Gordon, Johnson lock in front row for Daytona 500

In his final start in the Daytona 500, Jeff Gordon will lead the field the green flag in next Sunday's 57th running of the "Great American Race" after winning the pole during Sunday's qualifying sessions.<br /> <br /> Gordon topped the third and final round of qualifying with a lap of 44.711 seconds (201.293 mph) to earn his 78th-career Sprint Cup pole and his second in the Daytona 500.<br /> <br /> Gordon's teammate Jimmie Johnson took the outside pole with a lap of 44.746 (201.135 mph) to give Hendrick Motorsports a sweep of the front row. Denny Hamlin qualified third at 44.791, 200.933 mph, followed by his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Matt Kenseth (44.952, 200.214 mph) and Kyle Busch (44.958, 200.187 mph).<br /> <br /> However, Hamlin will have to start Thursday's qualifying race from the rear of the field, as will Hendrick Motorsports' Dale Earnhardt, Jr. after both cars failed post qualifying inspection. Hamlin's track bar did not meet specifications, while Earnhardt's Chevrolet did not meet the minimum height requirement.<br /> <br /> Sunday's race will mark the final Daytona 500 for Gordon, who announced last month he would retire from full-time competition at the end of the 2015 season.<br /> <br /> Gordon has gone to Victory Lane three times in the season-opening event, including winning from the pole in 1999.<br /> <br /> "That feels good, that is awesome," said Gordon after winning the pole. "This is one of the most gratifying poles here at Daytona that I have ever had. Not just because my final Daytona 500, but because you have to try to plan it out and you have to try to play that chess match and we played it really well. That just feels very gratifying just as a total team effort to be able to have a 1-2 for Hendrick Motorsports and the front row."<br /> <br /> The qualifying sessions on Sunday locked in just the front row for the 500, while the rest of the field will be determined by their finishing order in Thursday's twin Budweiser Duels 150-mile races.<br /> <br /> Only four other drivers locked in their position for Sunday, including 2010 winner Jamie McMurray, Aric Almirola, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Carl Edwards, who came into this weekend with no owner points and had to make the race on speed.<br /> <br /> Sunday's qualifying marked the first time that the "knockout qualifying" format had been used for the Daytona 500.<br /> <br /> Introduced last year in an attempt to add some excitement over single-car qualifying, the format features three rounds of group qualifying which eliminates the slowest drivers while the fastest advance to the next round.<br /> <br /> While the format was somewhat successful at smaller tracks, it was derided by drivers and fans alike during last year's race at Talladega