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Allmendinger, Mayfield, Riggs and Regan Smith earned spots in the season-opening race in Thursday’s Gatorade Duels.

“It feels absolutely awesome. It’s like we just won the race,” said Riggs, who finished eighth in the first qualifier.

None of the four drivers had rides a month ago, piecing together any opportunity they could to get them to Daytona International Speedway. Allmendinger was let go from Red Bull Racing late last year, and is clinging to an eight-race deal with Richard Petty Motorsports. Riggs became unemployed when Tony Stewart took control of his race team and revamped the lineup.

Smith was a casualty of the merger between Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing, while Mayfield has been out of full-time work since Ray Evernham fired him midway through the 2006 season.

Allmendinger, who failed to make the 500 in his first two seasons with Red Bull, will finally be able to rest after a stressful buildup to the qualifying races.

“I’ve been so nervous over the last couple days ’cause I’ve been in this position the last two years,” Allmendinger said. “But I really felt like this year I deserved to be in the race, that this team deserved to be in the race.”

Mayfield has felt the same way, watching from the sidelines as NASCAR roared on without him.

With no ride lined up, Mayfield at the last minute threw his own team together for one last try. He’s got a mismatched group of volunteers, and after loaned-out jackman Kyle Roland was injured while pitting Kirk Shelmerdine’s car during the first qualifying race, Mayfield borrowed an emergency replacement from Michael Waltrip’s crew.

“Man, 23 days ago we didn’t even have a race team,” Mayfield said after finishing ninth in the second qualifier. “It’s a very unbelievable feeling. To know where we were at then, how much hard work has been done in such a short amount of time is just unbelievable.”

Riggs could relate after a fruitless offseason job search had him still scouring for work last month.

He was finally swayed by Tommy Baldwin, who was crew chief and competition director at Bill Davis Racing before the sponsor-strapped team folded in late December. Baldwin was putting together a startup race team, and lured Riggs to the driver seat.

“It came down to a point that I had to make a decision — am I going to sit at home and stay on the phone and call people and hope that something opens up to give me an opportunity to get in the car?” Riggs said. “Or am I going to go down to Daytona and start the season off with somebody like Tommy?

Pit stop

Stewart idolized four-time Indy 500 winner A.J. Foyt growing up, and asked Foyt for permission to use his No. 14 when Stewart started his own race team.

Foyt gave his blessing and watched from the pit box as Stewart unveiled his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Chevrolet in the first qualifier. Stewart even gave Foyt a radio in case he had any suggestions.

“It had the button on it and everything,” Stewart said. “But it didn’t do anything when you pushed it. Can you imagine trying to sit there and drive with him yelling at you?”