Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrates his Budweiser Duel 1 win Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway. (Getty)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. started from the last position, but came out on top in Budweiser Duel 1 and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson won the second race on a chilly Thursday evening in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The Daytona 500 field is now set after the Duels from Daytona International Speedway.
The 57th edition of The Great American Race is Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern and will air on Fox.
Here are the recaps of the Budweiser Duels:
Budweiser Duel 1 Recap
Beginning in the 25th – and last – position of the race because of a failed inspection after last week’s Daytona 500 qualifying, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his way to the front of the pack early and won Budweiser Duel 1.
Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet did not meet NASCAR’s minimum height requirement at the official qualifying.
Daytona 500 pole sitter Jeff Gordon and Joey Logano were there at the end, but Junior held on for the victory and will start in the third spot in Sunday’s Daytona 500.
Budweiser Duel 1 Results
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Joey Logano
4. Tony Stewart
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Kevin Harvick
7. Kasey Kahne
8. Jamie McMurray
9. Landon Cassill
10. Cole Whitt
11. Paul Menard
12. Michael McDowell
13. JJ Yeley
14. Michael Annett
15. Kyle Larson
16. Ty Dillon
17. Matt Kenseth
18. Justin Marks
19. Brad Keselowski
20. Aric Almirola
21. Ron Hornaday Jr.
22. Trevor Bayne
23. AJ Allmendinger (Did not finish)
24. Johnny Sauter (Did not finish)
25. Casey Mears (Did not finish)
Budweiser Duel 2 Recap
Jimmie Johnson won Duel 2 in a green-white-checker finish after a late wreck involving Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin. Patrick was clearly upset post-race and the two had a somewhat heated exchange.
Patrick was 18th at the time of the wreck, but returned and rallied to finish 10th and clinch a spot in Sunday’s Daytona 500 field.
Kyle Busch finished second and Carl Edwards took third.
A 4-car wreck on the 37th lap involving Jeb Burton, Sam Hornish Jr., Austin Dillon and Alex Bowman caused a race stoppage. Only Dillon returned to the race.
Budweiser Duel 2 Results
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kyle Busch
3. Carl Edwards
4. Greg Biffle
5. Martin Truex Jr.
6. Reed Sorenson
7. Ryan Blaney
8. Mike Wallace
9. Justin Allgaier
10. Danica Patrick
11. Ryan Newman
12. Kurt Busch
13. David Gilliland
14. David Ragan
15. Austin Dillon
16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
17. Brian Scott
18. Denny Hamlin
19. Michael Waltrip
20. Bobby Labonte (Did not finish)
21. Sam Hornish Jr. (Did not finish)
22. Jeb Burton (Did not finish)
23. Alex Bowman (Did not finish)
24. Josh Wise (Did not finish)
