Fifty-six cars have posted times and now the front row for the 51st running of the Daytona 500 is set.

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's Martin Truex Jr. powered his No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet to the top of the charts by laying down a fast lap of 47.87 seconds at a speed of 188.001 mph. Sunday's qualifying run was Truex Jr.'s first pole at the Daytona International Speedway and the first time he will lead the field to the green since Texas in November of 2007.

Prior to the end of the 2009 season, team officials announced Chip Ganassi Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. would merge together, forming Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. There were a number of changes that needed to take place prior to making the trip to Daytona. The DEI guys were forced to relocate their shop for the second time in as many years and Truex found himself working with a new group of teammates. Despite all of the changes the No. 1 team has undergone all season long, Truex Jr.'s lap proved that this organization has got its act together and is ready to go.

"It's been a long winter and we've changed shops," the Mayetta, New Jersey-native pointed out. "We've had a lot of stuff going on with changing teams and moving to a new shop and no testing and changing teams. I'm proud of the guys and their efforts on the Bass Pro Chevy...We've never really qualified well here in the past. We were fast yesterday and (crew chief) Bono felt like he had a little bit left and well, he was right. They tuned it up; super-tuned the motor and did a little here and there and made it through the room of doom back there and all was good."

Veteran driver Mark Martin secured a spot on the front row for his first start with Hendrick Motorsports. Martin put his No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet on the top of the charts, bumping off teammate Jeff Gordon early in the session with a fast lap of 47.91 seconds at a speed of 187.817 mph.

The 26-year Cup Series veteran was able withstand challenges from Aric Almirola, Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya and Ryan Newman, but when Truex hit the track Martin could do little but watch as he lost what would be his first pole in the Daytona 500.

"I can't wait to get this Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevy out there in the draft," an ecstatic Martin explained after climbing from his car. "It's so fast. Everybody on this race team is so charged up. It's just fun to go to work every day and I'm glad it's just about ready to start."

As far as the go-or-go-homers are concerned, Bill Elliott, Travis Kvapil and Tony Stewart locked themselves into the field, while Terry Labonte did so thanks to the past-champion's provisional.

After dominating Saturday's two practice sessions, "Awesome Bill" posted the fifth-fastest time of the day. Pleased to be locked in the show, but disappointed he could not get more out of the run, Elliott explained he didn't know exactly how to feel.

"I have such mixed emotions," the two-time Daytona 500 champion explained. "This whole Motorcraft team - Dave Hyder, Len and Eddie (Wood) - they really put a good plan together to come down here for the 500 this year and I'm so proud of what they've done. I'm disappointed for those guys that we didn't sit on the pole as good as we ran yesterday, but on the flip side I looked back a year ago when we ended up loading that Motorcraft Ford up and going home. It's such a fine line."

The rest of the field will be set for next Sunday's 51st running of the Daytona 500 following Thursday's Gatorade Duel 150 races. Four drivers will be racing to make their way into the show, meaning thirteen teams will make the trip home early.

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