For everyone trying to make the Daytona 500, you couldn’t ask for any better racing on Thursday afternoon. With overcast skies above, the Gatorade Duels turned into a shootout for position and victory.
In the end, two photo finishes decided the victories as Jimmie Johnson and KaseyKahne took the checkered flags in their respective races, putting themselves in the second row for Sunday’s race. Combined, the two finishes had a difference of 0.019 seconds, the closest finishes in Duel history.
Johnson, who was in a back-up car after a practice crash, elected to stay out on older tires following a late-race incident, and had his hands full trying to hold back the field. Kevin Harvick made a run at him on the last lap, and nearly pulled off the victory, but came up just short.
Afterwards, Johnson admitted he didn’t know how many laps were left in the race, but was thankful that he saw the checkered flag.
“I was hopeful it was going to be done soon. My spotter wasn’t really sure. As I went by the start/finish line sideways, I looked up and hoped that it was the checkered, because I felt like I was going to spin out,” Johnson said.
“I stayed on the gas, saved it. Everybody else let off around me. I knew the race was over.”
The casualty of the first race was Michael Waltrip, who spun out early and wrecked coming out of the fourth turn. With him having to race his way into the field, it was a major blow as he now had to hope other drivers made their way into the race based on time.
Both Michael McDowell and Max Papis were able to race their way into the Daytona 500 by finishing 14th and 15th in the first Duel.
Race No. 2 was highlighted by a lot of close action and another spectacular finish, this time with Kasey Kahne in the Budweiser/Winter Olympics Ford Fusion barely beating Tony Stewart to the checkered flag. But, the highlight of the day came back in the back as the final four cars that needed to race their way in battled it out.
In the end, both Scott Speed and Mike Bliss raced their way into the field in the second race, but with Speed making the race due to his performance in the Duel, Waltrip got a reprieve based on his qualifying time, allowing him to start his 24th-consecutive Daytona 500.
The field is set, the drivers are prepared, and now are ready to go for victory in the most important race of the year. The Daytona 500 goes green at 1 p.m. on FOX.
Daytona 500: Daytona International Speedway
Race No. 1-February 14, 2010
Position. Driver (Car Number), Make, Sponsor, Speed, Time, Time Behind
1. Mark Martin (5), Chevrolet, GoDaddy.com, 191,188 mph, 47.074, Leader
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88), Chevrolet, Amp Energy/National Guard, 190.913, 47.142, -0.068
3. Jimmie Johnson (48), Chevrolet, Lowe’s
4. Kasey Kahne (9), Ford, Budweiser
5. Kevin Harvick (29), Chevrolet, Shell/Pennzoil
6. Tony Stewart (14), Chevrolet, Office Depot/Old Spice
7. Kyle Busch (18), Toyota, M&M’s
8. Juan Montoya (42), Chevrolet, Target
9. Clint Bowyer (33), Chevrolet, Cheerios/Hamburger Helper
10. Kurt Busch (2), Dodge, Miller Lite
11. Regan Smith (78), Chevrolet, Furniture Row Companies
12. Elliott Sadler (19), Ford, Stanley
13. Jamie McMurray (1), Chevrolet, Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats
14. Martin Truex Jr (56), Toyota, NAPA Auto Parts
15. A.J Allmendinger (43), Ford, Best Buy
16. Joey Logano (20), Toyota, The Home Depot
17. Ryan Newman (39), Chevrolet, U.S. Army
18. Marcos Ambrose (47), Toyota, Kroger Floral
19. David Ragan (6), Ford, UPS
20. David Reutimann (00), Toyota, Aaron’s Dream Machine
21. Jeff Gordon (24), Chevrolet, DuPont
22. Brian Vickers (83), Toyota, Red Bull
23. Greg Biffle (16), Ford, 3M
24. Matt Kenseth (17), Ford, Crown Royal
25. Denny Hamlin (11), Toyota, FedEx Express
26. Brad Keselowski (12), Dodge, Penske Racing
27. Carl Edwards (99), Ford, Aflac
28. Mike Bliss (36), Toyota, Wave Energy Drink
29. Michael McDowell (55), Toyota, Prism Motorsports
30. Scott Speed (82), Toyota, Red Bull
31. Max Papis (13), Toyota, GEICO
32. Paul Menard (98) Ford, Peak/Menards
33. John Andretti (34), Ford, Window World Cares
34. Robby Gordon (7), Toyota, Monster Energy
35. Travis Kvapil (37), Ford, Extenze
36. Sam Hornish Jr. (77), Dodge, Mobil 1
37. Robert Richardson Jr. (38), Ford, Mahindra Tractors
38. Boris Said (26), Ford, Window World Cares
39. Jeff Burton (31), Chevrolet, Caterpillar
40. Bill Elliott (21), Ford, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
41. Joe Nemechek (87), Toyota, NEMCO Motorsports
42. Bobby Labonte (71), Chevrolet, TaxSlayer.com
43. Michael Waltrip (51), Toyota, NAPA Auto Parts
FAILED TO QUALIFY
44. Casey Mears (90), Chevrolet, Keyed Up Motorsports
45. Todd Bodine (27), Toyota, Kirk Shelmerdine Racing
46. David Gilliland (49), Toyota, Warner Music Nashville/Larry the Cable Guy
47. Terry Cook (46)*, Dodge, Whitney Motorsports
48. Derrike Cope (75), Dodge, Asset Protection/Strutmasterspro.com
49. Aric Almirola (09), Chevrolet, Phoenix Racing
50. Dave Blaney (66), Toyota, Prism Motorsports
51. Reed Sorenson (32), Toyota, Dollar General
52. Mike Wallace (92), Dodge, K-Automotive Motorsports
53. Norm Benning (57), Chevrolet, Norm Benning Racing
54. Jeff Fuller (97), Toyota, FrontRowJoe.com