In 2002 Jimmie Johnson made the NASCAR world sit up and take notice when he claimed pole position for the
Daytona 500 as a rookie, five years later he repeated that feat as the double defending Cup Series Champion.
Now in his seventh season behind the wheel of the #48 Hendrick Motorsport Lowe's Chevrolet Johnson's best flying lap stopped the clocks at 48.109-seconds (187.075mph) with the general reaction from his rivals being one of resigned acceptance rather than shock and awe such has been the swathe cut by 32 year-old Californian through the Cup Series ranks.
Johnson can now enjoy another week in the spotlight as the pole winner of NASCAR's most prestigious event and while he is sure to be delighted at his latest accomplishment, perhaps the happiest driver of the 53 who made a qualifying attempt on Sunday is the one who will line up alongside Johnson in next Sunday's 50th running of the ‘500.
One year ago Michael Waltrip arrived at Daytona with a brand new team and a brand new manufacturer in Toyota. However things rapidly turned sour when NASCAR inspectors discovered irregularities with the fuel he was using and although Waltrip would go on to qualify for the ‘500 the Daytona cheating scandal would go on to haunt him throughout what was a disastrous maiden campaign for Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota as a whole.
But following a year of tireless development Toyota and Waltrip were rewarded with a front row start as the 2001 and 2003 Daytona 500 winner turned a lap of 48.197-seconds (186.734mph) late in the session to push fellow surprise package Joe Nemechek off the front row.
![Jimmie Johnson - Lowe's Chevrolet [pic credit: image.net]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/279398.jpg)
