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| Jimmie Johnson (Jerry Markland/Getty Images) (Left) and Dale Earnhardt JR. (Jared C. Tilton) (Right) celebrate in victory lane after winning the Budweiser Duels. |
Well, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt R. both had fabulous nights last night.
In DAYTONA 500 group qualifying, Dale Earnhardt JR. and Denny Hamlin failed post-qualifying inspection and had to start in the back for their Duels.
Let's just say that JiR. went from last to first in his Duel and will start third in the DAYTONA 500.
Jimmie Johnson won his Duel, but he was luckily already going to start second in the DAYTONA 500.
As you already knew, Jeff Gordon was going to start on the pole in his last Daytona 500.
But, Ty Dillon made headlines as well. He will run his first EVER DAYTONA 500 this Sunday with his brother Austin Dillon in the race as well. Ty Dillon is the only driver who will be running in the Trucks, XFINITY, and Sprint Cup opening races this season at Daytona.
Let's talk about Kyle Busch for a bit.
Since KB finished second to Johnson, Busch will start fourth right next to Dale Earnhardt JR.
This was Dale Earnhardt JR.'s fourth career Duel win. That would be the most but Jeff Gordon has five career Duel wins, so Gordon has the record.
By the 10th lap of his Duel race, JR. had worked his way up from 25th place, to sixth place.
But for Johnson, well this was his first ever Duel victory.
Kyle Busch actually had the lead in his Duel but lost it to speeding in Pit Road.
What also happened in Duel #2 was a four car wreck involving Jeb Burton and Alex Bowman. Austin Dillon and Sam Hornish JR. were also involved. David Ragan, who spun out earlier in the race, luckily didn't sustain much damage. He got the free pass on the caution of this four car wreck, which put him in a good spot to make the 500, which he did.
But Danica Patrick needed to get a Top-15 finish in her Duel or better if she wanted to guarantee a spot in the DAYTONA 500. But she was involved in a wreck instead. A wreck that seemed to have been begun by Denny Hamlub collected Patrick, Bobby Labonte, and Brian Scott. Patrick went straight into the wall.
The people that didn't make the 500 were Brian Scott, Justin Marks, Ron Hornaday JR., Jeb Burton, and Alex Bowman.
FINAL RESULTS: DUEL #1
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 Cassil
10.) Cole Whitt
11.) Paul Menard
12.) Michael McDowell
13.) J.J. 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.) A.J. Allmendinger
24.) Johnny Sauter
25.) Casey Mears
FINAL RESULTS: DUEL #2
1.) Jimmie Johnson
2.) Kyle Busch
3.) Carl Edwards
4.) Greg Biffle
5.) Martin Truex JR
6.) Ryan Blaney
7.) Reed Sorenson
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
21.) Sam Hornish JR.
22.) Jeb Burton
23.) Alex Bowman
24.) Josh Wise
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