DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Trevor Bayne has his Nationwide ride exactly where it ended the past two seasons: in front of the field.

The 2011 Daytona 500 winner earned the pole for today’s Nationwide Series season opener. Bayne turned the fast lap during qualifying at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, averaging 177.162 mph around the 21/2-mile superspeedway.

Bayne is driving the No. 6 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, the car Ricky Stenhouse Jr. piloted to the past two championships in the second-tier series.

“This whole team, I’ve been talking them up all offseason, but that’s because they deserve it,” said Bayne, the surprise 2011 Daytona 500 winner.

“This group of guys, they’ve won two championships in a row, and that’s for a reason.”

Former IndyCar champion Sam Hornish Jr. will start second, followed by Parker Kligerman, action sports star Travis Pastrana and Austin Dillon.

Irmo native and USC alumnus Danny Efland will start from the 38th spot.

Full-time Sprint Cup drivers Kyle Busch (seventh), Matt Kenseth (ninth), Tony Stewart (10th), Brad Keselowski (11th), Danica Patrick (12th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (13th) and Kasey Kahne (19th) also are entered in today’s 300-mile race.

Sauter takes Trucks opener

At Daytona Beach, Fla., Johnny Sauter has won the NASCAR Truck Series season opener, his first victory at Daytona International Speedway.

Sauter led the final 17 laps and held off Kyle Busch before a last-lap wreck forced the 250-mile race to finish under caution

DRIVE4COPD 300

1:15 p.m. today, ESPN

At Daytona International Speedway

Daytona 500

1 p.m. Sunday, FOX

At Daytona International Speedway