Jarrett in the driver’s seat

Monday, Feb. 14, 2005 | 9:36 a.m.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Considering that he is five years removed from his last victory in the Daytona 500, it is understandable that Dale Jarrett wasn't being mentioned as a contender for this year's race coming into Speedweeks.

That changed in less than 48 seconds Sunday as Jarrett, a three-time Daytona 500 winner, captured the pole for the 47th running of the Daytona 500 with a qualifying lap of 188.312 mph (47.793 seconds) around the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. Jimmie Johnson will start Sunday's race next to Jarrett on the front row after posting the second-fastest speed of 188.170 mph.

With Dale Earnhardt Inc. drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip dominating restrictor-plate races the past few years and the emergence of Hendrick Motorsports' plate program, Jarrett had been relegated to an afterthought prior to qualifying.

"You sit and watch and read and listen to everything that's talked about for the Daytona 500 and, probably for good reason, you haven't really seen the 88 car or my face or my name mentioned that much about it," Jarrett said. "I think, even though we haven't contended the last couple of years for wins, we still know what it takes to win at this."

Jarrett, 48, at least showed he still knows what it takes to put his No. 88 UPS Ford on the front row for NASCAR's signature event; he now has three Daytona 500 poles to go with his three race victories.

"It's kind of nice to say that we're not finished with this yet," said Jarrett, who won the 2000 Daytona 500 from the pole. "We may be getting on up there in age, but that doesn't really make any difference. I think we've shown in the past that we had the talent that's needed to win at these places.

"I think we can be considered a car and a team to beat on Sunday."

Johnson, who is in the midst of a nice Speedweeks in his own right, also likes his chances Sunday. In addition to closing the 2004 season with four victories in the final six races, he finished second in the Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance race last weekend and won Saturday night's 70-lap Budweiser Shootout non-points race.

"I'm definitely feeling a lot of momentum," Johnson said. "It's been an awesome week. The Daytona 24-hour race was such a different routine for me. I can't tell you how much fun I had running the cars ... and then (Saturday) night, to win my first plate race -- it wasn't a points race but there was a lot of money out there and a trophy that we all wanted.

"I'm very proud of what we've been able to do. The only scary thing with this is that there's only one place to go from here and that's down."

Only the front-row positions for Sunday's 47th Daytona 500 were set during qualifying. The remaining 41 spots will be determined through Thursday's twin 150-mile qualifying races, although the top 35 cars based on last year's car owner points are guaranteed starting positions under NASCAR's new qualifying rules.

Reigning NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Kurt Busch, a Las Vegas native, posted the eighth-fastest qualifying lap Sunday (187.699 mph) while younger brother Kyle was 16th overall and the fastest rookie (186.486). Kurt will start fourth on the grid in Thursday's first qualifying race and Kyle will start 11th in the same race.

"It was a different feeling being able to have a shot at the pole," Kurt Busch said. "Normally we come here and we're a 10th-place car, but that was a great lap ... and that will give us a great spot for our 150. The car has been showing strength ever since we unloaded it here in January testing and it continues to do so."

Kyle Busch, who will be competing in his first Daytona 500 on Sunday, said he was relieved just to get through qualifying. Busch, 19, is replacing Terry Labonte in Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 Chevrolet.

"Having qualifying behind us is one big step," he said. "We're in the show no matter what ... but having a good qualifying effort, that's pretty impressive and for these guys (on the team) coming back out here, it's a good way to get it started off with Kyle Busch and the number 5 Kellogg's car."