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A strong restart with eight laps to go — and a push from fellow Chevrolet driver Jamie McMurray — gave Daytona 500 polesitter Chase Elliott the power he needed to maintain the lead and take the checkered flag in Thursday’s Can-Am Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway.

Elliott, the youngest Daytona 500 polesitter, also became the youngest Duel winner in the race’s history — the previous record holder was Jeff Gordon. Elliott will start on the pole in Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) for the second straight year.

RELATED: Detailed results from Duel 1 | Projected Daytona lineup


"We just kind of set out and wanted to race, not ride around," Elliott said after climbing out of his car in Victory Lane. "I think sometimes you ride around and you don’t know what your car is like and if it’s going to be the way you want it for Sunday. And you can also get yourself in trouble. We took chances and it worked out, so I’m excited for Sunday."

McMurray gave Chevrolet a 1-2 finish with a runner-up result in his No. 1 Chip Ganassi ride, while Kevin Harvick finished third in the Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Brad Keselowski‘s No. 2 Team Penske Ford and Matt Kenseth‘s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota rounded out the top five.


Keselowski displayed his familiar restrictor-plate power, leading a race-high 28 laps.

"We had a good night," Keselowski said. "We knew the 24 car (of Elliott) was going to be strong. It just didn’t shake out like I hoped it would in some of those pivotal moments, but that’s part of it. … We’re going to work on some things that make that possible."
 
Duel 1 race determined the inside row for Sunday’s Daytona 5000 with Elliott locked into the top starting position, followed by McMurray (third), Harvick (fifth), etc. behind him.

The top 10 finishers received championship points, so race winner Elliott earned 10 points for the season, second-place McMurray nabbed nine, all the way to 10th-place Cole Whitt earning one point. The same system also applied to Duel 2.

Corey LaJoie claimed a spot in the "Great American Race," as he was the highest finisher (18th) among the three Open teams in the race. Brendan Gaughan had previously earned a spot by being the fastest Open car during Sunday’s qualifying session. 


Reed Sorenson seemed poised to earn a spot in the Daytona 500 as the highest Open team, but contact from LaJoie with 12 laps to go caused his No. 55 Toyota to spin and it was quickly towed off track. Paul Menard (20th) and Kyle Busch (13th) were also affected in the wreck. 


Joey Logano (ninth) experienced problems early in the 60-lap race: He fell back in the pack and was forced to pit for a loose wheel that was causing a vibration in the first 20 laps.

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The field is set! Heading into Thursday’s Can-Am Duels at Daytona, we already knew the front row for the Daytona 500 — Chase Elliott is on the pole, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start second when the green flag drops Feb. 26 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

 

We also knew Elliott Sadler and Brendan Gaughan had clinched spots in the field because in Daytona 500 single-car qualifying, they posted the two fastest times among the six Open, or non-Charter teams. That’s good for a spot in the field. And both drivers had to fall back on those times with Corey Lajoie and DJ Kennington racing their way into the Daytona 500.

 

As a reminder, the 36 Charter teams are locked into the Daytona 500, and every other points race.

 

Duel 1 results set the inside row of the Daytona 500. Duel 2 set the outside row.

* Denotes Open team

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RELATED: Duel 1 results | Duel 2 results | Projected lineup | More on the race

Denny Hamlin used a push from Austin Dillon and momentum on the outside lane to pass race leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the victory in his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with two laps to go in Thursday’s Can-Am Duel 2 at Daytona International Speedway.

The reigning Daytona 500 winner, Hamlin has also won a Duel race twice in his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career.

"We definitely had a strong car but so much of that race was single file and so it was really tough to show what we could do in the pack once we got two- and three-wide, but it looked like our car could make some really good moves and got a great push from the 3 (Dillon) there at the end," Hamlin said. "It looked like our cars worked really, really well together there so we’ll keep that in mind when I need somebody to draft with in the 500."

Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Clint Bowyer and Kurt Busch finished second and third, respectively, while AJ Allmendinger nabbed a fourth-place result in his No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet. Austin Dillon completed the top five in his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevy.

Earnhardt Jr., who led Duel 2 to green to start the 60-lap event, led a race-high 53 laps around the superspeedway but finished sixth.

"I don’t know what I could have done differently to defend that," Earnhardt said after the race. "Once I heard the No. 3 (Dillon) was clear on the outside, I knew they was going to have a big run. Denny (Hamlin) is so smart and he knows what he’s doing out there. He’s one of the better plate racers out there. Any which way I would have went, he was going to go the other way and probably get by me. I was hoping Austin might push us a little bit since he drives a Chevy; but I don’t know if I would have done it any different than he did, either. Congratulations to Denny."

 
The Can-Am Duel 2 race set the outside row for Sunday’s Daytona 500, with Earnhardt Jr. retaining his outside pole position from Sunday’s qualifying session. Duel 2 winner Hamlin will start fourth, runner up Clint Bowyer will roll off the grid sixth, etc.

Just as Duel 1, the top-10 finishers received championship points: Race winner Hamlin earned 10 points, second-place Bowyer received nine, continuing down through 10th-place. Fourth-place finisher Allmendinger did not receive any points as he failed post-race inspection.

Ryan Blaney (20th) was contending for the lead with 15 laps to go and running in the top three when his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford was clipped by Jimmie Johnson (13th), who got loose from David Ragan‘s (11th) No. 38 ride. Ragan and Blaney also had some contact. Blaney took a trip down pit road under green for repairs. One lap later, Johnson scraped the wall, triggered the caution and brought the No. 48 Chevrolet down pit road for five-minute repairs, per NASCAR’s new damage rule.

DJ Kennington was the highest-running Open car in 15th-place and thus earned a spot in Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Elliott Sadler received a spot due to speed in Sunday’s qualifying session. Timmy Hill did not make the field.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Corey LaJoie and DJ Kennington clinched berths in their first Daytona 500, both racing their way into the field in Thursday night’s qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway.

LaJoie, 25, will make just his third start in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s race (Feb. 26, 2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Kennington, a 39-year-old Canadian veteran, also showed his emotions after qualifying for the “Great American Race,” just his second start in NASCAR’s big leagues.



LaJoie finished 18th in the first of two Can-Am Duel races, emerging as one of the four drivers for non-chartered teams not already qualified for the 500. Kennington was 15th in the nightcap, taking the final transfer spot by half a car-length.

Brendan Gaughan and Elliott Sadler, both full-time NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers with one-off Daytona 500 rides, previously clinched berths in Sunday’s Coors Light Pole Qualifying as the two fastest drivers for non-chartered teams. Reed Sorenson and Timmy Hill failed to make the 40-car field.

LaJoie, son of two-time XFINITY champion Randy LaJoie, hasn’t made a NASCAR premier series start since 2014 and has just 20 national series appearances in his career. He indicated that his journey back to the Monster Energy Cup stage came with plenty of lobbying, including a ringing vote of confidence from seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson.

“That’s amazing,” LaJoie said. “And it’s not even just my family tonight, it’s every person that’s helped me get to this moment. It’s huge. It’s been a hard road and I’ve still got a long way to go, but it starts Sunday.”

LaJoie, in his first start for BK Racing’s No. 83 team, nudged Sorenson’s No. 55 Toyota out of position to clinch a starting spot after contact in the 49th of 60 laps in Duel 1. Sorenson’s Premium Motorsports entry collected Paul Menard’s No. 27 before slamming into the inside retaining wall, knocking him from the race.

“It looks like he turned us, just like I thought,” Sorenson said. “I guess he felt like he did what he had to do to make the race, so I hope he’s proud of that part of it.”

RELATED: Sorenson reacts to wreck, contact from LaJoie

Said LaJoie: “I’m sure he wasn’t happy. I wouldn’t be happy either, but he’s going to be drinking margaritas on the beach on Sunday and I’m going to be racing in the Daytona 500. That’s just the way it is. I’m sure he’s not going to give me any breaks the next time we race, either. It’s just part of it. I do feel bad and it probably looked intentional, but it certainly wasn’t.”

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Minutes after the second Can-Am Duel concluded Thursday night, Jimmie Johnson‘s Hendrick Motorsports Racing team announced the seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion would be going to a back-up No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet for Sunday’s Daytona 500.


Johnson was involved in a dust up in Thursday night’s event — with David Ragan and Ryan Blaney — making contact multiple times in the midst of tight racing. He brought out a yellow flag with nine laps remaining after making contact with the wall in Turn 3. He ultimately finished 13th in the 21-car field completing all the laps.


RELATED: Blaney, Johnson make contact

His team sent word out about the car change, via Twitter, following the Duel. Johnson was 14th in pole qualifying on Sunday.


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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Even in winning his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event, Thursday night’s Can-Am Duel, Chase Elliott refused to consider himself the odds-on favorite for Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

 

He does, however, like his chances.

 

The 21-year old Elliott became the youngest winner in the Duels’ great history with a 0.156-second win on the field. Three days ago, he won the Daytona 500 pole position for the second straight year. It’s been a good week for the second-generation NASCAR star.

 

“I definitely think we have a shot at it (winning Sunday). I mean, if I didn’t feel that way, like I always say, I’d stay home,” said Elliott, whose father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, won both the 1985 and 1987 Daytona 500s from the pole position. “I feel like we have a shot on Sunday. I feel like we had a shot before we got down here.

 

“Tonight’s result hasn’t changed my opinion on that. I’m looking forward to it, obviously. You love to get that qualifying spot on Sunday, but we really earned it tonight, to start on the front row, which is even better.

 

“It was definitely a great way to start the season. As I said, I know it’s just a Duel win. You obviously wish it was Sunday and counted towards the playoffs, but it still means a lot to me. Means a lot to our team. Happy to have NAPA colors on tonight. Had some big steam under the hood, which is a huge factor in keeping us out front.

 

“So glad we were able to race and stay aggressive and battle those guys. Hopefully we can dial it in just a little better for Sunday, give it another shot.”

 

Elliott led twice Thursday night, out front for 25 of the 60 laps including the last 24 when he held off a pair of former Daytona 500 winners, hard-charging Jamie McMurray and Kevin Harvick.

 

They were impressed with the second-year driver’s performance and demeanor.

 

“I thought Chase did an awesome job,” said McMurray, who won the 2010 Daytona 500. “It doesn’t matter who it is, at some point we all make a bad decision out there. I made a couple tonight. Was fortunate it didn’t cause a wreck. But that’s what happens at places like this.

 

“So, I thought Chase did a great job tonight.”

 

 

Elliott’s veteran teammate — and fellow Daytona 500 front row starter — Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Thursday night he was impressed with the way Elliott drove the Duel. He also related to the high expectations of following in a great father’s footsteps and reiterated his confidence in Elliott’s learning curve.

“He’s also got a lot of pressure on him,” Earnhardt said of Elliott.

“When I went into racing, I had my father as my boss, I had a security blanket. I didn’t worry about any of that stuff. I never worried about my job; I was going to get plenty of rope to learn and get better.

 

“He’s driving for Rick Hendrick. I couldn’t imagine going into Rick’s car as a rookie, even though he’s got his dad supporting him and got that to lean on, man that pressure to drive the 24 car must be immense. He’ll get calmed down and do better. He’s already pretty damn bad-ass. … Once he starts doing it real smoothly, his confidence will be through the roof.”

 

In winning the race Elliott also earned 10 driver points — part of a new points system NASCAR instituted this year. 

 

“I’m excited about that,” Elliott said. “But really, I’m just more excited about how this thing ran tonight and keeping it in one piece. It’s a great way to start the season for us. I know it’s just a Duel win and it doesn’t count towards a win in the playoffs, but it still means a lot to me and it means a lot to our team.”

 

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. was two laps away from potentially winning for the first time since November of 2015, leading the second of two Can-Am Duel qualifying races here Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway.


Then Austin Dillon cleared the No. 41 of Kurt Busch, slid up in line behind second-place Denny Hamlin and Earnhardt’s goose was cooked.


With no drafting help from behind, Earnhardt could do little but watch as car after car zoomed by on the high side. By the time the freight train had passed, Earnhardt was battling just to get back inside the top five with one more trip around the 2.5-mile layout remaining.


"I was hoping he would go with me but I would have probably done the same thing he did," Earnhardt said of Dillon’s move. "He finished fifth. He pushed that 11 in the lead, he was in second; it didn’t really work out that awesome for him."


Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing finished just one spot ahead of Earnhardt’s No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, which led 53 of 60 laps. It was Earnhardt’s first competitive appearance since mid-season of last year. He sat out the final 18 races of the season after suffering concussion-like symptoms.


WATCH: Hamlin, Dillon slide by Junior


If there was any rust, it wasn’t evident. Earnhardt, who will still start on the front row of Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR) battled briefly with Hamlin in the early portion of the qualifying race before settling down to lead 23 laps. Ryan Blaney (Wood Brothers Racing) won the race off pit road and led three laps before Earnhardt moved back on point at Lap 31.


And for most of the remaining laps, it was vintage Earnhardt, one of the series’ best at restrictor-plate racing and a two-time winner of the Daytona 500 as he was able to move high and low to keep the lines of traffic in his rear-view mirror.


Until the very end.


"I felt great," he said. "I felt like I’m a really good plate racer, there are some guys out there that are sure picking it up. Denny is one of them, (Joey) Logano … there are a few other guys that sure make it harder to win these things each time we come here. But I felt great out there."


Hamlin is the defending Daytona 500 winner. Dillon is a four-year veteran but still searching for that first trip to Victory Lane in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Both had capable rides Thursday evening.


"I think that we just worked together the entire race," Hamlin said of Dillon’s move that got him to the front. "It’s no different than if it was the other way around … I’d have a hard time not pushing him to a win."


As long as the drivers ran side-by-side behind Earnhardt and Hamlin, the two lines of cars kept each other in check and unable to make a run on the front two. That changed when Dillon was able to slide in behind Hamlin and leave a big gap with no help behind the race leader.


"Maybe if he would have gone with me we might have run first and second," Earnhardt said. "You never know. He did what he had to do and I might have done the same thing.


"Denny had such an awesome run. The 3 (of Dillon) is feeding off that energy and had that same momentum. He’s got to take his opportunities to try to get to the front. Hell, he might have won the race, you never know, if a couple of things had worked out for him."