, Chevrolet
10, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet
11, Brett Bodine, Ford
12, Ken Schrader, Pontiac
13, Sterling Marlin, Dodge
14, Joe Nemechek, Ford
15, Geoff Bodine, Ford
16, Hut Stricklin, Dodge
17, Mark Martin, Ford
18, Ryan Newman, Ford
19, Johnny Benson, Pontiac
20, Elliott Sadler, Ford
21, Rick Mast, Ford
22, Kurt Busch, Ford
23, Ricky Craven, Ford
24, Matt Kenseth, Ford
25, Carl Long, Dodge
26, Kyle Petty, Dodge
27, Kirk Shelmerdine, Ford


1, Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet
2, Robert Pressley, Dodge
3, Robby Gordon, Chevrolet
4, Michael Waltrip, Chevrolet
5, Jeff Green, Chevrolet
6, Bobby Labonte, Pontiac
7, Jerry Nadeau, Chevrolet
8, Jeremy Mayfield, Dodge
9, Kenny Wallace, Chevrolet
10, Tony Stewart, Pontiac
11, Dave Marcis, Chevrolet
12, John Andretti, Dodge
13, Jeff Burton, Ford
14, Casey Atwood, Dodge
15, Shawna Robinson, Dodge
16, Rusty Wallace, Ford
17, Todd Bodine, Ford
18, Dave Blaney, Ford
19, Greg Biffle, Ford
20, Stacy Compton, Pontiac
21, Buckshot Jones, Dodge
22, Jimmy Spencer, Dodge
23, Bobby Gerhart, Pontiac
24, Hermie Sadler, Chevrolet
25, Mike Skinner, Chevrolet