RELATED: Complete lineups for the Can-Am Duels
The two-round, single-car qualifying that took place Feb. 14 at Daytona International Speedway set the front row for the Daytona 500 (Feb. 21, 1 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Chase Elliott (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) earned the pole and Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) will join him on the front row after posting the second fastest qualifying speed.
The two will start from the pole in their respective Can-Am Duel races on Thursday night (first duel is 7 p.m. ET, FS1; second duel is approximately 9 p.m. ET, FS1).
The Can-Am Duels will set the remaining starting spots and the field for the 58th running of the "Great American Race."
WHO IS IN THE FIELD?
The Charter system has locked in 36 of the 40 spots. That means the four remaining spots in the field will go to Open, non-Charter teams. There are eight Open teams attempting to qualify for the Daytona 500. | READ MORE: Which 36 teams have Charters?
Two of the four spots for Open teams were locked up in single-car qualifying based on which Open teams were the fastest: Ryan Blaney (No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford) and Matt DiBenedetto (No. 93 BK Racing Toyota). These two drivers are guaranteed spots in the Daytona 500 field.
RELATED: Blaney, DiBenedetto lock up spots in Daytona field
HOW CAN AN 'OPEN' TEAM STILL GET IN?
That leaves two spots up for grabs among the six remaining Open teams yet to lock themselves into the field.
The top finisher among the Open teams in each Duel will earn a spot in the Daytona 500. Should that be Blaney (in Duel 1) and/or DiBenedetto (in Duel 2), then the guaranteed spot based on qualifying speeds would move to the next fastest Open team in qualifying. Michael McDowell (No. 59 Leavine Family Racing Ford) and Robert Richardson Jr. (No. 26 BK Racing Toyota) have the next fastest speeds.
The other Open teams in the mix to make the field are: Cole Whitt (No. 98 Premium Motorsports Toyota), David Gilliland (No. 35 Front Row Motorsports Ford), Josh Wise (No. 30 The Motorsports Group Chevrolet) and Reed Sorenson (No. 40 Hillman Racing Chevrolet). These four must qualify via the Can-Am Duels.
RELATED: Complete list of Daytona qualifying speeds
HOW IS THE 40-CAR LINEUP SET?
For the Daytona 500, Elliott and Kenseth will be on the front row. Starting spots 3 through 38 will be determined by the results of the Duels. Drivers in the first Duel race will line up on the inside row for the Daytona 500 (odd-number starting position), based on the order in which they finish the Duel race. Drivers in the second Duel race will line up on the outside row for the the Daytona 500 (even-number starting positions), based on the order in which they finish the Duel race. For example, the winner of the first Duel (if not Elliott), will line up third; the winner of the second Duel (if not Kenseth) will line up fourth and so on.
The top Open team finisher in each Duel will make the 500 field. Should the top Open finisher in a Duel have also posted one of the top two speeds in qualifying among Open teams (Blaney or DiBenedetto), the Duel result is accepted and the next fastest Open car in qualifying would make the field. The final two starting spots in the field, spots 39 and 40, will go to the two Open teams that made the field based on qualifying speed.
WHAT IF THE DUELS ARE RAINED OUT?
If both Duels are canceled due to weather, officials will use qualifying results to determine the four Open teams that would advance. In this case that would be Blaney, DiBenedetto, McDowell and Richardson.
Should only the second Can-Am Duel be canceled due to weather, the highest finishing Open team from the first Duel would earn a starting berth, with the remaining three positions determined based on qualifying results.
In the event of a rain out, the full field will be set according to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rule Book.