NASCAR: Daytona starting lineup – Chase Elliott takes pole

Chase Elliott took the pole position for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season’s second race at the Daytona International Speedway road course.

As a result of NASCAR‘s starting lineup formula, which was introduced in August of last year in response to a lack of qualifying sessions following the 10-week hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott took the pole position for the 2021 season’s second race at the Daytona International Speedway road course.

Elliott, the reigning winner at the track, is set to lead the field to the green flag behind the wheel of his #9 Chevrolet for this 70-lap O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 around the 14-turn, 3.61-mile (5.810-kilometer) road course in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The formula used to determine the starting lineup is based 35% on the driver’s position in the championship standings, 25% of the driver’s most recent finish, 25% on the car’s most recent finish and 15% on the rank of the driver’s fastest lap in the most recent race.

Elliott and the #9 team’s ranks in these four categories are fourth, second, second and fourth place, respectively, following the season opener.

More from NASCAR Cup Series

• NASCAR Cup Series: New team set to compete in 2024
• NASCAR: Surprising name continuously linked to new seat
• NASCAR driver at risk of missing the Daytona 500?
• NASCAR set for rare appearance last seen 13 years ago
• NASCAR team adds third car, names driver for 2024 Daytona 500

Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell, who won the season-opening Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway oval this past Sunday evening/Monday morning, is set to start alongside Elliott on the front row in second place behind the wheel of his #34 Ford.

Set to share the second row are Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin in third and fourth place behind the wheels of their #3 Chevrolet and #11 Toyota, respectively.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick is set to start in fifth place behind the wheel of his #4 Ford, and JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ryan Preece, whose #37 Chevrolet does not have a charter for this season, is comfortably in the field and set to start in sixth.

Here is the full starting lineup for the 2021 O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at the Daytona International Speedway road course.

Starting Lineup
1st – Chase Elliott
2nd – Michael McDowell
3rd – Austin Dillon
4th – Denny Hamlin
5th – Kevin Harvick
6th – Ryan Preece
7th – Corey LaJoie
8th – Kyle Larson
9th – Ross Chastain
10th – Bubba Wallace
11th – Joey Logano
12th – Christopher Bell
13th – Cole Custer
14th – Kyle Busch
15th – Brad Keselowski
16th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
17th – Kurt Busch
18th – Chase Briscoe
19th – B.J. McLeod
20th – Joey Gase
21st – Martin Truex Jr.
22nd – Justin Haley
23rd – Cody Ware
24th – William Byron
25th – Josh Bilicki
26th – Tyler Reddick
27th – Aric Almirola
28th – Ryan Blaney
29th – Quin Houff
30th – Chris Buescher
31st – Anthony Alfredo
32nd – Matt DiBenedetto
33rd – Ryan Newman
34th – A.J. Allmendinger
35th – Daniel Suarez
36th – Alex Bowman
37th – Erik Jones
38th – Ty Dillon
39th – James Davison
40th – Timmy Hill

Tune in to Fox this Sunday, February 21 at 3:00 p.m. ET for the live broadcast of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 from the Daytona International Speedway road course.