DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. What should have been a tuneup for the Daytona 500 could cost Hendrick Motorsports the front row for NASCAR’s spectacular season opener.
Alex Bowman and William Byron would lead the Daytona 500 field to the green flag on Sunday, but it’s in trouble after Thursday night’s qualifying races. Bowman had an engine problem in the first 150-mile race, and if his car had to change, he would forfeit the pole.
Byron was caught in an accident in the second race that destroyed his Chevrolet. He has to move to a backup car for the 500 and the change sends him to the back of the field.
Aric Almirola won the first race, and after a rain delay pushed the second duel to a Friday morning final, Austin Dillon used a crossover move on Bubba Wallace to beat Wallace to the checkered flag.
Almirola, in a Ford, plans to start behind Byron, but will slip to the front row if Byron falls behind. Dillon, in a Chevrolet, will wait to see if Hendrick changes Bowman’s engine this weekend.
Austin Cindric and Kaz Grala both earned their first place in the Daytona 500 by claiming the two available transfer positions in the duel. Ty Dillon, Timmy Hill, Garrett Smithley and Noah Gragson could not succeed in penetrating.
Smithley and Gragson chased each other in the second race when Smithley wanted to turn around Gragson. Brad Keselowski on his outside did not expect Smithley to fill the gap, and the two collided and started a wreck that eliminated both Smithley and Gragson.
Byron was also caught in the crash.