Daytona 500 pole winners by year

Jeff Gordon earned his 78th career NASCAR Cup pole Sunday at Daytona International Speedway and will start first next Sunday in the 57th running of the Daytona 500.

Gordon ranks third behind Richard Petty (123) and David Pearson (113) for most career poles in NASCAR's premier series. This marked the 23rd consecutive season Gordon has won a pole, extending his Cup Series record.

Last year, Austin Dillon — making just his second appearance at the Great American Race — put the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet on the pole for the first time since the late Dale Earnhardt qualified first in 1996. It was also the first appearance for the No. 3 in NASCAR's Cup Series since Earnhardt lost his life during the 2001 Daytona 500.

Nine drivers have won more than one pole at Daytona. Buddy Baker, Cale Yarborough and Bill Elliott each qualified first four times; Fireball Roberts, Ken Schrader and Dale Jarrett each won the pole three times; and Donnie Allison, Jimmie Johnson and Gordon each won the pole twice.

Gordon's lap of 201.293 mph was the fifth-fastest Daytona 500 pole speed ever and fastest since Bill Elliott's record-setting lap in 1987 at 210.364 mph. Gordon previously won the pole in 1999.

Daytona pole winners and speeds by year:

Year: Pole winner, Speed

1959: Bob Welborn, 140.121

1960: Cotton Owens, 149.892

1961: Fireball Roberts, 155.709

1962: Fireball Roberts, 156.999

1963: Fireball Roberts, 160.943

1964: Paul Goldsmith, 174.910

1965: Darel Dieringer, 171.151

1966: Richard Petty, 175.163

1967: Curtis Turner, 180.831

1968: Cale Yarborough, 189.222

1969: Buddy Baker, 188.901

1970: Cale Yarborough, 194.015

1971: A.J. Foyt, 182.744

1972: Bobby Isaac, 186.632

1973: Buddy Baker, 185.662

1974: David Pearson, 185.817

1975: Donnie Allison, 185.827

1976: Ramo Stott, 183.456

1977: Donnie Allison, 188.048

1978: Cale Yarborough, 187.536

1979: Buddy Baker, 196.049

1980: Buddy Baker, 194.009

1981: Bobby Allison, 194.624

1982: Benny Parsons, 196.317

1983: Ricky Rudd, 198.864

1984: Cale Yarborough, 201.848

1985: Bill Elliott, 205.114

1986: Bill Elliott, 205.039

1987: Bill Elliott, 210.364

1988: Ken Schrader, 193.823

1989: Ken Schrader, 196.996

1990: Ken Schrader, 196.515

1991: Davey Allison, 195.955

1992: Sterling Marlin, 192.213

1993: Kyle Petty, 189.426

1994: Loy Allen Jr., 190.158

1995: Dale Jarrett, 193.498

1996: Dale Earnhardt, 189.510

1997: Mike Skinner, 189.813

1998: Bobby Labonte, 192.415

1999: Jeff Gordon, 195.067

2000: Dale Jarrett, 191.091

2001: Bill Elliott, 183.565

2002: Jimmie Johnson, 185.831

2003: Jeff Green, 186.606

2004: Greg Biffle, 188.387

2005: Dale Jarrett, 188.312

2006: Jeff Burton, 189.151

2007: David Gilliland, 186.320

2008: Jimmie Johnson, 187.075

2009: Martin Truex Jr., 188.001

2010: Mark Martin, 191.188

2011: Dale Earnhardt Jr., 186.089

2012: Carl Edwards, 194.738

2013: Danica Patrick, 196.434

2014: Austin Dillon, 196.019

2015: Jeff Gordon, 201.293