Daytona Qualifying Results
• Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota - qualified seventh; Truex will start fourth in the
second 150-mile Dual on Thursday.
• Mark Martin, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine - qualified 11th; Martin will start fifth in the second 150
mile Dual on Thursday.
• Michael Waltrip, No. 40 Aaron’s Dream Machine, Hillman Racing - qualified 36th; Waltrip will start 19th
in the first 150-mile Dual on Thursday. Waltrip will have to race his way into the Daytona 500.
• Clint Bowyer, No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota - Time Disallowed; Bowyer will start at the rear in the 24th
position of the second 150-mile Dual on Thursday.
Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota: “It was interesting. I had some speed down from about the middle of the backstretch down to turn three, but everywhere else I was going against the wind pretty good. It was still a pick up from yesterday so it’s a good job by the guys tuning the thing up last night and getting the most we could out of our NAPA Toyota. A lot more competitive this weekend than we’ve been as far as qualifying goes and plate tracks. Real happy with the job they’ve done.”
Mark Martin, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota: “Michael Waltrip Racing has made real noticeable gains from where they were with restrictor plate racing a year ago and I’m proud of them. This car is plenty fast enough if we put it in the right position -- we could win the (Daytona) 500 with it. I’m happy -- I’m happy for my guys. I’m happy for everybody at MWR .”
Michael Waltrip, No. 40 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, Hillman Racing: “We picked up from yesterday. We ran about three-tenths faster so our goal was to run something in the 46s and we ran a 47.0 so hopefully -- who knows. It’s probably going to come down to Thursday, last lap. For some reason, things always seem to be a little dramatic here for me.”
Scott Miller, Vice President of Competition:
What do you think of the No. 15 being too low in post-qualifying inspection? “Really very surprised that we were -- I don’t know if we got something stuck in the bleed hole in the shock, but the front just didn’t come back up. It’s all the same stuff that we ran in practice and it was coming back up. We’ll go over there and get to the bottom of it and see what happened.”
What is the penalty from NASCAR? “Just disallow the time. Disallow the time and that means we’ll start in the back in the 150s.”
Does this hurt the momentum of the team? “Not as far as the weekend goes. It’s never good to be in this position right here, but as far as the 150 goes -- you’re going to be to the front and to the back of that thing. Our competitiveness and our ability to go win the 150 hasn’t changed any.”
Was this intentional by the team? “No.”
Is this the only penalty you expect from NASCAR? “History says that’s what they (NASCAR) do here and that’s usually it. Hope not.”
Was it standard procedure to get a second chance through post-qualifying inspection? “That’s what they usually do -- they give it a little bit of time and you go again. If it doesn’t make it the second time then this happens.”
Notes:
• Thursday’s twin 150-mile qualifying races determine the participants and set the starting lineup for the
Daytona 500.
• Carl Edwards won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Daytona 500 with a lap of 46.216 seconds.
2012 Michael Waltrip Racing