Mark Martin ran the Daytona 500 pole winner Trevor Baynes at Daytona International Speedway with a qualifying race which put him in elite company.
Martin began shooting 182.065 mph in his Chevrolet to win pole position at first, but the fiftieth of his career. He has just the eighth NASCAR driver in history to win 50 poles.
"I had the pleasure of driving a large number of fast racing cars and worked with many great teams and individuals through the years and am very grateful for that," said Martin. "It's very special because I know how much work in the four restrictor plate races each year for Hendrick Motorsports.'s Great to be part of this team.
"I really did not expect to get the job. When I found that might have been the first or 21."
A milestone in the last 52 years, came in his 811th start and follow, if he is winless in 52 career starts. But does not question his lack of success at Daytona, although Saturday night in a row next to the child's face Bayne, who turned 20 a few days before winning the Daytona 500 in his first career start.
"You know what I'm really lucky to get to the Daytona race, the weather, let alone 53 times," Martin said. "I survived the crash with some really hard here and I had a great time here. I have a lot to be thankful for.
"Position does not owe anything to me. In fact, I place a lot of sports and just be part of it."
Bayne held pole for most of the qualifying session before running the late Martin improved his lap in a Ford 182.002. This has been a whirlwind five months since he won the 500 Bayne, a victory that launched in fame.
But his season was interrupted when he was hospitalized for a week in May and this is what the doctors at the Mayo Clinic called an inflammatory condition, but believes that Bayne was Lyme disease. Initially it was thought he had been bitten on the arm by a spider a few weeks before symptoms, which include double vision landed him in hospital.
Bayne has raced only a Sprint Cup race two weeks ago in Michigan, after his release.
"Entering the tunnel, do not sink in that I was back at Daytona," he said. "The next day, when I took the car run National, as soon as I pulled the track, I realized that the last round it was a matter of victory. As soon as you make that first round you 're such a type of back and feel how you felt the last time.
"It was the biggest opened his eyes and kind of cold-cool moment for me."
Clint Bowyer, who had a chance to win the 500 until he was involved in an accident late in the third described a Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing. It was followed by Jeff Gordon, who is his teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, and Martin has said he is willing to work with Martin in the Saturday night races.
David Ragan, who lost his chance to win the 500 when NASCAR penalized too early to pass on a restart late fifth, scored on a Ford Roush Fenway Racing. Dale Earnhardt Jr., commemorating the 10th anniversary of his emotional victory here 2001, ranked sixth for Hendrick Motorsports.
Andy Lally, a veteran sports car that led TRG Motorsports to win two rounds in the Grand Touring class here in January at the prestigious Rolex 24, a seventh-best running technique.
"Daytona is hands down the most special place in my as a race track yesterday," said Lally. "Having come here with the desire of a young child not only in the running of the Daytona 500, but as my career advanced, racing and winning the 24 Hours of Daytona, which has been to Mecca me. "
Jimmie Johnson won the eighth, putting in place to work with a team-mate Johnson. AJ Allmendinger was ninth, Richard Petty Motorsports Ford and Paul Menard completed the Top 10 RCR.
JJ Yeley and Tony Raines both failed to make the field of 43 cars.
Martin began shooting 182.065 mph in his Chevrolet to win pole position at first, but the fiftieth of his career. He has just the eighth NASCAR driver in history to win 50 poles.
"I had the pleasure of driving a large number of fast racing cars and worked with many great teams and individuals through the years and am very grateful for that," said Martin. "It's very special because I know how much work in the four restrictor plate races each year for Hendrick Motorsports.'s Great to be part of this team.
"I really did not expect to get the job. When I found that might have been the first or 21."
A milestone in the last 52 years, came in his 811th start and follow, if he is winless in 52 career starts. But does not question his lack of success at Daytona, although Saturday night in a row next to the child's face Bayne, who turned 20 a few days before winning the Daytona 500 in his first career start.
"You know what I'm really lucky to get to the Daytona race, the weather, let alone 53 times," Martin said. "I survived the crash with some really hard here and I had a great time here. I have a lot to be thankful for.
"Position does not owe anything to me. In fact, I place a lot of sports and just be part of it."
Bayne held pole for most of the qualifying session before running the late Martin improved his lap in a Ford 182.002. This has been a whirlwind five months since he won the 500 Bayne, a victory that launched in fame.
But his season was interrupted when he was hospitalized for a week in May and this is what the doctors at the Mayo Clinic called an inflammatory condition, but believes that Bayne was Lyme disease. Initially it was thought he had been bitten on the arm by a spider a few weeks before symptoms, which include double vision landed him in hospital.
Bayne has raced only a Sprint Cup race two weeks ago in Michigan, after his release.
"Entering the tunnel, do not sink in that I was back at Daytona," he said. "The next day, when I took the car run National, as soon as I pulled the track, I realized that the last round it was a matter of victory. As soon as you make that first round you 're such a type of back and feel how you felt the last time.
"It was the biggest opened his eyes and kind of cold-cool moment for me."
Clint Bowyer, who had a chance to win the 500 until he was involved in an accident late in the third described a Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing. It was followed by Jeff Gordon, who is his teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, and Martin has said he is willing to work with Martin in the Saturday night races.
David Ragan, who lost his chance to win the 500 when NASCAR penalized too early to pass on a restart late fifth, scored on a Ford Roush Fenway Racing. Dale Earnhardt Jr., commemorating the 10th anniversary of his emotional victory here 2001, ranked sixth for Hendrick Motorsports.
Andy Lally, a veteran sports car that led TRG Motorsports to win two rounds in the Grand Touring class here in January at the prestigious Rolex 24, a seventh-best running technique.
"Daytona is hands down the most special place in my as a race track yesterday," said Lally. "Having come here with the desire of a young child not only in the running of the Daytona 500, but as my career advanced, racing and winning the 24 Hours of Daytona, which has been to Mecca me. "
Jimmie Johnson won the eighth, putting in place to work with a team-mate Johnson. AJ Allmendinger was ninth, Richard Petty Motorsports Ford and Paul Menard completed the Top 10 RCR.
JJ Yeley and Tony Raines both failed to make the field of 43 cars.