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Elliott on the Daytona 500 pole again, alongside Earnhardt

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) It's Daytona Day!

The 59th running of the Daytona 500 begins Sunday afternoon, with Chase Elliott on the pole for the second consecutive year. Although Elliott had the fastest car in qualifying, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. is getting most of the attention. Earnhardt is returning from his fifth documented concussion, the latest costing him half of last season.

Earnhardt will start alongside Elliott on the front row of ''The Great American Race.''

Elliott won one of two qualifying races Thursday. Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin, the defending Daytona 500 winner, won the other.

Others to watch in the season opener - NASCAR's most prestigious race - include Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. The Team Penske teammates won three of four restrictor-plate races last season.

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More AP auto racing: www.racing.ap.org

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