Daytona 500 Qualifying: Fords Are Primed for Restrictor Plate Domination

Fords have made a huge statement in the opening week of practice for the 2012 Daytona 500. 

It is tempting to say that they are ready to dominate the 500, but if there is one thing the Bud Shootout taught us is that this race is likely to be completely unpredictable. 

This new pack/two-man driving style has created an environment where anything is possible. 

Now, what we can say is that Fords are going to be a serious factor. The top three Fords finished third, sixth and ninth in the shootout. That is not exactly a sterling resume, but that looks much better when considering there were just five Fords in the 25-car field. 

The real reason for Ford promise has come in the practice rounds. 

So far, the best two times have been turned in by Fords. In the opening session, Greg Biffle set the pace with a 46.537-second, 193.395-mph lap. That mark set him just ahead of Marcos Ambrose in the Richard Petty Motorsports Ford. Ambrose clocked in at 193.349 mph.

In that first session there were six Fords in the top 10.

The second practice was more of the same. Biffle again was the leader at 193.241-mph, and this time it was defending Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne, in his Ford, at 193.154 mph.

This is all a welcomed sight for Ford who hasn't claimed a spot in the front row since 2007. 

This new style of racing is a brave new world for Daytona, and Ford is ready to seize it.