DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- David Gilliland might have summed up Daytona qualifying best. "Its uncontrolled chaos out there," Gilliland said Friday after landing the pole in a rain-shortened and somewhat hairy session that set the field for the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway. Gillilands top speed during a hectic, cat-and-mouse qualifying session was 199.322 mph, earning him his third Sprint Cup pole and first since landing the top spot for the 2007 Daytona 500. All three of his poles have been at restrictor-plate races, with the first one coming at Talladega in 2006. "Front Row Motorsports, our strong point is definitely speedway racing," said Gilliland, who finished third in the 2011 Daytona 500. "It is something thats circled on our calendar from the start of the year. We put a lot of emphasis on it. The restrictor-plate tracks are good equalizers. David Ragan and I both have good enough cars to win, and that is an exciting feeling. Its something we dont have every week." The top 24 drivers Friday in the first knockout stage were supposed to advance to the next round, but rain prompted NASCAR to cancel the final two sessions. Reed Sorenson qualified second, followed by Landon Cassill, Bobby Labonte and Jimmie Johnson. Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., who will attempt to become the sixth drive to sweep both annual races at NASCARs most famous track Saturday, was seventh. All the talk during and after was about how the qualifying session shook out. It was the first time NASCARs new qualifying rules were used at Daytona, and it produced some hairy moments as groups of cars slowed to a crawl around the 2 1/2-mile superspeedway. The small packs -- most of them formed by teammates -- were hoping to pull behind bigger groups to produce fast laps. But no one was eager to lead the way. "Its a mess," Earnhardt said. "You have to be in the very back and try to get a big tow. I aint ever seen anything like it. Its the funniest thing Ive ever seen." Risky, too. Several cars turned down pit road to get away from the disorder. But the most common concern was the speed differences, with some packs creeping along while others ran full speed. "It was really wild and it was pretty dangerous," Matt Kenseth said. "Theres car doing 80 and there were cars doing 200 and nobody wanted to go. Everybody wanted to be in the back of the pack and try to catch the front to get a (fast) lap, so it was pretty chaotic." Similar qualifying took place at Talladega in May, when teammates stuck together in hopes of besting the field. But drivers clearly tweaked some things from those sessions. "There was just so much going on out there and its a wonder we havent wadded a bunch of cars up," Brian Vickers said. "A lot of guys running even slower than at Talladega and then some guys even taking chances on blocking the field, which was what really almost caused a few wrecks." Penske Racing teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano were among those who did not advance past the first stage. Danica Patrick, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch also did not get to the second knockout round. Joe Nemechek was the only driver who did not qualify for Saturdays 400-mile race. "Its just about being lucky as to who can make it through and who gets the right run," McMurray said. "Its just so crazy that everyone pulls out and doesnt go and then stops. It is what it is. Everyone has the same conditions. It just doesnt feel like racing ... because half the time people are running 40 mph. I dont even really know what to say because its so messed up that I cant explain it." Custom Nike Atlanta Braves Jerseys . The hard-serving 22-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., became the first Canadian to be ranked in the Top 10 on the ATP World Tour thanks to his runner-up performance at Rogers Cup in Montreal. Custom Nike Houston Astros Jerseys . No, the San Antonio star didnt announce retirement plans during an off day at the NBA Finals on Wednesday. https://www.customnikebaseballjerseys.com/271n-custom-nike-minnesota-twins-jerseys-baseball.html . -- Mississippi State was crushed twice by Florida last season, once by 35 points and the other by 25. Custom Nike Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys . JOHNS, N. Custom Nike St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys . Brad Malone had the other goal for the Monsters (1-1-0), while Elliott chipped in an assist for a three-point night and the games first star. Bryan Lerg also had two assists. Corban Knight and Max Reinhart scored for the Heat (1-1-0), who opened their season Friday with a 5-2 win over the Monsters in Cleveland.ABBOTSFORD, B.C. -- Cameron Gaunce scored in overtime to lift the Texas Stars to a 4-3 win over the Abbotsford Heat in American Hockey League action Wednesday. Gaunce scored from the slot, after goalie Olivier Roy kicked Justin Dowlings original shot right to Gaunce. The Stars scored twice in the final two minutes of the second period, though the Heat scored twice in the third to force the extra period. Jamie Oleksiak, Scott Glennie, and Travis Morin also scored for Texas (35-16-8), who are now 5-0-1 in their last six. Cristopher Nilstorp made 33 saves in the win. Sven Baertschi, Blair Jones and Brett Olson scored for Abbotsford (33-19-7), while Roy made 27 stops in the loss. The Heat are now 0-4-2 in their past six, while falling five points behind the Stars for first in the Western Conference. The Stars opened the scoring at 6:53. Derek Meech found Morin in the low slot for a one-timer, giving hhim 29 goals on the year and his 10th power play marker.dddddddddddd However, the Heat tied the game not long after when Baertschi potted his eighth on their own power play. Corey Locke fed Josh Jooris for a one-timer and Baertschi roofed the rebound past Nilstorp at 8:07. The Stars then regained the lead with two goals in the final 90 seconds. After taking a feed from Dustin Jeffrey, Oleksiaks one-timer deflected off a Heat defenceman, bar down, for his fifth of the season. Glennie picked up his 10th of the year, taking a pass from Brendan Ranford and firing a shot just over the glove of Roy with 18 seconds to play. Jones got the Heat back within one at 9:13 of the third. He redirected Evan Trupps shot from the top of the face-off circle, giving him 14 on the year. Olson tied the game at 16:16 from the lost, chipping in a perfect feed from Carter Bancks, for his 10th of the year. ' ' '