Austin Dillon (Richard Childless Racing) has won the Pole position for the Daytona Clash, an exhibition event held the week before the Daytona 500 and which gives no championship points. On a grid decided by a draw, Dillon has won first place, followed by Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano.
Before the Clash, a free practice session has held on Saturday and was led by Ryan Blaney (Team Penske), followed by his team-mate Joey Logano and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway Racing).
However, this exhibition race, with no influence on the championship points, has no qualifying session, and the grid, which has to contain drivers that have won any Pole in 2017, that have been on the play-offs last year and that have won a Pole in Daytona in any year; is ordered by a draw.
Austin Dillon was been the winner of this draw, and will start from Pole on the 75-lap race held this afternoon. Alongside him will be the three-time clash winner Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) and 2017 winner Logano.
The current grid driver with more wins on this race, tied with Hamlin, Kevin Harvick (Stewart Haas Racing) will start ninth, while the reigning series champion Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing). Blaney, free practice leader, will start the race on 15th.
The Daytona clash will start later today, at 15:00 local time (21:00 CET).