Jeff Gordon wins pole for final Daytona 500 of his career

Pole winner Jeff Gordon, second from right, and Jimmie Johnson, second from left, pose for photos with their crew chiefs, Chad Knaus, left, and Alan Gustafson, after qualifying for the top two positions for the Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in Daytona Beach, Fla. Pole winner Jeff Gordon, second from right, and Jimmie Johnson, second from left, pose for photos with their crew chiefs, Chad Knaus, left, and Alan Gustafson, after qualifying for the top two positions for the Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in Daytona Beach, Fla.

By Associated Press February 15, 2015 4 min read

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson outsmarted the field Sunday to sweep the front row for the Daytona 500, with Gordon earning the pole in what will be his final start in “The Great American Race.”

Gordon announced last month this will be his final full-time season as driver of the famed No. 24 Chevrolet, and he’s been adamant next Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500 will be the last of his storied career. The four-time NASCAR champion is a three-time 500 winner.

“That feels good. That’s awesome,” Gordon said.

Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Johnson locked down the front row in Sunday’s qualifying session, which was done in knockout rounds for the first time in 57 years.

The qualifying was blasted by most of the drivers.