NASCAR fans are waiting for a spectacular weekend with bated breath. So are the Cup Series drivers, although their hands are already full as Daytona SpeedWeeks have kicked off with full speed. The qualifiers launched on Wednesday, 11th February, as drivers competed for spots in the Great American Race. And the results are out, leaving a horde of Kyle Busch fans blissful and elated.

A long-awaited show of speed by Kyle Busch

“KFB, P1,” wrote journalist Steven Taranto – words which are golden for the massive section of Kyle Busch fans in NASCAR. “Kyle Busch wins the pole for the Daytona 500. And listen to the crowd!”

Kyle Busch picked up his 35th career pole at the qualifying race, marking his second on a superspeedway but first in The Great American Race. Things look super bright for Busch’s 21st attempt at the one crown jewel race he could never win in his career. Alongside Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe secured the outside pole. Everyone else will battle for starting spots in the Daytona 500 on Thursday’s Duels.

What Kyle Busch also did was shatter a NASCAR record – he was the fastest on pole for the Daytona 500 in the Next-Gen car. Journalist Jonathan Fjeld wrote, “Kyle Busch’s 48.932 qualifying lap time is three tenths faster than Chase Briscoe’s Daytona 500 pole lap last year (49.249) and seven tenths faster than the first Daytona 500 pole lap with the NextGen car in 2022 (49.680).”

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One driver who had left fans praying for a breakthrough was Kyle Busch. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has been in the doldrums since 2023, when he won his last race. His 92-race winless streak had nagged Busch, Richard Childress, and their fans. However, the 41-year-old is clearly eager to snap his drought with a bang at the Daytona 500.

This victory is an early fruit of Richard Childress‘s off-season decision, a gamble. He replaced Randall Burnett with Jim Pohlman for the No. 8 crew chief’s role. And as if on cue, Pohlman had exuded confidence for Busch’s Daytona run. “When it comes to the 500 for Kyle and the years trying, we in the RCR camp really feel that it’s his year,” Pohlman said. “We want to try and make that happen for him this year.”

Busch sounded ecstatic in the post-qualifier interview. “It sounds really good right now,” he said. “Being able to qualify for my first pole for the Daytona 500 is pretty special. I’ve had one other speedway pole in my career down here in Daytona for the summer race. But this feels good, really good for RCR as a group.”

As Kyle Busch rejoices in his latest milestone, two other expectant drivers can feel relieved.

Locking into a tight competition

“Now it’s official: Corey Heim and Justin Allgaier have locked into the Daytona 500 as Corey LaJoie is bumped from the top 10. 23XI Racing and JR Motorsports have made it into the Great American Race with their open entries,” The Athletic’s journalist Jeff Gluck reported on X.

Among 45 drivers signed up for the entry list, it is not easy to get a spot for the Daytona 500, especially for ‘open’ drivers. Seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is already locked in a spot, with his Open Exemption Provisional entry.

Despite these hurdles, Justin Allgaier locked into the race, marking JR Motorsports’ second Cup Series attempt. Dale Earnhardt Jr. can finally rest his worries and look forward to another magnificent showing in Daytona. Corey Heim was driving the No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota, an open, non-chartered entry. Despite his new appearance, Heim performed well – he ranked eighth in the short practice session held on Wednesday. More importantly, he locked in for the Daytona 500 in qualifying.

The Open drivers left out include Corey LaJoie, Casey Mears, JJ Yeley, and three others who would try their shots in the Daytona Duels.

With a fantastic qualifying result, fans can look ahead to the rest of Daytona SpeedWeeks. We cannot wait to see what Kyle Busch shows us ahead!