Daytona Duels 2020 start times, TV channel, lineups for NASCAR's Daytona 500 qualifying races

Tadd Haislop

Daytona Duels 2020 start times, TV channel, lineups for NASCAR's Daytona 500 qualifying races image

We know Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Alex Bowman will lead the field from the front row in first and second, respectively, to start the 62nd running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday. Now it's time to set the rest of the field for the NASCAR Cup Series 2020 season opener.

Thursday night's Bluegreen Vacations Duel races at Daytona, the first with a scheduled start time of 7 p.m. ET and the second tentatively scheduled for 8:45 p.m. ET, will do just that. As is the case for most of the Cup Series action throughout Daytona Speedweeks in 2020, the TV channel for Thursday's Daytona 500 qualifying races will be FS1.

MORE: Daytona 500 TV, live stream info

The lineups for this year's Daytona Duels were set by the same Sunday qualifying session that put Stenhouse and Bowman on the front row for the Daytona 500. The results of Duel 1 will set the inside row for the Daytona 500, and the results of Duel 2 will set the outside row. So the winner of Duel 1 will start the Daytona 500 third; the driver who finishes second will start fifth; the driver who finishes third will start seventh, and so on. Likewise, the winner of Duel 2 will start the Daytona 500 fourth; the driver who finishes second will start sixth; the driver who finishes third will start eighth, and so on.

Thursday night's duels also will determine the final two spots in the 40-car Daytona 500 field. All but four of the 40 spots in the race are guaranteed to charter teams, and of the the seven non-charter teams that have entered the Daytona 500, Justin Haley (Kaulig Racing) and Brendan Gaughan (Beard Motorsports) have already made the field with their pole qualifying speeds.

Between Reed Sorenson, Daniel Suarez, Chad Finchum, Timmy Hill and J.J. Yeley, two will make the Daytona 500 based on the results of Thursday's Duels.

Below is all you need to know about Thursday's Bluegreen Vacations Duel races at Daytona, including the start times, the TV channel and the starting lineups.

Daytona Duels 2020 start times

  • Duel 1: 7 p.m. ET
  • Duel 2: 8:45 p.m. ET

If Duel 1 plays out in a way that resembles Sunday's crash-filled Busch Clash at Daytona, that 8:45 p.m. ET start time for Duel 2 will be in jeopardy. At least we can count on the green flag for Duel 1 being waved shortly after 7 p.m. ET.

The lineup for Duel 1 is comprised of drivers that qualified in odd-numbered positions, starting with Stenhouse, the Daytona 500 pole winner, and continuing with Chase Elliott (third), Denny Hamlin (fifth) and so on. Likewise, the lineup for Duel 2 is comprised of drivers that qualified in even-numbered positions.

Daytona Duels 2020 TV channel

With the exception of the Daytona 500 itself, which will broadcast live on Fox, FS1 is the go-to TV channel for all things NASCAR Cup Series (and Xfinity and Truck Series, for that matter) throughout Daytona Speedweeks. 

The 2020 season marks the 20th consecutive year Fox has covered the NASCAR Cup Series. Mike Joy, who has been the network's lead Cup announcer ever since Fox began covering the series, is covering his 45th Daytona Speedweeks and will be on the call for Thursday's Duels. Joining him in the broadcast booth will be analyst Jeff Gordon. Larry McReynolds and Jamie McMurray also will provide insight and analysis from Fox's studio during the broadcast.

The radio broadcast of the 2020 Duels at Daytona can be heard on MRN or SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. 

Daytona Duels 2020 starting lineups

The starting lineups for Thursday's Duels were set by Sunday's pole qualifying speeds, with the drivers who qualified in odd-numbered positions competing in Duel 1 and the drivers who qualified in even-numbered positions competing in Duel 2.

Below are the starting lineups for Thursday night's Duels at Daytona.

  • Duel 1
Starting Pos. Driver Team
1. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing
2. Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports
3. Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing
4. Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing
5. Christopher Bell Leavine Family Racing
6. Joey Logano Team Penske
7. Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing
8. Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing
9. Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing
10. Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing
11. Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing
12. Brad Keselowski Team Penske
13. John Hunter Nemechek Front Row Motorsports
14. Ryan Blaney Team Penske
15. Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing
16. Justin Haley Kaulig Racing
17. Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports
18. Reed Sorenson Premium Motorsports
19. Daniel Suarez Gaunt Brothers Racing
20. Quin Houff StarCom Racing
21. Chad Finchum MBM Motorsports
22. Joey Gase Petty Ware Racing
  • Duel 2
Starting Pos. Driver Team
1. Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports
2. Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports
3. Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing
4. William Byron Hendrick Motorsports
5. Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing
6. Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing
7. Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing
8. Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing
9. Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing
10. Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing
11. Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing
12. Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports
13. David Ragan Rick Ware Racing
14. Ross Chastain Spire Motorsports
15. Ty Dillon Germain Racing
16. Brendan Gaughan Beard Motorsports
17. Timmy Hill MBM Motorsports
18. Corey LaJoie GO FAS Racing
19. J.J. Yeley Rick Ware Racing
20. Brennan Poole Premium Motorsports
21. BJ McLeod Rick Ware Racing

Daytona 2020 TV schedule

Below is the TV schedule for what's left of Daytona Speedweeks in 2020, including the Truck Series practice sessions that precede Thursday night's Duels.

Cup Series teams will get two practice sessions between the Duels and Sunday's Daytona 500 — one on Friday and one on Saturday.

  • Thursday, Feb. 13
Time Event Series TV channel
4:05 - 4:55 p.m. ET NextEra Energy 250 practice Truck Series FS2
5:30 - 5:55 p.m. ET NextEra Energy 250 final practice Truck Series FS1
7 p.m. ET Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 1 Cup Series FS1
8:45 p.m. ET Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 2 Cup Series FS1
  • Friday, Feb. 14
Time Event Series TV channel
2:05 - 2:55 p.m. ET NASCAR Racing Experience 300 practice Xfinity Series FS1
3:10 p.m. ET NextEra Energy 250 qualifying Truck Series FS1
4:32 - 4:57 p.m. ET NASCAR Racing Experience 300 final practice Xfinity Series FS1
5:05 - 5:55 p.m. ET Daytona 500 practice Cup Series FS1
7:30 p.m. ET NextEra Energy 250 Truck Series FS1
  • Saturday, Feb. 15
Time Event Series TV channel
11 a.m. ET NASCAR Racing Experience 300 qualifying Xfinity Series FS1
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. ET Daytona 500 final practice Cup Series FS1
2:30 p.m. ET NASCAR Racing Experience 300 Xfinity Series FS1
  • Sunday, Feb. 16
Time Event Series TV channel
2:30 p.m. ET Daytona 500 Cup Series Fox

Tadd Haislop

Tadd Haislop is the Associate NFL Editor at SportingNews.com.