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Start time, TV info and lineup for Budweiser Duel qualifiers for the Daytona 500

Gatorade Duel 2

Gatorade Duel 2

Getty Images for NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will set the field for its season opening Daytona 500 with a pair of qualifying races Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway. Here are the particulars:

START, RACE #1: Paul Wise, a zone merchandise leader for 7-11, will give the command for drivers to start their engines at 7:07 p.m. Eastern Sunday, followed by the green flag at 7:19 p.m.

START, RACE #2: Jorge Torres, a Budweiser wholesaler, will give the command for drivers to start their engines at approximately 8:51 p.m. Eastern Sunday, followed by the green flag at 9:01 p.m. (TIMES WILL DEPEND ON FINISH OF FIRST RACE).

DISTANCE: Each qualifying race is scheduled for 60 laps (150 miles) around the 2.5-mile oval.

NATIONAL ANTHEM: It will be performed by Melissa TenBroeck of Daytona Beach, Fla., at 7:01 p.m.

TV/RADIO: Fox Sports 1 will broadcast tonight’s race, starting at 7 p.m. Motor Racing Network will broadcast the race on radio and MRN.com.

FORECAST: The wunderground.com site predicts 41 degrees at race time with no chance of rain.

LAST TIME: Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth made it a clean sweep for Joe Gibbs Racing in the first Gatorade Duel under the lights at Daytona.

LOCKED INTO THE RACE: There are 13 drivers with guaranteed spots. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson (front row), Aric Almirola, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray (qualifying speeds), Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Hamlin, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Kenseth (points), Tony Stewart (champion). Everyone else either must make the race by finishing in the top 15 or taking a spot on qualifying spot or points.

STARTING LINEUP:

Race No.1:


  1. Jeff Gordon
  2. Matt Kenseth
  3. Kasey Kahne
  4. Ty Dillon
  5. Jamie McMurray
  6. Johnny Sauter
  7. Trevor Bayne
  8. Aric Almirola
  9. Brad Keselowski
  10. Joey Logano
  11. J. Yeley
  12. Paul Menard
  13. J. Allmendinger
  14. Kevin Harvick
  15. Tony Stewart
  16. Casey Mears
  17. Michael Annett
  18. Kyle Larson
  19. Michael McDowell
  20. Clint Bowyer
  21. Justin Marks
  22. Cole Whitt
  23. Landon Cassill
  24. Ron Hornaday Jr.
  25. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Race No. 2:

Jimmie Johnson


  1. Kyle Busch
  2. Carl Edwards
  3. Austin Dillon
  4. Martin Truex Jr.
  5. Greg Biffle
  6. Sam Hornish Jr.
  7. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  8. Ryan Blaney
  9. Michael Waltrip
  10. Bobby Labonte
  11. Alex Bowman
  12. Ryan Newman
  13. Kurt Busch
  14. Danica Patrick
  15. Brian Scott
  16. Justin Allgaier
  17. David Gilliland
  18. Jeb Burton
  19. Reed Sorenson
  20. David Ragan
  21. Josh Wise
  22. Mike Wallace
  23. Denny Hamlin