Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrates in victory lane at Daytona after winning the opening Can-Am Duel. [Russ Lake Photo]
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch bagged victories in a pair of 150-mile Can-Am Duel events on Thursday night at the Daytona International Speedway. The first Duel was a tame one but the second featured a multi-car crash at the end, forcing at least four drivers into back-up cars for the Daytona 500.
The results from the two classic events set the starting field for Sunday’s Daytona 500.
Driving the Nationwide Chevrolet, dubbed Amelia (named for aviatrix Earhart), in the opener, Earnhardt won his second consecutive Duel and fifth in his storied career, raising his total number of Daytona victories to 17. NASCAR’s most popular driver dominated the event, leading 43 of the 60 rounds. Running second on lap 54, Earnhardt made a textbook move on Denny Hamlin to gain the lead near the finish line.
Said the victor, “I had a great car and I was so nervous today about tearing the car up, as I know how good it is. We do have a capable car, so we will have to be careful in practice, but after that, I don’t really care. It is such a tough balance, as you have to out there and try to win but you can tear up your car. It is a matter of crossing your fingers.”
Joey Logano finished second followed closely by rookie Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick, Hamlin, pole winner Chase Elliott, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, Chris Buescher and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Blaney and Michael McDowell, who finished 13th, advanced to the Daytona 500 starting field with their strong finishes.
“It is nice to race our way in,” Blaney said, “We had a couple of problems early in the race, which got us a lap down, so I gave it a shot and pulled up on Joey (Logano). At first I was discouraged, feeling we were going to end up 15th.”
McDowell was thrilled with the outcome. “Everyone knows what it means to make it into the 500,” he said while sporting a big smile. “In the past, I have loaded up and gone home on Thursday night. Tonight, it was very nerve-wracking.”
In round two, Busch gained the lead after teammate and leader Matt Kenseth needed help ridding his radiator of paper, and the reigning Sprint Cup Series champion never looked back once in the top spot.
Busch drove the M&M’s 75 Toyota to his third Duel victory in 12 tries and Joe Gibbs Racing chalked up its ninth Duel win.
“With my teammate going to a back-up car, I will get an opportunity to start in the front row, which, if so, presents a unique opportunity,” Busch said. “This time around Joe Gibbs Racing came down here with more speed, which is good for us. In the Duel, me, Matt (Kenseth) and Carl (Edwards) ran in top three until pit stops changed the order around a little bit.
“I am happy with the win; anytime you go to victory lane, it is good.”
While Busch was taking the checkered flag, Kenseth got caught up in a multi-car crash in turn 1 along with Jimmie Johnson, A. J. Allmendinger, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch and Danica Patrick.
Although unconfirmed, they are all expected to move into back-up cars. Kenseth fared the worst, as he will lose his front-row starting position.
Jamie McMurray, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards and Ty Dillon completed the top-five finishers.
The second five were Kyle Larson, Patrick, Brian Vickers, Matt DiBenedetto and Michael Annett.
DiBenedetto and Robert Richardson Jr. advanced to the Daytona 500 field with their strong finishes.
Four drivers failed to make the starting field – Reed Sorenson, David Gilliland, Cole Whitt and Josh Wise.
Richardson, who got the Toyota ride only two weeks ago, was exceptionally thrilled. “Two weeks ago, I was back home in Texas working on my ranch and got a phone call telling me a deal was coming together to put me in a car for BK Racing. This is very special for me, for my wife and my new baby.”
It will be the second 500 for Richardson but the most special for him.
“It is an honor to be in my first 500. I have dreamed about this since I was five,” said DiBenedetto. “And we got all four of our BK cars in the race, which was neat too.”
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