Tyler Reddick picked up right where he left off, even beating an Earnhardt at Daytona International Speedway.
Last year’s winner in the season opener won the pole for Saturday’s (Feb. 16) NASCAR Experience 300 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Reddick went on to win the championship but switched teams in the offseason; he didn’t miss a beat with Richard Childress Racing.
Driving the No. 2 Chevrolet, Reddick posted a speed of 189.059 mph in the second round. That was enough to inch past a surprising Jeffrey Earnhardt, whose 188.667 mph speed was second quick. Earnhardt’s in his first race of a limited schedule with Joe Gibbs Racing and easily earned the best start of his career. It continued the newsworthy Daytona Speedweeks for the youngest Earnhardt driver, who announced a two-race Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series deal earlier this week.
Michael Annett ran third, with Justin Haley and Gray Gaulding rounding out the top-five qualifiers. Ross Chastain was sixth in a second team for Kaulig Racing, the No. 10, with Chase Elliott the top Cup interloper in seventh. Ryan Sieg, Brad Keselowski and Chase Briscoe rounded out the top 10.
All 38 drivers qualified with only 38 drivers making an attempt. Cole Custer had an engine problem and will start at the rear of the field (38th).
NASCAR EXPERIENCE 300 QUALIFYING RESULTS
Shortly after his pole run, it was reported Reddick’s team had to change tires because one was leaking air. He’ll now start from the rear of the field.
Reddick will start from the rear for changing a tire
— John Haverlin (@JohnHaverlin) February 16, 2019
The NASCAR Experience 300 will go green on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 2:30 p.m. ET. TV coverage is on FOX Sports 1, or you can listen at SIRIUS XM NASCAR radio or your local MRN affiliate.
MORE NASCAR XFINITY COVERAGE
ALBINO: KEEPING UP WITH THE 2018 XFINITY OFFSEASON, GET YOURSELF SET FOR DAYTONA
The author of Did You Notice? (Wednesdays) Tom spends his time overseeing Frontstretch’s 40+ staff members as its majority owner and Editor-in-Chief. Based outside Philadelphia, Bowles is a two-time Emmy winner in NASCAR television and has worked in racing production with FOX, TNT, and ESPN while appearing on-air for SIRIUS XM Radio and FOX Sports 1's former show, the Crowd Goes Wild. He most recently consulted with SRX Racing, helping manage cutting-edge technology and graphics that appeared on their CBS broadcasts during 2021 and 2022.
You can find Tom’s writing here, at CBSSports.com and Athlonsports.com, where he’s been an editorial consultant for the annual racing magazine for 15 years.