NASCAR: Joey Logano and Aric Almirola win Daytona Duel qualifying races

Nick Bromberg

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.

Joey Logano celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the first of two qualifying auto races for the NASCAR Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
2022 NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano will start third in the Daytona 500. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

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

  1. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  2. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  3. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

  4. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  5. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  6. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

  7. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

  8. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  9. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

  10. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

  11. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

  12. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

  13. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  14. Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

  15. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

  16. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  17. Zane Smith (36), Front Row Motorsports Ford

  18. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  19. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

  20. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  21. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  22. Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

  23. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

  24. Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

  25. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

  26. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

  27. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

  28. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

  29. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

  30. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

  31. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

  32. B.J. McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

  33. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  34. Conor Daly (50), TMT Racing Chevrolet

  35. Cody Ware (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

  36. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

  37. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

  38. Riley Herbst (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

  39. Jimmie Johnson (84), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

  40. Travis Pastrana (67), 23XI Racing Toyota

Advertisement