K&N Champs Graduate to Front Row
Kwasniewski & Larson 1-2 For Daytona Nationwide Race
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Dylan Kwasniewski and Kyle Larson stood on stage following the 2012 NASCAR Touring Series Awards in Charlotte, showing off their newly earned NASCAR K&N Pro Series championship rings.
Saturday, the two NASCAR Next drivers will start the 33rd Annual DRIVE4COPD 300 on the front row at Daytona International Speedway.
Kwasniewski, 18, earmed the 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Brewing Co. for his NASCAR Nationwide debut. His Turner Scott Motorsports teammate, Larson, 21, qualified second fastest.
“It’s pretty surreal to actually be sitting up here,” Kwasniewski said in the post-qualifying press conference. “The qualifying was definitely a change. I liked it a lot. A lot of excitement for the fans.”
“And definitely for me. I was sitting there not knowing whether I wanted it to rain or wanted it to clear up.”
Their third teammate, Danica Patrick, qualified third.
“For my first time at Daytona, actually qualifying at this place, and winning the pole — thanks to my teammates — is an unexplainable feeling.”
Las Vegas’ Kwasniewski became the first driver to win the pole at Daytona in his Nationwide debut since Rusty Wallace in 1985, and first driver to win the pole in his series debut since Parker Kligerman at Kansas in 2009.
The NASCAR Nationwide Series marked the first race for the new qualifying format. Rain interrupted the first session six minutes short of its completion, with Kwasniewski and Larson 1-2. The cars were able to get back on track to finish the session before rain resumed, cancelling the remainder of qualifying.
It’s a big weekend at Daytona for K&N Pro Series alum. Austin Dillon earned the Coors Light Pole Award for Sunday’s Daytona 500, with former K&N Pro Series East driver Martin Truex Jr. qualifying second. Ben Kennedy starts Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on the pole after rain washed out qualifying.
Sources: NASCAR PR