Race: Budweiser Duel at Daytona International Speedway
Track Specs: 2.5-mile superspeedway
Weather: Clear, 40 degrees
Race Winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. charged from the back to the front to win Thursday’s first Budweiser Duel qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway. The victory, Earnhardt’s fourth career qualifying race victory, gives the No. 88 Nationwide Insurance team the third-starting position for Sunday’s Daytona 500.
Much like the previous weekend’s Sprint Unlimited, where Earnhardt started 24th of 25 cars, the two-time Daytona 500 winner methodically worked his way from the rear of the field to the front using the inside lane to move up to the top 10 after only seven laps. Eight laps later, the No. 88 had cracked the top five for the first time.
After restarting third just past the race’s halfway point, Earnhardt edged his way into the lead at lap 35. Despite a resilient effort from Matt Kenseth, Earnhardt eventually wrestled the top spot away for good at lap 43 with a strong push from his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon.
Earnhardt survived a late-race restart with five laps to go and held off Gordon and Joey Logano to earn the victory in the 60-lap event.