to the 2014 race, drivers took two timed laps, and the better of the two timed laps was the driver's lap for purposes of Daytona 500 qualifying. Until 2001, NASCAR offered a second (and at times, a third) round of qualifying for teams who wished to improve their qualifying times. Drivers and teams decided if they were content with their first attempt, and "stood on their time", or if they wanted to improve their chances by attempting a "second-round qualifying" attempt. If satisfied with the original attempt, the team was required to notify NASCAR within five minutes of the final practice sessions, and before the beginning of the "second-round qualifying" attempts. Drivers who made second-round attempts started behind first-round only drivers; however, the qualifying times were crucial, since it determined a driver's fall back time should he fail to finish in the top 14 of the qualifying races. The strategy was usually done by drivers whose times would not make the race or be on the bubble. The second round of qualifying ended in 2001. The two fastest drivers in the final qualifying session (the Daytona 500 pole winner and the "outside" pole winner) only are also awarded the pole positions for the two qualifying races held the following Thursday. Drivers are ranked by the furthest number of rounds advanced in qualifying, and then their qualifying time in the final round that they reached. Those who rank with an odd-numbered position are assigned to the first qualifying race, and those with an even-numbered rank to the second race. Cars in the final round of qualifying start the race in the front. The starting spots for the third through 32nd positions are determined by the drivers' finishing position in the qualifying races, with only the top 15 drivers' results, excluding the pole sitter in each race, advancing to the feature. Since 2005, each of the two qualifying races is long, or 60 laps. From its inception in 1959 until 1967, it was 40 laps, and from 1969 to 2004 it was 50 laps. After the races, the top four drivers in speed of those that failed to advance through the qualifying race are positioned in positions 33–36. The speeds used for this does not reflect their official qualifying times; regardless of which qualifying round they reached, their time used is the fastest time set in any round (first, second, or third),