NASCAR: Can-Am Duels Lineup Set for Thursday

After a fast-paced qualifying session on Sunday afternoon, the lineups are set for a pair of races on Thursday night. Here is what the Can-Am Duels will look like.

Once Chase Elliott crossed the finish line on Sunday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway, all the focus shifted to the coming storm on Thursday night. That storm will be the two races that decide the starting lineup for the Daytona 500, otherwise known as the Can-Am Duels.

Fans already know the drivers who will start from the front in each of the two duels. Chase Elliott earned his second consecutive Daytona 500 pole position on Sunday, meaning he will lead the first race to green. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who starts second in the Great American Race, will lead the second qualifying race.

Here is the lineup for each of the Can-Am Duels, which will run on Thursday, February 23:

Note: Open teams (those without a charter), are marked with an asterisk. Those who are locked into the Daytona 500 field are in bold.

Can-Am Duel #1

Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
Brad Keselowski, Ford, Team Penske
Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, Furniture Row Racing
Kevin Harvick, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
Matt Kenseth, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
Kyle Busch, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing
Daniel Suarez, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
Joey Logano, Ford, Team Penske
Trevor Bayne, Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing
Paul Menard, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing
Aric Almirola, Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports
Landon Cassill, Ford, Front Row Motorsports
Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, Go Fas Racing
Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing
Brendan Gaughan*, Chevrolet, Beard Motorsports
Michael Waltrip, Toyota, Premium Motorsports
Reed Sorenson*, Toyota, Premium Motorsports
Joey Gase, Toyota, BK Racing
Timmy Hill*, Chevrolet, Rick Ware Racing

Can-Am Duel #2

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
Clint Bowyer, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Germain Racing
Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing
Ryan Blaney, Ford, Wood Brothers Racing
Erik Jones, Toyota, Furniture Row Racing
Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing
Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing
Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
A.J. Allmendinger, Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing
Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, Leavine Family Racing
David Ragan, Ford, Front Row Motorsports
Cole Whitt, Ford, Tri-Star Motorsports
Elliott Sadler*, Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing
D.J. Kennington*, Toyota, Gaunt Brothers Racing
Corey LaJoie*, Toyota, BK Racing
Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, Circle Sport-TMG Racing

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Both Elliott and Earnhardt Jr. will start the front row unless their cars are wrecked in the Can-Am Duels. Meanwhile, both Brendan Gaughan and Elliott Sadler will race in the Daytona 500 thanks to their speeds in single-car runs on Sunday. However, both can still “race” into the event and allow another open team to fall back on qualifying speed.

Each of the Can-Am Duels will have three open drivers, a sort of race within the race. One non-charted team from each duel will get a ticket into the Great American race. Two of these six open teams will go home on Thursday night.

Remember, this year will mark a change for the qualifying races, as the winners of each race will be awarded ten points. The victors in each duel will start third and fourth respectively, and the rest of the field will be set in this alternating fashion. The final starters will be the open teams.

Who do you think will win the Can-Am Duels at Daytona? Which of the open teams will lock themselves into the Great American Race? Be sure to tune in for the qualifying races on Thursday night at 7:00 pm eastern on FS1.

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