Prior to qualifying at Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday night, Cup Series teams had some difficulties getting their cars through the inspection process.  As a result the 48 car driven by Alex Bowman and the number 45 car driven by Tyler Reddick will loose a team member for the Duel Races and will not get a chance to pick their own pit stalls for the race.

Tyler Reddick’s car chief Michael Hobson and Alex Bowman’s car chief Ty Sipes have been ejected for the Bluegreen Vacations Duels.


After two rounds of qualifying, Joey Logano put his number 22 Team Penske car on the pole for Logano’s and owner Roger Penske’s first ever Daytona 500 pole.  Michael McDowell will start alongside Logano on the front rwo.

Forty-two teams brought cars to Daytona for 40 starting spots.  During qualifying David Ragan and Anthony Alfredo have timed their way into the 500.

The Duel Races are 150 miles in length – 60 laps.  The drivers who finished qualifying in an odd number position will race in Duel number one with the drivers who finished in an even position will race in Duel number two.  The finishing order from each Duel will determine the starting position in that row for the 500.

The top 10 drivers in each race will earn points with 10 points for the winner; descending by one point per position with the tenth place driver earning just one point.

The race is 60 laps in length but the drivers can only run 40 to 44 laps on a single load of fuel.

The starting lineup for Duel number one:

Joey Logano
Kyle Larson
Chase Elliott
Austin Dillon
Ross Chastain
Todd Gilliland
Ryan Preece
Chris Buescher
Alex Bowman
Daniel Suarez
Anthony Alfredo
Erik Jones
Daniel Hemric
Martin Truex Jr
Ty Gibbs
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Corey LaJoie
Jimmie Johnson
Tyler Reddick
Carson Hocevar
JJ Yeley

Joey Logano brings the field down to get the first race started with Kyle Larson alongside.   Logano and Larson go side by side as the rest of the field begins the sprad out; looking for positions.

Lap two, Kyle Larson gets out in front with Austin Dillon in second; Joey Logano, Todd Gilliland, and Chris Buescher round out the top five.

Lap three, Todd Gilliland has moved up to second place behind leader Kyle Larson.

Having to race his way into the 500, Jimmie Johnson is currently in 15th place.

Lap four, Kyle Larson leads the race with Daniel Suarez on the outside lane looking to take the lead.

Lap five, Daniel Suarez is the new leader.

Lap six, Erik Jones takes the lead; Daniel Suarez, Martin Truex Jr, Kyle Larson, and Rcky Stenhouse Jr round out the top five.

Lap seven, Jimmie Johnson has entered the top 10 in eighth place.

Lap eight, Erik Jones continues to lead the race with Martin Truex Jr in second; Ricky Stenhouse, Daniel Suarez, and Corey LaJoie round out the top five with Jimmie Johnson in seventh.

Lap 13, Corey LaJoie takes the lead with Jimmie Johnson in the top five in fourth.

Lap 14, the top five are Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Corey LaJoie, Erik Jones, Jimmie Johnson, and Martin Truex Jr.  Joey Logano has dropped to 18th with orders from car owner Roger Penske to make sure the car starts the race on the pole Sunday.

Anthony Alfredo has lost the draft but he is guaranteed a spot in the 500 after qualifying on time Wednesday night.

Lap 16, Ricky Stenhouse Jr has the lead with Erik Jones in second; Martin Truex Jr, Corey Lajoie, and Daniel Suarez round out the top five.

Lap 20, Ricky Stenhouse Jr continues to lead  the race with Erik Jones in second; Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr, and Daniel Suarez round out the top five.

The drivers are three wide across the track as they battle for position.

Lap 25, Ricky Stenhouse continues to hold on to the lead with Martin Truex Jr in second leading the outside lane.

Martin Truex Jr takes the lead with Kyle Larson in second; Ricky Stenhouse, Jimmie Johnson, and Erik Jones round out the top five.

Lap 28, Martin Truex Jr leads the race with Kyle Larson on his bumper.

Lap 29, Ricky Stenhouse Jr retakes the lead on the inside lane.  Martin Truex Jr and Stenhouse battle back and forth with Kyle Larson and Erik ones on their bumpers giving a push.

Halfway, teams begin working to determine with whom and when pit stops begin.

Green so far, Martin Truex Jr leads the race with Kyle Larson in second; Jimmie Johnson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, and Erik Jones round out the top five.

Anthony Alfredo made his pit stop and was caught for speeding.  He will have to serve a pass through penalty.

Lap 39, drivers begin making pit stops.  Tyler Reddick made a great save from an on track scuffle.

With 18 laps remaining in the Duel, Kyle Larson leads the race with Ross Chastain in second; Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, and Chase Elliott round out the top five.

More of the field pits.  Kyle Larson gives the lead over to Todd Gilliland with Joey Logano in second.

Martin Truex Jr stalled coming out of his pit stall and has lost the draft.  He reports that he was out of fuel.

Ross Chastain was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a pass through penalty.

Lap 45, Joey Logano leads the race with Kyle Larson in second.

Lap 46 Kyle Larson leads the race with Daniel Suarez in second; Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and Joey Logano round out the top five.

The caution flag comes out on lap 50 for a crash after Ty Gibbs checks up and cause the drivers get four wide and begin to accordion.  Daniel Suarez gets into the wall, Austin Dillon is stopped on the track, Jimmie Johnson has some damage to his car and Ricky Stenhouse Jr was also involved.  Only Jimmie Johnson faces the risk of not making the race as the only open driver without a charter that was involved in the melee.

Kyle Larson brings the field down for the green flag restart with just six laps remaining in the Duel.  Larson edges out Daniel Suarez for the lead. 

Five to go, drivers are beginning to push each other in a battle for position.

Jimmie Johnson and JJ Yeley are in a battle for a chance to race in the 500.  The duo battle back and forth for the top spot.  Yeley must finish in front of Johnson and Anthony Alfredo in order to run on Sunday.

Three to go, Daniel Suarz leads the race with Kyle Larson in second; Ty Gibbs, Chase Elliott, and Joey Logano round out the top five.

Kyle Larson takes the white flag but Chase Elliott moves up to take the lead.  Tyler Reddick is the new leader.

Tyler Reddick wins the race and Jimmie Johnson edges out JJ Yeley to make the race.

The unofficial results of Duel Number 1:
Tyler Reddick
Chase Elliott
Alex Bowman
Carson Hocevar
Erik Jones
Daniel Suarez
Joey Logano
Ty Gibbs
Kyle Larson
Chris Buescher
Ross Chastain
Jimmie Johnson
Ryan Preece
Martin Truex Jr
Corey LaJoie
JJ Yeley
Todd Gilliland
Austin Dillon
Anthony Alfredo
Ricky Stenhouse
Daniel Hemric


The starting lineup for Duel number two:
Michael McDowell
Austin Cindric
William Byron
Kyle Busch
Harrison Burton
Riley Herbst
Chase Briscoe
Noah Gragson
Ryan Blaney
AJ Allmendinger
Josh Berry
Brad Keselowski
David Ragan
Bubba Wallace
Justin Haley
Christopher Bell
Denny Hamlin
Zane Smith
John Hunter Nemechek
BJ McLeod
Kaz Grala

Michael McDowell brings the field down for the green flag start of Duel number two with Austin Cindric alongside.  McDowell edges out in front from the outside lane to take the lead.

Lap two, the first half dozen drivers are single file with Michael McDowell leading the way; Austin Cindric, William Byron, Kyle Busch, and Harrison Burton round out the top five.

Lap four, after a bad qualifying round, Denny Hamlin finished back in the field and is now in last place in 21st.

Lap five, Michael McDowell leads the race but is getting a challenge form William Byron; Austin Cindric, Harrison Burton, and Kyle Busch round out the top five.

Lap eight, William Byron is the new leader with Michael McDowell in second; Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric, and Riley Herbst round out the top five.

Lap eleven, William Byron leads the race but Riley Herbst comes up on the outside lane to challenge for the lead.

Riley Herbst takes the lead with William Byron in second; Noah Gragson, Kyle Busch, and Michael McDowell round out the top five.

Lap 14, Riley Herbst holds on to the lead but AJ Allmendinger comes up on the inside to take the lead; Noah Grason, William Byron, and Bubba Wallace wound out the top five.

David Ragan and Brad Keselowski are at the back of the field, but reports are “that’s the plan”.

Lap 17, AJ Allmendinger has the lead from the inside lane but Riley Herbst comes up on the outside to take the lead on lap 18; Noah Gragson, William Byron, and Bubba Wallace round out the top five.

Lap 20, Riley Herbst has the lead with Bubba Wallace on his bumper; Noah Gragson, Christopher Bell, and AJ Allmendinger round out the top five.

Lap 21, Bubba Wallace becomes the new leader.

Lap 25, Bubba Wallace leads the race with Christopher Bell in second; Riley Herbst, Zane Smith, and Noah Gragson round out the top five.

Driving the number 78 car, BJ McLeod is in the top five with a totally black car – no sponsorships!

Halfway, lap 30, Bubba Wallace leads the race with Christopher Bell in second; Zane Smith, Riley Herbst, and Noah Gragson round out the top five.

Lap 32, the top five are Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell, BJ McLeod, Justin Haley, and Michael McDowell.

Lap 35, crews are preparing for pit stops.

Lap 39, Bubba Wallace continues to lead the race with Christopher Bell in second; Justin Haley, Zane Smith, and Riley Herbst round out the top five.

Lap 41, green flag pit stops begin.  Michael McDowell takes the lead.

Lap 43 more drivers come down pit road; Harrison Burton is the new leader.

The top five drivers come down pit road to complete the cycle.

Zane Smith was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.

Michael McDowell is the new leader; Brad Keselowski, Harrison Burton, David Ragan, and Denny Hamlin round out the top five.

Kaz Grala had a slow stop and has lost the draft.  Grala was unable to make a qualifying run on Wednesday after car issues.  The crew had to make an engine change.  Grala must race in on time in order to make the race.

The caution flag comes out with 13 laps to go when Ryan Blaney slams into the wall hard.  The car was on fire but Blaney climbed out.  BJ McLeod, Riley Herbst, Justin Haley, Noah Gragson, and Kyle Busch were also involved.  It all began with William Byron throwing a big block on Ryan Blaney.  Brad Keselowski gets into the back of Kyle Busch and pushes him into William Byron; who then hit Ryan Blaney.  Chase Briscoe and Bubba Wallace were also involved.

The race has been red-flagged in order to get the track cleared and cleaned up.

Ryan Blaney has been checked and released from the infield care center.  He noted that it was a shame his night was ruined by someone else.

Kyle Busch has also been checked and released from the infield care center.  Busch notes that he was caught up in an accordion event.

Noah Gragson and Riley Herbst have been released from the care center.

After a short delay, the drivers are back on the track but the number four car is stalled and is getting pushed to pit road.

Michael McDowell leads the race with Denny Hamlin in second.  Only 16 of the 21 cars that started the race remain in the race.

Michael McDowell bring s the field down for the green flag restart with just eight laps remaining in the race.  McDowell takes the lead but after getting a push from Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin gets out in front before McDowell retakes the lead.

The top five are Michael McDowell, Austin Cindric, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, and Christopher Bell.

Five to go, Denny Hamlin gets out in front but Michael McDowell makes it a back and forth battle.

Michael McDowell nearly lost his front row starting spot for the 500 after a hard block from Denny Hamlin.

Three to go, Denny Hamlin leads the race as the drivers get three wide through the field.

Denny Hamlin takes the white flag.

Christopher Bell takes the lead and wins the Duel

The unofficial results of Duel number 2:
Christopher Bell
Austin Cindric
Denny Hamlin
John Hunter Nemechek
Harrison Burton
Zane Smith
Brad Keselowski
William Byron
Chase Briscoe
Justin Haley
Bubba Wallace
Kaz Grala
AJ Allmendinger
BJ McLeod
David Ragan
Michael McDowell
Josh Berry
Ryan Blaney
Kyle Busch
Riley Herbst
Noah Gragson

JJ Yeley and BJ McLeod failed to qualify for the race.


The starting lineup for the Daytona 500:
Joey Logano
Michael McDowell
Tyler Reddick
Christopher Bell
Chase Elliott
Austin Cindric
Alex Bowman
Denny Hamlin
Carson Hocevar
John Hunter Nemechek
Erik Jones
Harrison Burton
Daniel Suarez
Zane Smith
Ty Gibbs
Brad Keselowski
Kyle Larson
William Byron
Chris Buescher
Chase Briscoe
Ross Chastain
Justin Haley
Jimmie Johnson
Bubba Walace
Ryan Preece
Kaz Grala
Martin Truex Jr
AJ Allmendinger
Corey LaJoie
Josh Berry
Todd Gilliland
Ruan Blaney
Austin Dillon
Kyle Busch
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Riley Herbst
Daniel Hemric
Noah Gragson
Anthony Alfredo
David Ragan