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Blaney, Elliott win Can-Am Duels, set grid for Daytona 500

By Nick Tylwalk

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 15: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag ahead of Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Ford, to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am Duel 2 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 15: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag ahead of Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Ford, to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am Duel 2 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott will start in Row 2 for the 60th edition of the Great American Race after winning their respective Can-Am Duels on Thursday night.

The field is set for the 2018 Daytona 500, and all three manufacturers have cars in the first two rows. That’s two Rick Hendrick Chevrolets, a Team Penske Ford and a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, for those of you keeping score.

Alex Bowman and Denny Hamlin already knew they’d be starting the Great American Race in the first two positions after earning them in qualifying over the weekend, but Blaney and Elliott now know they will be right behind them for the green flag thanks to victories in the two Can-Am Duel races on Thursday. Blaney had to go to overtime for his win, fending off Joey Logano and Bubba Wallace after a late restart to win Duel 1.

Elliott didn’t need nearly as much drama to take his Duel 2 victory, leading more than half the laps. Kevin Harvick, Erik Jones, Clint Bowyer and Kyle Busch rounded out that race’s top five.

A number of drivers, including some who should be strong contenders for a Daytona 500 victory, will have to get it done in backup cars after crashing in the Duels. Kyle Larson, Matt DiBenedetto, Aric Almirola, William Byron, David Gilliland, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski are all among those who will head to the rear of the field in backup cars when the 500 begins.

Next: Fords will be fine in the Daytona 500

Coverage of the Daytona 500 begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 18, with a pre-race show beginning at 11:00 a.m.

2018 Daytona 500 starting grid

  1. Alex Bowman – No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
  2. Denny Hamlin – No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
  3. Ryan Blaney – No. 12 Team Penske Ford
  4. Chase Elliott – No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
  5. Joey Logano – No. 22 Team Penske Ford
  6. Kevin Harvick – No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
  7. Bubba Wallace – No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet
  8. Erik Jones – No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
  9. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
  10. Clint Bowyer – No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
  11. Kurt Busch – No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
  12. Kyle Busch – No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
  13. Ryan Newman – No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
  14. Austin Dillon – No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
  15. David Ragan – No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
  16. Paul Menard – No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
  17. Daniel Suarez – No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
  18. Trevor Bayne – No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
  19. Jamie McMurray – No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
  20. AJ Allmendinger – No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
  21. Chris Buescher – No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
  22. Michael McDowell – No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
  23. Ty Dillon – No. 13 Germain Racing Chevrolet
  24. Martin Truex Jr. – No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota
  25. Brendan Gaughan – No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet
  26. Kasey Kahne – No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet
  27. Jeffrey Earnhardt – No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevrolet
  28. Danica Patrick – No. 7 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet
  29. Justin Marks – No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
  30. D.J. Kennington – No. 96 Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota
  31. Brad Keselowski – No. 2 Team Penske Ford
  32. Corey LaJoie – No. 72 TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet
  33. William Byron – No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
  34. Gray Gaulding – No. 23 BK Racing Toyota
  35. Jimmie Johnson – No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
  36. Matt DiBenedetto – No. 32 Go Fas Racing Ford
  37. Aric Almirola – No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
  38. Kyle Larson – No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
  39. David Gilliland – No. 92 RBR Enterprises Ford
  40. Mark Thompson – No. 66 Phoenix Air Racing Chevrolet
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