Austin Dillon captured the 2014 Daytona 500 pole on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway with a lap of 196.019 mph.
“This is awesome. It is all for our guys, and this guy right here Danny Lawrence, (head engine builder at ECR), it is his birthday. So we got him a one-two start at Daytona! That is pretty awesome.” Dillon said.
This will be the first time the famous No.3 has been driven in NASCAR’s top series, the Sprint Cup Series (NSCS), since Dale Earnhardt’s death in 2001 at this speedway.
“Everybody wants to see this number perform well. That’s what my goals are is to stay focused. I know this is just qualifying, but it is great for these guys. Like Gil said, you never know when you will be standing in this position again. So it is awesome. I just want to thank our family back at home at RCR.” Dillon said.
Dillon, the grandson of car owner Richard Childress has driven the No.3 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2009 and the past two seasons in the NASCAR Nationwide series and will make his 14th NSCS start next week in the 500.
“I couldn’t be more proud for Austin and Gil and all the guys that worked so hard this winter to come down here and run good. We wanted to put on a good show with the No. 3 and couldn’t be more proud of everybody and have another ECR engine with Furniture Row on the outside (No. 78 driven by Martin Truex Jr.). That makes us all proud.” Childress said.
Martin Truex Jr. qualified second in the Furniture Row Racing’s No. 78 Chevrolet with a lap of 195.852 mph.
“Yeah, front row, that is what we are here for today. Obviously can’t say enough about this team. What a great job I think we have got about seven miles on this car.” Truex Jr. said.
Greg Biffle qualified third, Carl Edwards fourth and Ryan Newman fifth.
But only the top-2 two positions are guaranteed, the remaining 41 spots will be filled on Thursday evening in the Budweiser Duels.
Last years polesitter, Danica Patrick qualified 25th and Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Tony Stewart qualified 35th. Both drivers had blown engines in practice and will be starting at the rear for the qualifying races and the Daytona 500.
“I learned that lap was just for the guys and to condone them for putting it all back together, getting another engine in it, and we crashed a car last night. And just to say, this is your hard work over the winter and what you put our blood, sweat, and tears into to try to win the pole again for the Daytona 500.” Patrick said.
The 150-mile (60 laps) Budweiser Duels begin on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.
