NASCAR: Joey Logano and Aric Almirola win Daytona Duel qualifying races
Zane Smith and Conor Daly secured the last spots available in Sunday's Daytona 500
Joey Logano and Aric Almirola won the Daytona Duel races to start on the second row of Sunday's Daytona 500.
Logano, the 2022 Cup Series champion, won a tame first Duel race over Christopher Bell. That race went caution-free as Zane Smith qualified his way into the Daytona 500. Smith finished ninth and was the highest-finishing non-charter car in his Duel. Zane Smith beat Chandler Smith for the spot in the Daytona 500 after Chandler Smith found himself a lap down thanks to a pit-road speeding penalty.
Almirola beat Austin Cindric to the line in the second race after Todd Gillliand's near-spin at the front of the field shuffled the pack on the final lap. Gilliland got loose from a Kyle Larson push on Turns 1 and 2 while he was racing side-by-side with Almirola for the lead.
The second Duel had more cautions. The first came for a window that flew out of Justin Haley’s car, and the second happened when race leader Kyle Busch went crashing into the backstretch wall off the bumper of Daniel Suarez. That crash collected both Austin Hill and Travis Pastrana and allowed Conor Daly to make the Daytona 500 despite being a lap down at the time of the crash.
Daly’s car had an apparent mechanical issue at the beginning of the race and was slow the duration. But since Hill and Pastrana were unable to continue after the crash, Daly secured the final Daytona 500 starting spot.
Pastrana qualified for the 500 on Wednesday, as he was the second-fastest of the six non-charter cars in front-row qualifying. Jimmie Johnson was the fastest, so he and Pastrana will start 39th and 40th on Sunday. Hill and Chandler Smith failed to make the race.
Bowman and Larson to start on the front row
By virtue of being the fastest two cars in Wednesday’s qualifying session, Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson started on the pole for each of the Duel races.
They had different strategies.
Bowman immediately went to the back of the field to save his car and avoid any crashes, while Larson raced for the Duel win all evening. Since neither driver is going to a backup car because of the Duel results, they’ll keep their starting spots on the front row for Sunday’s race.
The first Duel race set the inside row for Sunday’s race, while the second Duel set the outside row.
Daytona 500 starting lineup
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Zane Smith (36), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
B.J. McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Conor Daly (50), TMT Racing Chevrolet
Cody Ware (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Riley Herbst (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Jimmie Johnson (84), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Travis Pastrana (67), 23XI Racing Toyota