Daytona Duels 2020 results: Highlights from Daytona 500 qualifying races

Dan Bernstein

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Daytona Duels 2020 results: Highlights from Daytona 500 qualifying races image

Buildup to the Daytona 500 and a fresh season of NASCAR Cup Series racing arrived Thursday night via the Daytona Duels.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Alex Bowman had already claimed the first two spots in the field through pole qualifying, but everything else was up for grabs.

Joey Logano outlasted the field in Duel 1, meaning he will have the second-best inside positioning for the Daytona 500. William Byron came from behind to take Duel 2, meaning he will have the second-best outside positioning for the Daytona 500.

Reed Sorenson and Timmy Hill used the duels to qualify for the last vacant spots in Sunday's race.

MORE: Daytona 500 TV, live steam info

We kept track of live updates and highlights from Thursday night's Bluegreen Vacations Duel races at Daytona. Follow along below for everything that happened, as well as the official lineup for the Daytona 500.

Daytona 500 starting lineup

Duel 1 results

The first duel race established the inside row for the Daytona 500. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had already clinched the pole entering the bout. (See below for highlights and commentary from the race.)

Here's how the inside row will look Sunday:

Starting position Driver Car No.
1. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 47
3. Joey Logano 22
5. Aric Almirola 10
7. Ryan Newman 6
9. Brad Keselowski 2
11. Bubba Wallace 43
13. Austin Dillon 3
15. Martin Truex Jr. 42
17. Christopher Bell 95
19. Chris Buescher 17
21. Denny Hamlin 11
23. John Hunter Nemechek 38
25. Chase Elliott 9
27. Ryan Blaney 12
29. Clint Bowyer 14
31. Ryan Preece 37
33. Justin Haley 16
35. Quin Houff 00
37. Joey Gase 51
39. Brendan Gaughan 62

Duel 2 results

The second duel race established the outside row for the Daytona 500. Alex Bowman had already clinched the best outside position entering the bout. (See below for highlights and commentary from the race.)

Here's how the outside row will look Sunday:

Starting position Driver Car No.
2. Alex Bowman 88
4. William Byron 24
6. Jimmie Johnson 48
8. Kyle Larson 42
10. Kevin Harvick 4
12. Cole Custer 41
14. Erik Jones 20
16. Matt DiBenedetto 21
18. Kurt Busch 1
20. Ross Chastain 77
22. Tyler Reddick 8
24. Ty Dillon 13
26. Michael McDowell 34
28. Kyle Busch 18
30. David Ragan 36
32. Timmy Hill 66
34. Brennan Poole 15
36. Corey LaJoie 32
38. B.J. McLeod 52
40. Reed Sorenson 27

Daytona Duels 2020 live updates, highlights

Duel 2

10:44 p.m. — Byron wins Duel 2. 

10:43 p.m. — Byron takes a late lead!

10:42 p.m. — Inside the final five laps, Harvick remains the leader. He's been sturdy throughout Duel 2.

10:40 p.m. — Yeley, who took the worst of the earlier crash, seems OK health-wise.

10:37 p.m. — Harvick is still ahead.

10:35 p.m. — Back to green. Twelve more laps.

10:24 p.m. — Caution flag is out for a significant wreck.

10:19 p.m. — All cars have pitted at this point.

10:14 p.m. — We're halfway done with Duel 2.

10:07 p.m. — Through 20 clean laps, Bowman is in first place, Erik Jones is in second and Kurt Busch is in third. Top of the field remains fluid.

9:58 p.m. — Kevin Harvick holds an early advantage. Matt DiBenedetto and William Byron are just behind him.

9:52 p.m. — Duel 2 has started. This race will set the outside row for the Daytona 500.

9:37 p.m. — Duel 2 should begin in the next 10 minutes or so.

Duel 1

9:14 p.m. — Logano holds on to win Duel 1. He won his duel here in 2019 as well. Aric Almirola finished second and Ryan Newman finished third.

9:12 p.m. — Stenhouse Jr. is making a strong final push. So far, though, Logano is holding steady.

9:08 p.m. — Logano is chugging along nicely with fewer than 10 laps to go.

9:04 p.m. — Stenhouse Jr. falls back, and Logano gains full possession of first place with 14 laps remaining.

9:01 p.m. — Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Logano are now running neck-and-neck at the front.

8:57 p.m. — We're back to green after that crash. Twenty-three more laps remain in Duel 1.

8:45 p.m. — Update: Suarez is done for the night, and by extension, also finished for the weekend.

8:44 p.m — Caution is out after the first crash of the night. Daniel Suarez — who is still fighting for a place in the Daytona 500 — was involved in the wreck.

8:38 p.m. — Drivers are starting to pit.

8:31 p.m. — Stenhouse Jr., who has already clinched the top starting spot in the Daytona 500, continues to pace the field here in Duel 1. Behind him is an array of veteran drivers constantly alternating positions. Right now it's Elliott in second and Clint Bowyer in third.

8:23 p.m. — Stenhouse Jr., Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin lead the pack through five laps.

8:17 p.m. — Duel 1 is officially underway about an hour later than scheduled.

Weather delay

8:08 p.m. — Looks like we're about to get going for real this time.

8:01 p.m. — Good news: Drivers are headed back to their cars.

7:48 p.m. — Nothing new to report on the delay. It's still unclear when Duel 1 might be able to take place tonight.

7:26 p.m. — Heavy duty equipment being brought in.

7:16 p.m. — After engines were fired up and wheels were rolling, rain intensified. Red flag is out.

7:15 p.m. — Oh nooooo.

7:10 p.m. — Engines fired. Cars moving.

7:08 p.m. — No delays in sight. Duel 1 is about to get underway.

7 p.m. — Hello, everyone. Welcome to a new NASCAR season. There's some light rain at Daytona right now but nothing too serious. Hopefully there won't be a delay.

Brendan Gaughan

Dan Bernstein