Joey Logano powered his way to victory in the first Duel at Daytona on Thursday night, securing a starting spot on the inside of the second row for the Daytona 500.
Logano led the field into overtime of the 150-mile qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway and held off the charge from his Team Penske teammate, Ryan Blaney.
A crash on the final lap involving Corey LaJoie triggered chaos in the pack and opened the door for Casey Mears, who slipped through the wreckage to finish seventh and race his way into the Daytona 500.
Mears’ path to the 500 was anything but straightforward.
He spun midway through the race during the round of green-flag pit stops and appeared to be out of contention. But he remained on the lead lap, kept his car intact and found himself in position when it mattered most.
As smoke and debris filled the air in the closing moments, Mears avoided trouble and drove through—hitting the No. 99 of LaJoie in the door—to claim the spot he needed to secure a place in the field.
The late crash ended the hopes of LaJoie and Chandler Smith, who both failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 and will not compete in Sunday’s race.
Logano’s victory, meanwhile, adds momentum heading into the sport’s biggest event, also rewarding him 10 Chase points.
With a front-row-adjacent starting position locked in, he will roll off inside the second row for the 500 as he chases a second Harley J. Earl Trophy.
