GREAT AMERICAN RACE: Qualification Confusion?

Question

I am really confused on how they qualify into the Daytona 500 and the Duels and stuff. Can you fill me in with detail, and everything there is to know?
Thanks

Answer 1

Here is an explanation of how qualifying for the Daytona 500 works.

Sunday Before The Daytona 500

First, the front row is locked in based on qualifying time trials that happen on the Sunday before the Daytona 500. Each driver gets two laps alone on the track to post their best speed.

The top two drivers from that qualifying session are locked in and will start the Daytona 500 from the front row.

Thursday

On Thursday before the Daytona 500 the Gatorade Duels are lined up based on last weekend's qualifying speeds. These two 150-mile races will set the final starting lineup for the Daytona 500.

Drivers that qualified in odd-numbered spots run the first race to set the lineup for the odd-numbered (inside line) starting positions and those in the even-numbered spots run the second race to set the lineup for the even-numbered (outside line) starting spots.

Guaranteed Starters

Based on NASCAR rules the top 35 in car owner points from the previous season are guaranteed starting spots.

Those drivers are only racing for their position on the starting grid, nothing more.

Rounding Out The Field

This leaves seven spots open to other drivers which are assigned like this: The top two drivers in each Gatorade Duel that are not already guaranteed a starting spot get into the Daytona 500.

The next three spots go to the fastest three qualifiers based on the single-car time trials from Sunday.

The final spot is guaranteed for a previous NEXTEL Cup Champion who was unable to qualify any other way. If there is no unqualified past champion then the 43rd spot goes to the next fastest qualifier based on speed from the single-car session.

Answer 2

All of NASCAR quailifing is mass confusion.
It should be simple the fasts 43 cars make the field,the.The big thing with this it would be possible that Gordon,Earnhardt,Johnson,
Kahne,Stewart ETC in theory could miss a race.Sorry but the race should be started by the Fastest not by this diver has these points and this one has this champion provisional or my car was down so I'll take the provisional this week. This is a crock of cow pies.
Face reallity the fastest 43 race.