DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The starting grid for the 61st annual running of the Daytona 500 is set.
Leading the field to the green flag will be William Byron and Alex Bowman on the pole and outside pole, respectively. Together, they combine to make the youngest front row in Daytona 500 history.
Both drivers qualified on the front row last Sunday and cemented those positions Thursday evening by virtue of avoiding damage and finishing their Duels at Daytona International Speedway.
“I thought we learned a little something towards the beginning of the race with leading and how our car was going to be," Byron said of his Duel performance. "Overall, it was good. Pretty happy with it. It was mission accomplished for us so far.”
Their Hendrick Motorsports teammates, Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott, both finished eighth in their respective Duels on Thursday.
That means they will start alongside one another in this Sunday, with Johnson rolling off the grid 17th and Elliott 18th.
The Daytona 500 is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET this Sunday on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.