Highlights

Gilliland takes pole for Daytona, Montoya fourth

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-02-12 09:19

David Gilliland took pole position for next week's Daytona 500 with former Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya fourth fastest on Sunday.

Driving a Ford Fusion for Robert Yates Racing, the 30-year-old Gilliland completed a lap of 186.320mph (299.853kph) around the 2.5 mph/4km high banked Daytona International Speedway.

Yates swept the front row with 50-year old Ricky Rudd second fastest at 185.609mph (298.709kph) for next Sunday's 500 mile (800km) race, the richest stock car event in the United States with a purse of over $18 million.

David Stremme, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, was third fastest with a speed of 185.487 (298.512kph) and Colombian Montoya was fourth in another Ganassi Dodge at 185.338mph (298.273).

"Here, by yourself, is not that hard. The car moves around a little bit but it's not so bad," said Montoya, who quit Formula One last year.

Some of the biggest names in the sport like Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not finish in the top spots, but that should not affect their chances of winning the race.