DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Greg Biffle had never seen the Daytona International Speedway in person until four years ago when he came here as a driver competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

But he always watched the Daytona 500 race with a keen interest from his home in Vancouver, Wash., forcing himself to take a break from working on his car and racing on the Late Model tracks.

“If I had spent the money to come down here back then, Biffle said yesterday after winning the pole for Sunday s Daytona 500, “that was another couple of sets of tires or a new set of headers I wouldn t have been able to buy for my race car. I never came here, but I was always very interested in what was going on in Daytona with the 500. This is the most important race of the year.

Biffle, starting just his second full season on NASCAR s top circuit, beat the wind, the cold and the rest of the field to claim the pole for the Daytona 500 with a run of 188.387 mph, covering the 2.5-mile oval in 47.774 seconds.

Biffle, in his National Guard Ford, edged another Ford for the top position in the front row. Elliott Sadler was second in qualifying at 188.355 and will start on the outside.

“It was very windy all day, so that was definitely a factor out there, Biffle said. “It was gusting, so it s hard to say who faced the most wind, but everyone had to deal with it in some fashion. It definitely makes a difference in the car.

Biffle, whose only win on the Winston Cup circuit was at Daytona last year in the Pepsi 400, went out and put his laps in early in the afternoon qualifying, then paced and fidgeted like an expectant father as he watched driver after driver take a run at him.

“I was sweating it out, Biffle said. “I m still sick to my stomach worrying about it. The waiting - it s not fun - I was real nervous. This isn t like winning the 500, but this is the biggest pole of the season. There s so much prestige involved with winning the pole here.

Sadler, whose Robert Yates Racing teammate Dale Jarrett won Saturday night s Bud Shootout, said he was thrilled with running second, since his position in Sunday s race is secure. Yesterday s qualifying determined just the front row for Sunday s race - the remainder of the field will be positioned after Thursday s two Gatorade 125-mile qualifying races.

“I think everybody wants to get the pole, Sadler said, “but I am just ecstatic with my team and how we ran today. For us to have a position locked in for the 500, it just seems like a big load is already lifted off my shoulders. We tested really well here, and then we went back and massaged the car a little and came back even stronger. It s great to be up front, and great to share the front row with another Ford.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the third-fastest in yesterday s runs driving a Chevrolet, followed by Ricky Rudd, Dale Jarrett and Kevin Lepage. Rookie Kasey Kahne was seventh-best at 187.766 mph.

“The wind died down a little bit when we went out, and that allowed us to get a really good lap, Kahne said. “I was a lot more nervous than I thought I would be, but the car ran great and we picked things up a little from the day before.

Defending points champion Matt Kenseth was understandably disappointed with his 186.474-mph run that left him 28th on the qualifying list.

“I really thought we would run better than that, Kenseth said. “It was better than what we ve done in a while, but we ve still got some work to do on our cars. We ve still got to find a little more, somewhere.

Biffle, who finished 20th in the Winston Cup points race last year after winning the Busch Series title in 2002, said his Roush Racing team was really the difference yesterday.

“The driver does not do a whole lot to put the car on the pole here, except stomp on the gas and hold the car on the track, Biffle said. “The real credit goes to the team.

Biffle, who won the Craftsman Truck Series title in 2000 on his way up the NASCAR ladder, said he has to be careful not to get too excited about claiming the pole and keep his focus on Sunday s 500.

“This gives me a good oppor- tunity in the 500, and it s great to win the pole, Biffle said, “but I still want to win the race as much as always. Being in the front row and sitting on the pole definitely matters, but now we have to go out and make some- thing happen with that position.

Last year s winner, Michael Waltrip, was 13th in qualifying at 187.274 mph.

First Published February 9, 2004, 3:36 p.m.