Daytona 500: Joey Logano, William Byron win qualifying races
by Alex Butler
Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Joey Logano and William Byron won the qualifying races to set the field for the 2020 Daytona 500.
Logano claimed the checkered flag at Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 1 Thursday at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Byron won Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 2. Logano and Byron will start in the second row of the 2020 Daytona 500, behind pole sitter Rickey Stenhouse Jr. and Alex Bowman.
"Even though it's just the Duels and not the 500, it's still a momentum builder," Logano told reporters.
Aric Almirola, Ryan Newman, Brad Keselowski and Bubba Wallace also finished in the top 5 for Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 1. Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick and Cole Custer finished behind Byron in Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 2.
Logano earned the lead during the final lap of Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 1, a 150-mile race. Byron won his race by .117, just edging teammate Jimmie Johnson. Daniel Suarez wrecked his car in Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 1 and will miss the Daytona 500. His car was destroyed after he made contact with Ryan Blaney. Suarez's car slammed into a wall before sliding through the infield grass.
Almirola will start in the No. 5 spot of Sunday's main event, behind Stenhouse, Bowman, Logano and Byron. Johnson, Newman, Larson, Keselowski and Harvick will also start in the top 10.
The 2020 Daytona 500 starts at 2:30 p.m. EST Sunday and will be broadcast by Fox.