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Hendrick, Toyota Aim For 500 Pole

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 10, 2008

DAYTONA BEACH - Hendrick Motorsports' four Chevrolets and the much-improved Toyotas are the cars to beat for the Daytona 500 pole today (1 p.m., WTVT, Ch. 13).

Hendrick's cars - particularly those of Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. - were fast in Daytona's preseason testing and in Saturday's two practice sessions. The Toyota teams have displayed a lot of speed, and not only with powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing. Practically all the Toyota teams have been fast.

Michael Waltrip in his No. 55 Toyota was second-fastest in Saturday's final practice.

"We left the shop with three cars that we feel can qualify in the first three spots for the Daytona 500," said Waltrip, whose company also owns the cars of Zephyrhills' David Reutimann and Dale Jarrett. "When we were down here last year, I knew it would be a challenge to get even one of our cars in the top 20."

Only the first two starting positions for next Sunday's 50th Daytona 500 are available in today's qualifying. Thursday's 150-mile duels will set the starting order for positions 3-39.

Today's qualifying is particularly important for the 19 drivers hoping to make the 500 who finished outside the top 35 in owners points last year. Starting positions 40-42 for the 500 (and 43 if it isn't claimed by a former champion) will be awarded on speed, so three drivers who don't have guaranteed starting berths can get locked into the 500 today.

HOPEFUL AGAIN: Part-timer Boris Said was bidding for a second consecutive pole in Daytona's Pepsi 400 last summer when rain came with 14 drivers remaining. The lineup was set by owners points, and because Said didn't have enough, he didn't make the race.

Undaunted, he is back to try to make the field for the 50th Daytona 500 in his No Fear Racing Ford.

"I don't have any hard feelings toward NASCAR or anything," Said said this week. "I have hard feelings toward Mother Nature, because if the rain would have held off for 15 minutes, I would have been on the pole and I would have got in the race and I would have been in the Bud Shootout, and it would have changed my year."

Said has proven he belongs at Daytona. Besides winning the pole and finishing fourth in the 2006 Pepsi 400, he finished 14th in last year's 500.

"What's funny is, I was at the Bodine Bobsled Challenge, and some guys came up to me, 'You know, there are only two guys trying to qualify for this 500 whose father raced in the first Daytona 500,' " Said said. "I'm like, 'Really, who?' And the guy goes, 'Kyle Petty and you.' I'm like, 'what?' I had no idea my father ever raced in this race."

Bob Said made one start in NASCAR's premier division. He started 20th and finished 50th in the 1959 Daytona 500.

TOYOTA WINS: Michael Annett, a 21-year-old developmental driver for Bill Davis Racing, won his second straight restrictor-plate race, driving a Toyota to victory in Saturday's wreck-filled ARCA 200.

A former hockey player from Iowa, Annett also won the ARCA race at Talladega last fall. In five ARCA starts, he has two wins, three top-fives and five top-10s.

Annett benefited from crashes and other problems that took out several contenders. Former Formula One driver Scott Speed and Kyle Krisiloff were involved in a 16-car wreck early in the race.

Dario Franchitti, the 2007 Indy 500 winner and Indy Racing League who is competing full-time in Sprint Cup as a rookie, finished 10th in his second ARCA start.

Tony Fabrizio

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