Daytona Duels 2023 results: Joey Logano, Aric Almirola take checkered flags at Daytona 500 qualifying races
Aric Almirola didn’t expect to compete in the Daytona 500 this week.
The Cup Series veteran had his sights set on retirement at some point last year and only announced his intention to return to the Cup Series circuit at the end of August.
The Florida native has had a solid career, rising to fifth in the playoff points rankings. For all his impressive exploits, Almirola has yet to capture the great one – “The Great American Race”.
He boosted his chances on Thursday and sped past the field to secure his place on row No. 2 on Sunday. He is joined by Team Penske’s Joey Logano, who won Duel 1 earlier in the day.
It was a pair of races that turned out to be diametrically opposed. The first was clean, and the drivers kept things as smooth as possible. Race 2 was a different story, especially after race director Kyle Busch retired.
It’s just a prelude to the big race on Sunday. But it was entertaining. Fans will be hoping to catch a glimpse of even more action this coming weekend.
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Sporting News followed live updates from Thursday’s Daytona duel. Below are the highlights and results from Thursday’s qualifying races. Below is the action as it happened at Daytona International Speedway.
Duel 1 starting lineup
| position | driver | car no | team |
| 1 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Henrik Motorsport |
| 2 | William Byron | 24 | Henrik Motorsport |
| 3 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penke |
| 4 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penke |
| 5 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers race |
| 6 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI race |
| 7 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 8th | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse race |
| 9 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas race |
| 10 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 11 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 12 | Jimmie Johnson | 84 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 13 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Motorsport in the front row |
| 14 | Eric Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 15 | Zane Smith | 36 | Motorsport in the front row |
| 16 | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 17 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 18 | Rick Stenhouse | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 19 | CodyWare | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 20 | Ty Dillon | 77 | Spire Motorsport |
| 21 | ChandlerSmith | 13 | Kaulig Racing |
Duel 2 starting lineup
| position | driver | car no | team |
| 1 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Henrik Motorsport |
| 2 | Arik Almirila | 10 | Stewart-Haas race |
| 3 | Hunt Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas race |
| 4 | Austin Cinderic | 2 | Team Penke |
| 5 | Kyle Bush | 8th | Richard Childress Racing |
| 6 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse race |
| 7 | Chase Eliot | 9 | Henrik Motorsport |
| 8th | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas race |
| 9 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 10 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI race |
| 11 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 12 | Travis Pastrana | 67 | 23XI race |
| 13 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 14 | Noah Gragson | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 15 | Justin Haley | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
| 16 | Austin Hill | 62 | Bart Motorsport |
| 17 | death Gilland | 38 | Motorsport in the front row |
| 18 | BJ McLeod | 78 | Live fast motorsport |
| 19 | Riley Autumn | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 20 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsport |
| 21 | Conor Daly | 50 | The Money Team Racing |
Daytona Duels 2023 live updates, highlights
(All times Easter)
9:50 p.m.: Duel 2 final results:
9:45 p.m.: The checkered flag is waved and Almirola wins. On Sunday he sits in the second row.
Daly grabs the last free car seat. Floyd Mayweather could have his champion.
9:44 p.m.: Almirola makes his move and passes Gilliland. It has to be said Gilliland made a daring save to give themselves a chance on Sunday.
9:42 p.m.: Austin Cindric, Daytona’s favorite in recent years, snatched the top spot from Almirola. He’s got Todd Gilliland on his butt. Only three more rounds.
9:36 p.m.: Larson had his sights set on Keselowski with 11 laps to go. Lots of risk for the #5 car, especially with a driver as aggressive as Keselowski on his bumper.
Almirola holds the top spot.
9:34 p.m.: Hill’s car pulled into the garage. If he can’t continue, it will push Daly into Sunday’s race.
9:29 p.m.: Pastrana’s car broke down. Looks like he got a taste of Busch’s wreck. That means the last open point will be between Hill and Conor Daly.
9:24 p.m.: ATTENTION! Suarez sends Busch into the wall, destroying the race leader and setting off a chain reaction that flows down the track. Hill was involved, which could prove problematic in his efforts to qualify for Sunday’s main event.
9:18 p.m.: Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Tyler Reddick try to get up the flank. Keselowski with a push on Hamlin putting the No. 11 car in 11th place. 24 laps left.
9:13 p.m.: Halfway through today’s (second) race, Busch is a tenth of a second ahead of Daniel Suarez. Racers who still stay in that single line, although you can’t imagine it will stay that way as we near the end of the race.
9:08 p.m.: Denny Hamlin tries to charge to the outside. Nevertheless, the first 23 laps on the track were pretty orderly. Busch-Holding in first place.
21:03: Further back, open car drivers Austin Hill and Travis Pastrana are poised to compete in Sunday’s big race. Pastrana has already secured a place after setting a top two time in the open car in yesterday’s time trial. He is currently ranked 19th, one spot behind Hill.
8:59 p.m.: After a slight delay back to green. Larson, Kyle Busch and Almirola are all playing for first place. 13 rounds in and it’s Busch with the smallest advantage over Larson.
8:50 p.m.: ATTENTION! The first warning flag of the night was waved after someone flew around a window on lap 7. Larson and Almirola at the front of the field early.
8:46 p.m.: Waving the green flag! Kyle Larson leads the line in the second leg of the Daytona Duels.
8:35 p.m.: Motorists fire up their engines. Duel 2 is scheduled to start in a few minutes.
8:30 p.m.: Unofficial Results of Duel 1:
8:10 p.m.: Cutting and dicing starts with two to go. Christopher Bell and Bubba Wallace move to the outside, forcing the leaders to block. Logano stops with a nudge from teammate Blaney Bell to win less than half a car length. The reigning series champion starts third in the 500cc. Zane Smith races into the race.
8:05 p.m.: Zane Smith is six laps away from going into Sunday’s main event. He is in the top flight and well ahead of Chandler Smith.
8 p.m.: Up to the last 10 rounds. Nobody is willing to mix it up and cost themselves their main car for the 500.
7:55 p.m.: The race was split into two groups of cars. The leading field is led by Logano and Kevin Harvick with 18 to go.
7:45 p.m.: The leaders, consisting of Toyotas and Fords, make their pit stops on lap 30. Joey Logano comes out with the lead.
7:40 p.m.: Green flag pit stops for the Chevrolet cars on lap 23. They will work to get back on the airflow after exiting the pit lane. Chandler Smith gets nailed for speeding, costing him dearly in his attempt to race in the 500.
7:35 p.m.: A third of Duel 1 (20 rounds) is out. Ryan Blaney leads the pack, which is now mostly in the single-file race. Blaney’s best friend Bubba Wallace is right behind him in second place.
19:30 o’clock: Pole-sitter Alex Bowman would rather fall to the back of the field than risk an accident that would cost him his place at the top on Sunday.
7:25 p.m.: Everyone behaves in the early laps, with the field racing front to back in twos and not making much bumps.
7:15 p.m.: Someone was hooked on giving the drivers command ahead of Duel 1:
Daytona Duels 2023 start times
- Duel 1: 7 p.m. ET
- Duel 2: 8:45 p.m. ET (approx.)
Duel 1 consists of odd-numbered people (one, three, five, etc.) from time trials. Duel 2 will include the even-numbered participants in the study.
Daytona Duels 2023 TV Channel
- TV channel: FS1 (USA), TSN (Canada)
- Live broadcast: FoxSports.com, Fox Sports App, fuboTV
Thursday’s races will be broadcast nationally on FS1. Mike Joy (play-by-play) will conduct the call; He will be joined by analysts Clint Bowyer and Larry McReynolds, who will occasionally provide food for thought from the booth.
The races can be streamed on Fox Sports platforms or fuboTV which offer a free trial.