Daytona 500 2018 qualifying: Alex Bowman puts Dale Jr.’s old 88 on the pole

There’s going to be a familiar car leading the field to the green at the Daytona 500, even though if it’s a new face behind the wheel.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. might be gone, but his No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet looks like it’s in good hands with new driver Alex Bowman — and could very well be a threat to win the first post-Junior Daytona 500.

Bowman was the fastest in the first round of Daytona 500 qualifying on Sunday, then put down an even faster lap during the second round to win the pole for the Great American Race. It’s Bowman’s second career NASCAR cup series pole and the fourth in a row at the Daytona 500 for a Hendrick Motorsports Chevy.

Denny Hamlin, who admitted to being surprised that his No. 11 Toyota was as fast as it was in qualifying trim, finished second and will start on the outside of Row 1. Jimmie Johnson just missed a top-2 qualifying run, though he’ll join everyone else in the field and have to compete for his starting spot in the Can-Am Duel on Thursday.

All four Hendrick cars and all four Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas made it into the group of 12 for the second round of qualifying. Something to watch will be how fast Fords are going to be in the Daytona 500, as the quickest Ford in qualifying was Kevin Harvick in eighth. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also had a strong opening lap but was one of the few cars not to pick up any speed in Round 2.

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One place where Hamlin and some other veterans might get a small bit of a leg up on Bowman is by participating in the Clash at Daytona, where the 500 pole-sitter won’t be racing. But he will be up front in his Can-Am Duel race on Thursday, and he can take it easy there if desired and keep enjoying the dream he understandably says he’s living.