Johnson wins pole; Waltrip rallies to start second

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - What a difference a year can make. Last year prior to qualifying for the Daytona 500, Michael Waltrip was caught with an illegal fuel additive that led many to think he shouldn't even be allowed to attempt the race. Today, he went out and won a spot on the front row for the season-opening race.

Hendrick Motorsports driver and defending series champion Jimmie Johnson won the pole for the race with a lap of 187.075 mph. Yet his performance was overshadowed by that of Waltrip, a driver whose team is outside the top 35 in owners points and who, just hours before earning the spot, was in danger of missing the race entirely.

"Last night we had a great race, but I'm really looking forward to what this car can do in the 500," said Johnson, who finished second in the Budweiser Shootout on Saturday in a car that was used at Martinsville Speedway but had to be called into service as a backup at Daytona.

While Johnson thought of the run as a way to snare a good starting spot for the race, for Waltrip it was more of a lifeline.

A year ago, Waltrip headed to Daytona International Speedway with a shiny new three-car team and plans to bring Toyota into NASCAR's Cup Series.

Instead, he found himself apologizing for the fuel issue, wondering if he'd even be allowed to compete in the race and trying to explain to his own daughter how his team had come to be branded a cheater. He spent the rest of 2007 fighting for redemption and trying to show that a mistake he says he had no knowledge of was just that - an aberration for the team.

He also spent the year trying to gain points. By season's end, Waltrip had made just 14 Cup races and sat well outside the top 35 in owners points. He headed into 2008 intent on improving his team's performance and on putting that Daytona nightmare firmly into his past.

In a matter of seconds, he made great strides toward doing just that.

Waltrip went out late in Sunday's Daytona 500 qualifying session and posted a lap of 186.734 mph. He then watched as a handful of drivers went out and tried to challenge his time, but only Johnson surpassed him.

"It's a very, very successful day for our team," he said. "There's much relief for everybody. There were questions over the summer [concerning] whether we would even make it to the end of last year and we not only start 2008 with a solid team - we're a lot better team than we've ever been before. We expect to perform week-in and week-out and testing has shown us that we're fast. It's nice for the whole world to get to see it now."

When he went out for his lap, he told crew chief Paul Andrews that he didn't want to know his times. He was afraid he might mess up his lap if he knew those.

Andrews had complete faith in his driver's ability to make the show.

"He just keeps digging harder and wanting more," Andrews said.

Waltrip did dig in, and he did make the race. So the man who entered the Daytona media center with no sign of his trademark smile a year ago returned to celebrate not only making the field for the race - only the top two qualifiers locked in positions in the 500 Sunday - but doing so in style.

The rest of the field will be sorted out after the qualifying races are run Thursday. For now, only the top 35 in owners points and three team's outside that group - Waltrip, Furniture Row Racing's Joe Nemechek and MWR's David Reutimann are locked into the field.

Behind them are a group of drivers that would be most comfortable racing their way in by virtue of the qualifying races, but if they failed to do so, still might get into the race based on their qualifying speed. No Fear Racing's Boris Said, Gillett Evernham Motorsports Patrick Carpentier, Red Bull Racing's Brian Vickers and Bill Davis Racing's Jacques Villeneuve are in this group.

Eight others will need to race their way in based on speed or go home: RBR's AJ Allmendinger, Furniture Row Racing's Kenny Wallace, Front Row Motorsports' Eric McClure, BAM Racing's Ken Schrader, Front Row Motorsports' John Andretti, Phoenix Racing's Sterling Marlin, Ski Motorsports Stanton Barrett and E&M Motorsports Carl Long.

Then there are three past champions. Penske Racing's Kurt Busch is locked into the field as the most recent past champion, but if he makes the race by virtue of finish or speed, then MWR's Dale Jarrett can take the provisional. If both of those drivers are in, it would fall to Wood Brothers Racing's Bill Elliott. Both Jarrett and Elliott must race their way in or use that provisional or they will not make the race.

Jarrett is attempting to make his final Daytona 500 start as a full-time Cup driver.

• Mentioned Drivers:
• AJ Allmendinger