Dillon stripped of Daytona pole for rules violation
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Austin Dillon posted the fastest lap in Friday afternoon's Nationwide Series qualifying at Daytona International Speedway, but his time was disallowed after his car failed post-qualifying inspection.
NASCAR officials discovered an illegal cooling hose on Dillon's No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. The rookie driver turned a lap at 177.340 in what would have been his third career Nationwide pole. He will now start 42nd in Friday night's Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona, which is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. (ET).
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the defending series champion, was credited with the pole for the 250-mile race with a lap at 177.253 mph. Stenhouse claimed his second pole of the season and the sixth of his Nationwide career.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}JR Motorsports teammates Cole Whitt and Danica Patrick will start second and third, respectively, while Kevin Harvick will roll off fourth and Kurt Busch fifth.
Brad Keselowski will start sixth, followed by Mike Wallace, Joey Logano, the defending race winner, Brian Scott and Bobby Santos.
Last Friday, Dillon started on the pole and won the 300-mile race at Kentucky. He moved atop the point standings after scoring his first career Nationwide race win, but earlier this week, he was docked six points as part of his team's penalty for a rules infraction at Daytona. Dillon is now four markers behind his teammate Elliott Sadler.