CONCORD, N.C. – While Hendrick Motorsports’ drivers qualified first, second, third and fifth in Wednesday evening’s DAYTONA 500 qualifying session, only two of those starting spots are locked in for “The Great American Race.”
Kyle Larson earned his first career DAYTONA 500 pole with teammate Alex Bowman beside him on the outside pole for Sunday’s 200-lap race.
But the rest of the starting grid will be solidified on Thursday.
The Duel at DAYTONA -- two 60-lap, 150-mile races at Daytona International Speedway – will determine who will line up in the remaining spots on the starting grid for “The Great American Race.”
This year, three Hendrick Motorsports teammates will participate in the first Duel with one teammate in the second Duel.
Larson will start the first Duel – which begins at 7 p.m. ET – on the pole with William Byron on the outside pole. Chase Elliott will line up third.
Bowman will start the second Duel – which begins at approximately 8:45 p.m. ET – on the pole.
The first Duel will set the inside row of the DAYTONA 500 starting grid, while the second Duel will determine the outside row.
Hendrick Motorsports has amassed a record 16 Duel victories, including four straight wins from 2016 – 2019. Chase Elliott won back-to-back Duel races in 2017 and 2018 and William Byron was victorious in 2020.
Both Duels will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.