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NASCAR Daytona: Kyle Busch leads Matt Kenseth in Joe Gibbs front row

Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth gave Joe Gibbs Racing a front-row sweep for the NASCAR Sprint Cup's return to Daytona

Toyota proved to have the upper hand in qualifying trim, with Busch's 46.458-second lap, at an average of 193.723mph, putting him 0.102s clear of team-mate Kenseth, winner at Kentucky last weekend.

Fellow Toyota squad Michael Waltrip Racing claimed third with Clint Bowyer. Team owner Waltrip qualified seventh for his return to the driving seat.

Hendrick Chevrolet's Kasey Kahne managed to prevent an all-Toyota top four by pushing early provisional polesitter Martin Truex Jr back to fifth, alongside Paul Menard.

Championship leader Jimmie Johnson, winner at Daytona in February's 500, was second best of the Hendrick stable in eighth.

Roush Fenway duo Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Greg Biffle completed the top 10 in the fastest of the Fords.

It was an underwhelming qualifying session for Daytona 500 polesitter Danica Patrick. She only managed 11th, though that still made her Stewart-Haas' top contender.

Johnson's closest points rival Carl Edwards starts 12th for Saturday night's 400-mile race, with reigning champion Brad Keselowski 15th.

Pos  Driver              Team/Car                     Time     Gap
 1.  Kyle Busch          Joe Gibbs Toyota             46.458s
 2.  Matt Kenseth        Joe Gibbs Toyota             46.560s  +0.102s
 3.  Clint Bowyer        Waltrip Toyota               46.594s  +0.136s
 4.  Kasey Kahne         Hendrick Chevrolet           46.595s  +0.137s
 5.  Martin Truex Jr     Waltrip Toyota               46.601s  +0.143s
 6.  Paul Menard         Childress Chevrolet          46.614s  +0.156s
 7.  Michael Waltrip     Waltrip Toyota               46.618s  +0.160s
 8.  Jimmie Johnson      Hendrick Chevrolet           46.630s  +0.172s
 9.  Ricky Stenhouse Jr  Roush Fenway Ford            46.636s  +0.178s
10.  Greg Biffle         Roush Fenway Ford            46.645s  +0.187s
11.  Danica Patrick      Stewart-Haas Chevrolet       46.649s  +0.191s
12.  Carl Edwards        Roush Fenway Ford            46.656s  +0.198s
13.  Tony Stewart        Stewart-Haas Chevrolet       46.662s  +0.204s
14.  Juan Pablo Montoya  Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet  46.665s  +0.207s
15.  Brad Keselowski     Penske Ford                  46.680s  +0.222s
16.  Dale Earnhardt Jr   Hendrick Chevrolet           46.681s  +0.223s
17.  Jeff Burton         Childress Chevrolet          46.699s  +0.241s
18.  Joey Logano         Penske Ford                  46.701s  +0.243s
19.  Casey Mears         Germain Ford                 46.701s  +0.243s
20.  Trevor Bayne        Wood Brothers Ford           46.733s  +0.275s
21.  Ryan Newman         Stewart-Haas Chevrolet       46.748s  +0.290s
22.  Kurt Busch          Furniture Row Chevrolet      46.756s  +0.298s
23.  Jeff Gordon         Hendrick Chevrolet           46.766s  +0.308s
24.  Denny Hamlin        Joe Gibbs Toyota             46.768s  +0.310s
25.  Marcos Ambrose      Petty Ford                   46.827s  +0.369s
26.  Kevin Harvick       Childress Chevrolet          46.838s  +0.380s
27.  Jamie McMurray      Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet  46.905s  +0.447s
28.  David Gilliland     Front Row Ford               46.935s  +0.477s
29.  Dave Blaney         Baldwin Chevrolet            46.986s  +0.528s
30.  Aric Almirola       Petty Ford                   47.045s  +0.587s
31.  Michael McDowell    Parsons Ford                 47.171s  +0.713s
32.  JJ Yeley            Baldwin Chevrolet            47.186s  +0.728s
33.  AJ Allmendinger     Phoenix Chevrolet            47.188s  +0.730s
34.  Bobby Labonte       JTG Daugherty Toyota         47.275s  +0.817s
35.  David Stremme       Swan Toyota                  47.318s  +0.860s
36.  Scott Speed         Leavine Ford                 47.405s  +0.947s
37.  Josh Wise           Front Row Ford               47.412s  +0.954s
38.  David Ragan         Front Row Ford               47.419s  +0.961s
39.  Terry Labonte       FAS Lane Ford                47.460s  +1.002s
40.  Travis Kvapil       BK Toyota                    47.620s  +1.162s
41.  David Reutimann     BK Toyota                    47.687s  +1.229s
42.  Joe Nemechek        NEMCO Toyota                 47.689s  +1.231s
43.  Landon Cassill      Circle Sport Chevrolet       47.840s  +1.382s

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