No one knew what to expect when knockout NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying came to Daytona International Speedway for the first time on Friday.
But no one could have predicted what transpired in a chaotic qualifying session for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400.
David Gilliland, who has finished no better than 20th in 17 starts this season, captured his third career Coors Light Pole (second at Daytona) when rain forced cancellation of the second and third rounds.
Joining Gilliland on the first row will be Reed Sorenson, who has been no better than 21st for Tommy Baldwin Racing since finishing 16th in this year’s Daytona 500. Sorenson, winless in 206 career Cup starts, last recorded a top-10 finish in 2010.
| POS. | CAR | DRIVER | MANUFACTURER |
| 1 | 38 | David Gilliland | Ford |
| 2 | 36 | Reed Sorenson | Chevrolet |
| 3 | 40 | Landon Cassill | Chevrolet |
| 4 | 33 | Bobby Labonte | Chevrolet |
| 5 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet |
| 6 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | Toyota |
| 7 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Chevrolet |
| 8 | 34 | David Ragan | Ford |
| 9 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet |
| 10 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Ford |
| 11 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Ford |
| 12 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet |
| 13 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet |
| 14 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Chevrolet |
| 15 | 43 | Aric Almirola | Ford |
| 16 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | Ford |
| 17 | 26 | Cole Whitt | Toyota |
| 18 | 9 | Marcos Ambrose | Ford |
| 19 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr | Chevrolet |
| 20 | 31 | Ryan Newman | Chevrolet |
| 21 | 27 | Paul Menard | Chevrolet |
| 22 | 13 | Casey Mears | Chevrolet |
| 23 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Chevrolet |
| 24 | 47 | AJ Allmendinger | Chevrolet |
| 25 | 21 | Trevor Bayne | Ford |
| 26 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Ford |
| 27 | 95 | Michael McDowell | Ford |
| 28 | 22 | Joey Logano | Ford |
| 29 | 10 | Danica Patrick | Chevrolet |
| 30 | 55 | Brian Vickers | Toyota |
| 31 | 51 | Justin Allgaier | Chevrolet |
| 32 | 7 | Michael Annett | Chevrolet |
| 33 | 98 | Josh Wise | Ford |
| 34 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | Toyota |
| 35 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet |
| 36 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | Chevrolet |
| 37 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota |
| 38 | 32 | Terry Labonte | Ford |
| 39 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota |
| 40 | 41 | Kurt Busch | Chevrolet |
| 41 | 66 | Michael Waltrip | Toyota |
| 42 | 83 | Ryan Truex | Toyota |
| 43 | 23 | Alex Bowman | Toyota |
