Kyle Busch grabs Daytona 500 pole, chasing a win that has eluded him for 20 starts

“Kyle, we've got to get him this 500,” said team owner Richard Childress.

No driver has ever won their first Daytona 500 after 20 previous attempts. The late Dale Earnhardt won for Childress in his 20th start in 1998 — three years before Earnhardt was killed in a crash on the final lap of the 2001 race.

“Sounds really good right now — being able to qualify on my first pole for the Daytona 500, that’s pretty special," said Busch, who wore custom-designed Olympic-themed racing shoes at Daytona International Speedway.

He earned the pole Wednesday night with a lap at 183.925 mph in a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, the team that signed him before the 2023 season when his contract was up with Gibbs and his salary was too high for most teams.

But his time in the No. 8 has been rocky for the two-time NASCAR champion. He's won three races since joining RCR — all in his first season — and takes a 93-race losing streak into the Daytona 500.

Busch starts the year with new crew chief Jim Pohlman, who led Justin Allgaier to the 2024 championship in NASCAR's second-tier series.

The pole runs continues a strong few weeks for Busch and his family: Older brother, Kurt, was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame last month.

“Feels really good for RCR as a group,” Busch said. “Just a valiant effort by everybody here. It would be really nice to be doing an interview like this about being No. 1 come Sunday night.”

RCR last put a car on the pole for the Daytona 500 in 2014 when Austin Dillon, grandson of the team owner, qualified first. Dillon won the race in 2018.

Chase Briscoe, last year's pole-sitter, qualified second in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“It’s a really big deal, not only for myself, but I haven’t even checked my phone, I’m sure (Bass Pro Shops owner) Johnny Morris is ballistic already,” Briscoe said of his sponsor. “He gets super fired up for this race. He’s called me two or three times this week telling me he’s so excited to get here and asking me how the car is. It’s a big deal for him, as well. It should be awesome to be on the front row again Sunday.”

Although 37 drivers were locked into the race ahead of time trials, the starting order is not determined until after a pair of Thursday night qualifying races. Of those locked in, 36 drive chartered cars that guarantee a spot in every race. An additional slot went to seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson under a provisional rule that allows for a 41st “world-class driver” trying to enter a Cup event.

Johnson is a two-time Daytona 500 winner and finished third last year. He left full-time NASCAR racing after the 2020 season.

There were two spots open for those not already locked in and they were claimed by Corey Heim for 23XI Racing and Justin Allgaier for JR Motorsports. They were the fastest cars in time trials.

Heim, last year's Truck Series champion, will be making his Daytona 500 debut.

“Kind of nerve-wracking for sure,” said the 23-year-old from Georgia. “So impressed and thank you for 23XI Racing and Toyota, coming here with an open car and a fourth team at 23XI, to be able to do that is pretty impressive even from my eyes. I feel like that’s a very big accomplishment from those guys. Just blessed to be a part of the team.”

Allgaier is in for the fourth time in his career and the second consecutive year while driving for two-time race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“It's such a great sport to be part of it and it's awesome to be able to come down here and try to make your way in,” Earnhardt said. “It is stressful, but that's the best part about it.”

There are two remaining open spots in the field that will be decided Thursday night via a pair of 150-mile qualifying races. The highest finisher in each race among the drivers not qualified will earn a berth in the Daytona 500.

Those still trying to get in the race are: Anthony Alfredo, Corey LaJoie, BJ McLeod, Casey Mears, Chandler Smith and J.J. Yeley. Only two will race Sunday.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing