Daytona Duel lineups set for Thursday night as Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe grab top speeds

Single-car qualifying under the lights Wednesday night (ET) delivered a clear headline: Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe swept the two fastest laps, locking in the front row for Sunday’s Daytona 500 and placing each driver on the pole for his respective Daytona Duel. The twin 150-mile qualifiers roll Thursday night (ET), with 23 cars slated for the first race and 22 for the second to finalize the 41-car grid.

Front-row speed turns into Duel poles

Speed is already paying dividends in Daytona. Busch’s blistering lap secures the Daytona 500 pole, with Briscoe set to launch alongside him on the outside of Row 1. Those same laps carry extra weight on Thursday night, where both drivers will lead their respective fields to green in the qualifying races. While Sunday’s very front row is now set, the Duels will determine the remainder of the starting order and sort the full entry list into race-day positions.

Two 150-milers, one 41-car starting grid

The format is straightforward: a pair of 150-mile pack races on Thursday (ET), collectively referred to as the Daytona Duels, will set the grid behind the locked-in front row. With 23 starters in the opening race and 22 in the nightcap, teams will balance track position, drafting alliances, and pit timing to punch their tickets to favorable starting spots for the main event. It’s the last competitive dress rehearsal before the sport’s biggest stage on Sunday (ET).

Notable pairings through the rows

Beyond the poles, the two lineups feature several heavyweight matchups sprinkled through the mid-pack and deeper into the grid across the two races:

• Row 4 features Justin Allgaier next to Austin Cindric.
• Row 5 pairs John Hunter Nemechek with Brad Keselowski.
• Row 9 places AJ Allmendinger alongside Ross Chastain.
• Row 10 in one race features Shane van Gisbergen with Daniel Suárez.
• Row 10 in the other race matches Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with Tyler Reddick.

With established superspeedway tacticians and aggressive movers sprinkled throughout, both fields should see active drafting packs, manufacturer teamwork, and late-lap shuffling as drivers try to lock down track position for Sunday.

What’s at stake on Thursday night

While outright Duel wins carry bragging rights and momentum, the bigger prize is placement on the Daytona 500 grid and the chance to avoid the chaotic mid-pack on Sunday. Clean execution on pit road, the timing of green-flag stops, and the ability to maintain position in the outside lane will be pivotal. Expect teams to rehearse their drafting chemistry and refine fuel windows under race conditions, all while managing risk in traffic. The Duels often reveal which organizations have speed in the pack versus single-car runs and who can close deals in the final laps.

Setting the table for Sunday

With the front row already locked by Busch and Briscoe, Thursday night’s results will fill in the rest of the board. For veterans and newcomers alike, a calm, clean Duel can be the difference between starting near the front pack or deep in the hornet’s nest when the green flag drops for the Daytona 500 on Sunday (ET). The twin 150s will offer the week’s clearest snapshot yet of drafting strength, lane balance, and which teams are poised to control the sport’s marquee season opener.