Gilliland on pole for topsy-turvy race
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. — Starting at the front at Daytona is one of the world’s biggest lies. Don’t believe for a minute it will have anything to do with actually winning a race.
So congratulations to David Gilliland, Reed Sorenson and Landon Cassill, all unexpected front-runners for tonight’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
But given the dynamics of restrictorplate racing, crazy aerodynamic pushes and the rubble of stock cars that will be worthless by the end of the night, good luck to all.
“We all call it a crapshoot, and there is a lot of luck involved,” said Cassill, who qualified third late Friday afternoon. “I do think there are ways you can improve your odds; then again, it still can be a crapshoot.”
Gilliland, who drives for Front Row Racing and is hardpressed to compete with the multicar superpowers, understands that plate racing is the great equalizer.
It gives him and teammate David Ragan, starting eighth, a chance at victory for qualification into the postseason’s Chase for the Cup.
But Gilliland already has scored a big plus for his resume: He will be part of the 2015 Sprint Unlimited next season at Daytona after notching his first pole of the season.
But first, the focus is on the 2014 season, with only nine regular-season races remaining before the16-driver field for the Chase is set.
“This is probably the last shot that we feel like we have,” he said.
Gilliland, who ran a lap of 199.322 mph, benefited from the rain-shortened format, which cut the scheduled three qualifying runs to one.
The only likely championship-contender in the top five is six-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.
For Johnson, and the rest of the field, it’s business as usual: Try to avoid “The Big One” and hope you stick around for The Big Finish.
Such is the lottery-luck dynamics of Daytona, not to be confused with the benign qualifying strategy.
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The new group qualifying format brings an odd vibe to restrictor-plate tracks.
The majority of drivers don’t have to race to get in, nor do they want to race like a bunch of madmen for fear of tearing up their car. It led to a “herding cats” feel to strategy, with some drivers being more aggressive and others laying back. It’s gamesmanship to the nth degree. “There were cars doing 80 and there were cars doing 200 and nobody wanted to go,” Matt Kenseth said. “Everybody wanted to be in the back of the pack and try to catch the front to get a lap, so it was pretty chaotic.”
Kenseth’s estimate seemed on the high side to Joey Logano.
“I don’t know about [qualifying being] crazy,” Logano said. “We were only going 5 mph for a little bit. “It’s just kind of frustrating to try to figure it all out and what’s going on.”
“We all call it a crapshoot, and there is a lot of luck involved. I do think there are ways you can improve your odds.” Landon Cassill, who qualified third, on restrictor-plate racing at Daytona