Friday, Feb. 15, 2002 | 9:46 a.m.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Historically, it has been easy to predict what the racing will be like in the Daytona 500 by watching the two qualifying races on Thursday.
Not this year.
Thursday's Twin 125 qualifiers were about as similar as a NASCAR "stock" car and the version they offer at a dealership.
The first qualifier, which was won by two-time Daytona 500 winner Jeff Gordon, featured no passes for the lead and a lot of the freight-train drafting that has lulled even the most ardent fans to sleep.
The second race, won by defending Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip, was 50 laps of side-by-side racing and had enough passing to keep fans on the edges of their seats.
So which race is Sunday's Daytona 500 most likely to resemble? Not even the drivers agree.
Gordon, who led his qualifier from flag-to-flag, is of the opinion that the 500 will be an exciting race for the fans.
"I think you're going to see a race more like the second 125 in the Daytona 500," said Gordon, who will start third on Sunday.
"I don't think there were as many lead changes as (NASCAR) would like to see. You could pass from second on back but it seems like it was extremely hard to pass the leader -- more so than I've seen in the past."
While there were no lead changes in the first qualifier, the second race featured three among three drivers -- but Waltrip held onto the lead for the last 44 laps.
But that doesn't mean Waltrip coasted to victory.
"I drove about as hard as I ever have those last 10 laps," said Waltrip, who will start fourth on Sunday.
Tony Stewart, who waged an intense battle in an attempt to pass Waltrip in the closing laps, said his inability to overtake Waltrip doesn't mean it can't be done on Sunday.
"Michael Waltrip did a great job today," Stewart said. "That car got real wide (by blocking me), but he did a great job all day.
"What I'm concerned about is that the media is going to portray this Sunday as a race where you can't pass the leader; I don't think that is going to happen at all."
Stewart said that because the 43 cars that will be in the Daytona 500 field were split into two races on Thursday, the 125s did not give an accurate picture of what will happen on Sunday.
"You had half the good cars in the first (race) and half the good cars in the second race," Stewart said. "Now, we're going to have twice as many cars (in the 500) as what we had (Thursday). I think it's going to keep the race pretty exciting on Sunday -- (although) I might be wrong. If I could (predict the race), I'd be a bookie in Las Vegas making millions of dollars telling everybody who is going to win all these Winston Cup races and the championship each year.
"But honestly, in my heart, I think it is going to be a pretty good race Sunday. I think there is going to be two-wide racing the majority of the day and if guys get into handling problems, that might separate the field a little bit."
The field for the Daytona 500 will be led to the green flag by rookie pole-sitter Jimmie Johnson, who will be making only his fourth start in a Winston Cup points race.
The 26-year-old native Californian said he has been overwhelmed by the media attention that has been focused on him since he became only the third rookie to win the pole for NASCAR's premier event.
"To come here and sit on the pole ... I haven't really soaked it in or realized the impact that it has on the motor sports world until the last couple of days," Johnson said.
Johnson, who drives a Hendrick Motorsports Chevy that is owned by Gordon, hasn't let his first pole affect his expectations for Sunday's race.
"Our goals, first and foremost, are to qualify for every race and then finish on the lead lap," he said. "As a rookie driver (with) a new team and a new sponsor with Lowe's ... that's where we need to start.
"But my goal Sunday is just to finish the race."
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