NASCAR: Starting lineups for Can-Am Duels set – Bowman and Hamlin up front
By Asher Fair
The starting lineups for the two NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am Duels this Thursday are officially set. Who will start in what position in these races?
The front row for the 60th annual Daytona 500, which is set to kick off the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season next Sunday at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, was set in this afternoon’s qualifying session at the 2.5-mile high-banked tri-oval.
Also set during this qualifying session were the starting grids for Thursday’s two Can-Am Duels, which will determine the starting positions from 3rd to 40th place for the Daytona 500.
Set to start on the front row of the Daytona 500 are Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, who took the pole position in his #88 Chevrolet, and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, who qualified in 2nd place in his #11 Toyota.
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Those two drivers will both start their respective Can-Am Duels from the pole position, with Bowman doing so in the first race and Hamlin doing so in the second race.
The other 38 Daytona 500 qualifiers were slotted into either Can-Am Duel #1 or Can-Am Duel #2 based on their qualifying position this afternoon. Drivers who ended up qualifying in an odd position will line up behind Bowman in Can-Am Duel #1, while drivers who ended up qualifying in an even position will line up behind Hamlin in Can-Am Duel #2.
The way it worked out, the top three starters in Can-Am Duel #1 all drive for Hendrick Motorsports and the top three starters in Can-Am Duel #2 all drive for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Chase Elliott, the lone Hendrick Motorsports driver who is not set to start in the top three in Can-Am Duel #1, is set to start in 5th place in Can-Am Duel #2, and Daniel Suarez, the lone Joe Gibbs Racing driver who is not set to start in the top three in Can-Am Duel #2, is set to start in 4th place in Can-Am Duel #1.
Here is the full starting grid for Can-Am Duel #1.
| Rank | Driver | Car, Team, Engine |
| 1 | Alex Bowman | #88, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet |
| 2 | Jimmie Johnson | #48, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet |
| 3 | William Byron | #24, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet |
| 4 | Daniel Suarez | #19, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota |
| 5 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | #17, Roush Fenway Racing, Ford |
| 6 | Joey Logano | #22, Team Penske, Ford |
| 7 | Aric Almirola | #10, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford |
| 8 | Ryan Blaney | #12, Team Penske, Ford |
| 9 | Kurt Busch | #41, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford |
| 10 | Brad Keselowski | #2, Team Penske, Ford |
| 11 | Ryan Newman | #31, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet |
| 12 | Jamie McMurray | #1, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet |
| 13 | Darrell Wallace Jr. | #43, Richard Petty Motorsports, Chevrolet |
| 14 | Ty Dillon | #13, Germain Racing, Chevrolet |
| 15 | Chris Buescher | #37, JTG Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet |
| 16 | Brendan Gaughan | #62, Beard Motorsports, Chevrolet |
| 17 | Matt DiBenedetto | #32, Go FAS Racing, Ford |
| 18 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | #00, StarCom Racing, Chevrolet |
| 19 | David Gilliland | #92, RBR Enterprises, Ford |
| 20 | David Ragan | #38, Front Row Motorsports, Ford |
Here is the starting grid for Can-Am Duel #2.
| Rank | Driver | Car, Team, Engine |
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | #11, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | #18, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota |
| 3 | Erik Jones | #20, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | #4, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford |
| 5 | Chase Elliott | #9, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet |
| 6 | Paul Menard | #21, Wood Brothers Racing, Ford |
| 7 | Austin Dillon | #3, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet |
| 8 | Clint Bowyer | #14, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford |
| 9 | Kasey Kahne | #95, Leavine Family Racing, Chevrolet |
| 10 | Trevor Bayne | #6, Roush Fenway Racing, Ford |
| 11 | Kyle Larson | #42, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet |
| 12 | Michael McDowell | #34, Front Row Motorsports, Ford |
| 13 | Martin Truex Jr. | #78, Furniture Row Racing, Toyota |
| 14 | Danica Patrick | #7, Premium Motorsports, Chevrolet |
| 15 | AJ Allmendinger | #47, JTG Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet |
| 16 | Justin Marks | #51, Rick Ware Racing, Chevrolet |
| 17 | D.J. Kennington | #96, Gaunt Brothers Racing, Toyota |
| 18 | Mark Thompson | #66, MBM Motorsports, Ford |
| 19 | Corey Lajoie | #72, TriStar Motorsports, Chevrolet |
| 20 | Gray Gaulding | #23, BK Racing, Toyota |
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The Can-Am Duels are set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 this Thursday, February 15th at 7:00 pm ET and 8:30 pm ET. Be sure to catch the action live from Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, as the starting grid for the 60th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 18th is slated to be determined from the results of these races.