David Gilliland ran the #38 Ford at 186.320 mph to earn the No. 1 starting spot in biggest race on the NASCAR circuit. Gilliland won the pole at Talladega in the final restrictor-plate race of 2006 and was driving extremely fast in early practices at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday.
Gilliland said, "Every time we've gone out, we've gotten faster and faster and faster and I think that's just a tribute to the Yates organization."
This will be the first time Gilliland will drive in the Daytona 500. Only Lee Petty, the winner of the first Daytona 500 in 1959, won the event in his first try.
Gilliland is jointed by fellow Robert Yates Racing teammate Ricky Rudd on the front row. Rudd was just 2/10th's behind for second place in the Daytona 500 pole position.
POLE CAR # DRIVER
1 38 David Gilliland
2 88 Ricky Rudd
3 40 David Stremme
4 42 Juan Montoya
5 6 David Ragan
6 160 Boris Said
7 24 Jeff Gordon
8 14 Sterling Marlin
9 70 Johnny Sauter
10 48 Jimmie Johnson
11 17 Matt Kenseth
12 25 Casey Mears Chevrolet
13 5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet
14 11 Denny Hamlin
15 0 David Reutimann
16 36 Jeremy Mayfield
17 18 J.J. Yeley
18 23 Mike Skinner
19 20 Tony Stewart
20 19 Elliott Sadler
21 26 Jamie McMurray
22 1 Martin Truex Jr.
23 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
24 43 Bobby Labonte
25 55 Michael Waltrip
26 139 Regan Smith
27 66 Jeff Green
28 9 Kasey Kahne
29 12 Ryan Newman
30 16 Greg Biffle
31 29 Kevin Harvick
32 4 Ward Burton
33 15 Paul Menard
34 45 Kyle Petty Dodge
35 1 Mark Martin
36 96 Tony Raines
37 2 Kurt Busch
38 7 Robby Gordon
39 22 Dave Blaney
40 84 A.J. Allmendinger
41 7 Clint Bowyer
42 34 Kevin Lepage
43 37 Bill Elliott
44 41 Reed Sorenson
45 83 Brian Vickers
46 78 Kenny Wallace
47 13 Joe Nemechek
48 21 Ken Schrader
49 10 Scott Riggs
50 44 Dale Jarrett
51 99 Carl Edwards
52 31 Jeff Burton
53 171 Frank Kimmel
54 49 Mike Bliss
55 104 Eric McClure
56 130 Stanton Barrett
57 27 Kirk Shelmerdine
58 72 Brandon Whitt
59 74 Derrike Cope
60 158 James Hylton
61 109 Mike Wallace
