Jeff Gordon wins Daytona 500 pole in final NASCAR season

By LEWIS FRANCK REUTERS

10 years ago

Feb 15, 2015; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jeff Gordon (24) celebrates winning the pole during qualifying for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. (Peter Casey/USA TODAY Sports)

DAYTONA BEACH — Jeff Gordon held off team mate Jimmie Johnson to take the pole for the final Daytona 500 of his career on Sunday. Both drove Chevrolets.

Gordon had announced earlier this year that this would be his final full-time season in NASCAR’s premier series.

Under Daytona qualifying rules only the top two cars are locked into their starting positions. The remainder of the 43-car field for next Sunday’s race will be determined in twin 150-mile qualifying events on Thursday.

For the first time in the 57the edition of the stock car event called The Great American Race, drivers qualified in groups of cars in knockout qualifying. (Editing by Gene Cherry)