The Gatorade twin 125-mile qualifiers held the Thursday preceding
the Daytona 500 make for some of the most exciting racing
during Speedweeks. They will also play a very important role in
determining the starting line-up for the 38th Annual Daytona 500
to be run February 18th.
The qualifying procedures for the Daytona 500 are unique.
The Busch Qualifying session, to be held the week before the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 11th, determines the starting row for the Daytona 500, and then the starting positions for the Gatorade Twin 125-mile qualifying races on Thursday, February 15th.
The top 14 drivers exclusive of the the pole winner for each race lineup in their respective row. The first Twin finishers in the inside row and the second Twin finishers in the outside row.
The final 10 positions in the 500 grid are filled based on the fastest qualifying times not yet qualified.
The field is then rounded out with provisionals based on the 1995 owners point system and if required the Past Champions rule would also apply for a possible field of 43 cars.
Last year, Dale Jarrett, in his first year with Yates Racing driving the #28 Texaco-Havoline Ford Thunderbird captured the pole with a time of 46.513 and a speed of 193.494mph.
Dale Earnhardt, driver of the Richard Childress owned GM Goodwrench Services Chevrolet Monte Carlo was only .011 seconds slower than Jarrett giving him the outside pole position. This was the third time in the '90's that Earnhardt has started from the second position (1990, 1994 and 1995).
A number of rule changes over the winter, most notable a new restrictor plate that will be used at Daytona and Talladega, will likely decrease the qualifying speeds by a couple of miles-per-hour. The restrictor plate has resulted in a loss of about 30 horsepower.
1996 DAYTONA 500 LINEUP
Qualifying Procedures
Starting Starting
Position Position
1st Round Qualifying POLE Row 1 OUTSIDE 1st Round Qualifying
POLE
1st Qualifying Race 2nd Qualifying Race
Finish Position Finish Position
1st 3rd Row 2 4th 1st
2nd 5th Row 3 6th 2nd
3rd 7th Row 4 8th 3rd
4th 9th Row 5 10th 4th
5th 11th Row 6 12th 5th
6th 13th Row 7 14th 6th
7th 15th Row 8 16th 7th
8th 17th Row 9 18th 8th
9th 19th Row 10 20th 9th
10th 21st Row 11 22nd 10th
11th 23rd Row 12 24th 11th
12th 25th Row 13 26th 12th
13th 27th Row 14 28th 13th
14th 29th Row 15 30th 14th
Qualifying Times 31st Row 16 32nd
33rd Row 17 34th
35th Row 18 36th
37th Row 19 38th
Provisionals from 39th Row 20 40th
top 35 in 1995 41st Row 21 42nd
Champion's 43rd Row 22
Provisional
(If Applicable)