DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports secured a victory in the second Duel qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday night, positioning himself well for Sunday’s Daytona 500. The race, a stark contrast to the chaotic opening Duel, saw Elliott cross the finish line ahead of Carson Hocevar by a margin of 0.065 seconds.
Elliott’s win, his third career Duel victory, earns him the fourth starting spot for the prestigious Daytona 500. He also collected 10 NASCAR Cup Series championship points, tying him with Joey Logano, winner of Duel 1, for the points lead heading into the main event. Kyle Larson, Michael McDowell, and Christopher Bell rounded out the top five finishers.
“A great way to get the blood pumping for sure on a Thursday night,” Elliott said after the race. “There was a lot going on those last handful… It was a lot of fun. Had some great support there. Carson [Hocevar] did a great job helping me control those lanes, helping get Team Chevy to Victory Lane tonight.” He acknowledged the collaborative effort with Hocevar, emphasizing the difficulty of maintaining control whereas pushing for the lead.
The race saw a strategic alliance between Hendrick Motorsports and Spire cars, working together to dictate the pace and control the finish until the final moments. Josh Berry, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Todd Gilliland, Ty Gibbs, and Denny Hamlin completed the top ten.
While Elliott’s victory garnered attention, the Duel also determined the final open spot in the Daytona 500 field. Anthony Alfredo, driving the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet, secured the last remaining position in a closely watched battle with BJ McLeod and JJ Yeley.
Alfredo’s 18th-place finish was enough to lock him into the field, marking his third Daytona 500 start and his first since 2024. An emotional Alfredo expressed relief and gratitude, acknowledging the significance of the opportunity after facing uncertainty in his career. “Making it on time is a lot easier,” he said, visibly moved. “This is for the third time. It’s really cool… My career has had a lot of ups, and downs. You never realize when you’re going to get another shot.” He credited Beard Motorsports and Dude Wipes for their continued support.
McLeod, who finished 19th, was hampered by a fuel miscalculation, falling short of qualifying for the Daytona 500 by 27.5 seconds. He expressed frustration with fuel-saving strategies at superspeedways.
The race saw Chase Briscoe lead for a significant portion, with a focus on fuel conservation during the initial stages. Pit stop strategy became crucial in the closing laps, with McDowell briefly taking the lead before Elliott ultimately seized control. A brief moment of tension arose when Erik Jones led a line of Toyotas attempting to navigate through slower traffic, but the maneuver was executed without incident.
