Dale Earnhardt Jr triumphed in the first Duel qualifying race for the Daytona 500 on Thursday night.
The 2004 and ’14 500 winner led 43 of the Duel’s 60 laps, battling back past Denny Hamlin in the closing stages after the Joe Gibbs Toyota jumped to the front during the race’s sole pitstop sequence.
Earnhardt’s Hendrick Chevrolet looked unstoppable once back out front, while Hamlin was shuffled back to fifth place by the flag.
Joey Logano clawed his way through to second after losing ground by virtue of taking fresh tyres in the pitstops while most frontrunners settled for just a fuel top-up.
As well as settling the starting grid for Sunday’s main event, the Duels also decide which of the non-charter entrants fail to qualify for the 500.
Ryan Blaney made the cut in heroic style. Having dropped a lap down due to a loose wheel on his Wood Brothers Ford, Blaney got back on the lead lap during the race’s only yellow and then surged from the back to third place.
Michael McDowell also made it through for the Circle Sport Leavine Family team by virtue of his pace in qualifying last Sunday. He came home 14th.
That meant Motorsports Group driver Josh Wise and Premium Motorsports’ Cole Whitt failed to qualify.
Wise could only finish 17th, while Whitt triggered the yellow with a spin as he battled with Brian Scott and then slowed with a mechanical problem.
With pole for the 500 already secured, Chase Elliott kept his nose clean to finish sixth behind Kevin Harvick and Hamlin.
The second Duel takes place later on Thursday night.
