Daytona Duels 2021 start times, TV channel, lineups for NASCAR's Daytona 500 qualifying races

Tom Gatto

Daytona Duels 2021 start times, TV channel, lineups for NASCAR's Daytona 500 qualifying races image

NASCAR divides qualifying for the Daytona 500 into two parts: pole qualifying and two 150-mile races. Those two races are better known as the Duels at Daytona, and in 2021 they'll take place Thursday, Feb. 11, at Daytona International Speedway. The green flag for the first race will drop sometime after 7 p.m. ET. The second race will begin sometime after 8:45 p.m. ET. 

The Duels determine starting positions 3-40 for the Daytona 500, but they also serve an important competitive function: They decide which teams will occupy the two remaining open spots in the 40-car field. Eight teams are competing for four open spots in this year's race; 36 spots were set aside for Cup Series teams that have charter agreements with NASCAR.

MORE: Everything to know about the Daytona 500

Ryan Preece (JTG Daugherty Racing) and David Ragan (Front Row Motorsports) claimed the first two open positions with their qualifying speeds Wednesday night. That leaves Austin Cindric (Team Penske), Ty Dillon (Gaunt Brothers Racing), Noah Gragson (Beard Motorsports), Kaz Grala (Kaulig Racing), Timmy Hill (Motorsports Business Management) and Garrett Smithley (Motorsports Business Management) needing to race their way into the last two open spots Thursday.

Hendrick Motorsports teammates Alex Bowman (pole) and William Byron (second) are on the front row for Sunday's race after their one-lap qualifying runs Wednesday night. They will lead the field in their respective Duel races.

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

Daytona Duels 2021 start times

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

The lineup for Duel 1 consists mainly of the drivers who finished in odd-numbered spots in pole qualifying. That means pole sitter Alex Bowman will be on the front row for his Duel race, along with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (third in qualifying). 

The lineup for Duel 2 consists mainly of the drivers who finished in even-numbered spots in pole qualifying. That means second-place qualifier William Byron will lead the field for his Duel race along with Bubba Wallace (fourth in qualifying).

MORE: Watch the Daytona Duels live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

Daytona Duels 2021 TV channel

  • TV network: FS1
  • Live stream: Fox Sports Go, fuboTV

The 2021 Speedweeks marks the start of Fox's 21st season covering NASCAR and the network's 18th year covering the Daytona 500. Mike Joy (play-by-play), Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer and Larry McReynolds (analysts) will provide booth and studio coverage of the Duels. Jamie Little and Regan Smith will be the pit reporters.

Canada's TSN will air the Duels live, as well.

The radio broadcast of the 2021 Duels at Daytona can be heard on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) or SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Daytona Duels 2021 starting lineups

The starting lineups for Thursday's Duels were set by Wednesday'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. Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports
2. Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing
3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing
4. Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing
5. Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing
6. Daniel Suarez Trackhouse Racing Team
7. Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing
8. Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports
9. Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing
10. Austin Cindric Team Penske
11. Joey Logano Team Penske
12. Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing
13. Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing
14. Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports
15. Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports
16. Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing
17. Ty Dillon Gaunt Brothers Racing
18. Jamie McMurray Spire Motorsports
19. Quin Houff StarCom Racing
20. Timmy Hill Motorsports Business Management
21. Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing
22. Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing

Duel 2

Starting Pos. Driver Team
1. William Byron Hendrick Motorsports
2. Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing
3. Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing
4. Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing
5. Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports
6. David Ragan Front Row Motorsports
7. Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing
8. Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing
9. Ryan Blaney Team Penske
10. Kaz Grala Kaulig Racing
11. Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing
12. Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing
13. Brad Keselowski Team Penske
14. Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing
15. Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing
16. Anthony Alfredo Front Row Motorsports
17. Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports
18. Garrett Smithley Motorsports Business Management
19. BJ McLeod Live Fast Motorsports
20. Joey Gase Rick Ware Racing
21. Derrike Cope Rick Ware Racing
22. Noah Gragson Beard Motorsports

Daytona 2021 TV schedule

Below is the TV schedule for what's left of Daytona Speedweeks in 2021, including the Duels, Daytona 500 Series practice sessions and Truck, Xfinity and ARCA series events, all leading up to Sunday's Daytona 500.

  • Thursday, Feb. 11
Time Event TV Radio
5:35 p.m. Camping World Truck Series practice FS1 No radio
7 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations Duel at Daytona FS1/TSN MRN
8:45 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations Duel at Daytona FS1/TSN MRN
  • Friday, Feb. 12
Time Event TV Radio
1 p.m. ARCA Menards Series practice No TV No radio
3:10 p.m. Camping World Truck Series qualifying FS1 No radio
4:35 p.m. Xfinity Series practice FS1/TSN.ca app No radio
7:30 p.m. Camping World Truck Series, NextEra Energy 250 FS1 MRN
  • Saturday, Feb. 13
Time Event TV Radio
8:30 a.m. ARCA Menards Series qualifying No TV No radio
9:30 a.m. NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 second practice FS2/TSN MRN
10:40 a.m. Xfinity Series qualifying FS2/TSN3 No radio
12:05 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 final practice FS1/TSN MRN
1:30 p.m. ARCA Menards Series, Lucas Oil 200 FS1 MRN
5 p.m. Xfinity Series, Beef. It's What for Dinner. 300 FS1/TSN MRN
  • Sunday, Feb. 14
Time Event TV Radio
2:30 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series, 63rd annual Daytona 500 Fox/TSN MRN

Tom Gatto

Tom Gatto Photo

Tom Gatto joined The Sporting News as a senior editor in 2000 after 12 years at The Herald-News in Passaic, N.J., where he served in a variety of roles including sports editor, and a brief spell at APBNews.com in New York, where he worked as a syndication editor. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of South Carolina.