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Duels 1 and 2 at Daytona Prediction, Race Preview, Odds and Picks

Speedweek Kicks Off With Two 60-Lap Sprints

Setting Grid for Great American Race

To set the grid for the Daytona 500, the top two drivers from single-lap qualifying on Wednesday will claim the front row while the rest of the drivers move on to Thursday’s 2023 Bluegreen Vacation Duels. These Duels will be the first real online sports betting action from Speedweek, giving everyone a charge heading into the weekend.

There will be two Duels that divide the grid into separate heats to determine the starting order for the Daytona 500. The finishers from heat one are given the inside rows while heat two will fill the outside rows. NASCAR Cup Series points are awarded to the drivers who finish first through 10th.

: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Blue
: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Blue - Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images/afp

Each Duel features 18 charters while open entrants make up the rest of the grid. After the dust settles on the duels, we’ll know the Daytona 500 starting order featuring 36 Charter entries and four open entries.

The two fastest open entries in qualifying are guaranteed spots in the Daytona 500 and do not have to participate in the Duels.

Let’s check the latest NASCAR news, stats, injury reports, and NASCAR lines for NASCAR Cup Series Duels at Daytona. We’ve got plenty of NASCAR picks for you to consider.

The Pole Position Favorites

Before we can think about who will win the Duels, we need to think about which drivers will not be in the Duels and will be sitting on the front row for the Daytona 500. We’re going to use a NASCAR specials betting line to help us determine our Daytona 500 front row.

The first thing to note is that a Chevrolet has held the pole position at the Daytona 500 for the past 10 events, dating back to Danica Patrick’s pole position in 2013.

Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron are the three featured Chevrolet drivers in the NASCAR Specials Duels Forecast line. Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano are the two Ford drivers among the favorites for pole position, and they are joined by Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace driving Toyota machinery.

While there are different combinations of these drivers, we favor the Kyle Larson/Bubba Wallace and Larson/Joey Logano lines, both at +2800, as the favorites to finish qualifying 1-2.

However, if history tells us anything, it’s very difficult to win back-to-back pole positions at the Daytona 500. Elliott was the last to do it in 2016-17, ending a drought dating to when Ken Schrader won three in a row from 1988-1990. Larson to claim a second consecutive pole position is far from a lock.

Winners of the Duels

With Larson’s Chevrolet off the board, who has a realistic shot at winning the Duels?

While Chevrolet locked out the front row for the 2022 Daytona 500, Ford machinery finished in the top four positions in 2022’s Duel 1 and the top three positions in Duel 2.

Names like Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin, Team Penske’s trio of Cup Series contenders Blaney and Logano, alongside 2022 Daytona 500 winner Austing Cindrick, should be among the names you are picking to win the Duels.

As for Chevrolet rides, Hendrick Motorsports Elliott and William Byron, Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch and Austin Dillion, and Trackhouse’s Ross Chastain are the names that are likely to be at the top of the odds when you are betting online and the odds for the Duels are released.

022 Duels 1 and 2 at Daytona Results

Hendrick Motorsports teammates Larson and Bowman locked out the front row for the 2022 Daytona 500 in single-lap qualifying.

RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski won the first Duel in 2022 while RFK Racing teammate Chris Buescher won the second Duel in 2022, locking out the second row for the Daytona 500.

Duels 1 and 2 at Daytona Race Information

  • Race: NASCAR Cup Series Duels at Daytona – 2 Duels @ 60 laps (150 mi)
  • Location: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.
  • Day/Time: Thursday, Feb. 16, Duel 1: 7 p.m. ET; Duel 2: 8:45 p.m. ET
  • NASCAR Cup Series Duels at Daytona Live Stream: NBCSports.com

NASCAR Cup Series Duels at Daytona Betting Odds

Daytona 500 Moneyline
Ryan Blaney +1100
Kyle Larson +1200
Denny Hamlin +1100
Chase Elliott +1200
Joey Logano +1200
William Byron +1600
Ross Chastain +1600
Kyle Busch +1400
Bubba Wallace +1600
Austin Cindric +1800

The odds in this chart are based on the time of publication. They are subject to change.

Duels 1 and 2 at Daytona Picks and Prediction

There are no NASCAR odds to review for the Duels since single-lap qualifying for the Daytona 500 is set for Wednesday night.

A Chevrolet has taken the last 10 pole positions, and we think at least one Chevrolet and Ford ride will be off the board after qualifying. Our favorites to win the duels without knowing who is in each field are Blaney, Wallace, and Truex. Although, don’t be surprised if we get another surprise winner from the likes of the RFK Racing team.

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