Bowman put #88 Dale Jr. car on pole for Daytona 500

Polesitter Alex Bowman

Getty Images for NASCAR

For the second straight season, the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will sit on the front row for the season-opening Daytona 500.

But this time, young driver Alex Bowman is piloting the car.

Circling 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway at a speed of 195.644 mph, Bowman notched his second career pole — first at Daytona — in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series during Sunday’s qualifying session. This marks his first season driving the No. 88 full time in the Monster Energy Series, following Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s retirement last season.

“I think it’s still a little surreal," Bowman said. “It’s a dream come true to get to drive for Hendrick Motorsports. I never thought it would have happened after the path my career took. I’m so thankful to be able to do this. I’m very blessed to be able to call driving a race car my job, and now to get to drive what I think is the best race car in the business."

Denny Hamlin will line up alongside Bowman after notching a speed of 195.092 mph in his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to nab the second starting spot for the “Great American Race." Hamlin is the 2016 Daytona 500 winner, but has never started on the front row for the sport’s biggest race.

Bowman and Hamlin also were fastest in the opening round of qualifying.

William Byron (fifth) was the fastest qualifying rookie. Rick Hendrick (2015-2018) now ties Harry Ranier (1979-1982) for the record of most consecutive DAYTONA 500 poles with four each.

Sunday’s two-round, single-car qualifying session only produced the front row for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 18 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The rest of the field will be determined by Thursday’s Can-Am Duels (7 p.m., FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The lineup for the Duels will be set based on Sunday’s qualifying speeds.

Qualifying Speeds