Jimmie Johnson wins Daytona 500 pole

Hendrick Motorsports secured pole position for the Daytona 500 race with Jimmie Johnson.

Jimmie Johnson wins Daytona 500 pole Jimmie Johnson won the Daytona 500 pole position on Saturday with 48.109 seconds (187.075 mph), just a day after new Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the non-points Budweiser Shootout, making this weekend all about Hendrick. "We have to wait until we get out in the draft and see how these cars work. That's really a true test of these cars. We know we have the fastest single car," Johnson said, after being asked if he thinks about himself as the favorite to win the Daytona 500. But despite the pole position, Jimmie Johnson remains second favorite by odds (third overall) to win the Daytona 500 at the online sportsbook Bodog Sports, where Johnson is listed with odds 6/1, behind teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon, both holding odds 9/2 to win the Daytona 500.

Only the top two qualifiers locked in starting positions for next week's Daytona 500, and second came Michael Waltrip with Toyota at 48.197 seconds (186.734 mph), promising a great payout to the bettors. At Bodog there were no specific odds on Waltrip and if he wins, he would pay out on the field odds, which are 20/1.

Published on 02/10/2008