Fri Jul 4 16:16:06 2008

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Clauson wins first Nationwide pole at Daytona

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Daytona Beach, FL (Sports Network) - Bryan Clauson captured his first career Nationwide Series pole for this evening's Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona International Speedway. The No.40 Chip Ganassi Racing driver circled the famed 2.5-mile superspeedway in 49.831 second (180.610 m.p.h.).

Clauson's first pole came in his 18th start. Clauson, who turned 19 years old last month, becomes the fifth youngster to win a pole for the first time in the series this year. Colin Braun, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Landon Cassill also accomplished the feat.

Starting alongside Clauson on the front row will be Keselowski, who posted the second-best time of 49.936 seconds.

Braun (49.954) and Brad Coleman (50.008) will make up row two.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will roll off fifth. Earnhardt, Jr. will be back in the No.5 Chevrolet. He has five series wins at Daytona with his most recent in July 2006.

Series points leader Clint Bowyer grabbed the sixth spot. Bowyer holds a 182- point lead over second-place David Reutimann (12th) and a 188-point advantage over third-place and defending series champion Carl Edwards (ninth).

Kyle Busch qualified 20th. Busch won last year's rain-delayed race at Daytona, leading 65 of 102 laps. Busch held off Kevin Harvick, Dave Blaney, Tony Stewart and Bowyer in a green-white-checkered finish for his first victory of the 2007 season and eighth of his career. He drove the No.5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports at the time. He will drive the No.18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing tonight.

The race is scheduled to start around 8:00 p.m. (et).