Kurt Busch, Jeff Burton win Gatorade Duels at Daytona International Speedway – NASCAR news
On Thursday, green flag dropped for the Gatorade Duels at Daytona International Speedway. Kurt Busch and Jeff Burton won the Duel 1 and Duel 2 respectively. Busch and Burton will lead the field for Daytona 500 start-up.
The Duel race 1 had an incident by the second lap, when Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart hooked-up in bumped drafting heading Newman into spin. Overall, both cars were able to run and continued the race. The two-car hook-up went clean running side-by-side
for the lead until Michael McDowell halted in smoke. Caution lap bought J.J. Yeley’s fate to highline. By the caution, Bill Elliot and Kevin Conway transferred their positions.
By the chequered lap Kasey Kahne hooked up with Tony Stewart. Regan Smith pushed Busch to the second lead on track. Regan Smith hit the final move but Busch had already scored the win.
Busch said, “It's amazing what partnerships can do on the race track and when two guys can think the same without saying a word, good things are going to happen for those two guys.”
Bill Elliot and J.J. Yeley made to Daytona 500. Elliot’s entry is based upon Duel and whereas Michael Waltrip entered upon speed.
Elliot felt the newly paved track was working more than good for the drivers and made the racing more fun than ever.
The second Duel was dramatised by some wrecking scenes. It started when Casey Mears blew his power plant in pushing to qualify for Daytona 500. Casey Mears was running high with hopes to do well enough for race.
On the 17th lap, Joey Logano wrecked by hitting within a pack in closing up.
By the time 21 laps were left to run, Brad Keselowski swirled in turn three by the inverse effect of bump drafting caused by Todd Bodine. After the spin, Brian Keselowski hooked with his brother Brad Keselowski and made the day.
At the 12-lap countdown Kyle Busch slowed down to avoid a contact with Greg Biffle which caused Denny Hamlin to spin. Six at the countdown Bodine, David Reuitmann, and Steve Wallace wrecked up. At the moment Clint Bowyer was at lead followed by Jeff
Burton at second.
Caution was raised by four laps to the chequered Bowyer hooked Burton from rear and galloped the pace, but when Bowyer tried to swap back Burton was the winner.
Trevor Bayne, David Regan and Jeff Gordon all wrecked up, creating a new twist by the line. Bayne and Regan are planned to run back-up cars. Gordon’s team will work out with the wrecked machine to keep up with pole position.
Daytona 500 qualifiers were Brian Keselowski and Michael Waltrip. Dave Blaney got in by the speed in qualifying.
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