Logano edges Bowyer for first Daytona Duel win
Team Penske’s Joey Logano has claimed his first Gander RV Duel at Daytona win in climactic fashion by overtaking Clint Bowyer on the final lap.
Daytona 500 outside pole sitter Alex Bowman led the opening 11 laps but surrendered the lead after pitting on lap 11. Bowyer prevailed after the cycle of stops and nearly replicated his teammate Kevin Harvick’s dominant performance in the first 150-miler of the night.
Team Penske’s Joey Logano has claimed his first Gander RV Duel at Daytona win in climactic fashion by overtaking Clint Bowyer on the final lap.
Daytona 500 outside pole sitter Alex Bowman led the opening 11 laps but surrendered the lead after pitting on lap 11. Bowyer prevailed after the cycle of stops and nearly replicated his teammate Kevin Harvick’s dominant performance in the first 150-miler of the night.
The driver of the No. 14 Rush Travel Centers Ford Mustang kept Denny Hamlin at bay while Aric Almirola, Logano and Kurt Busch followed. No one in the field mounted a charge for the next 38 laps and Bowyer appeared to have the victory in the bag until the white flag.
All changed in almost an instant as the Team Penske brigade of Logano and Ryan Blaney moved out of line and charged forward. Logano rocketed ahead of Bowyer through turns 1 and 2 with ease.
Bowyer was unable to counter took the chequered flag 0.126 of a second behind as Logano claimed the victory leading only the final lap.
Bowyer’s Stewart Haas Racing teammate Aric Almirola ended in third as Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch, both former Daytona 500 winners, completed the top five.
Blaney fell to sixth after pushing Logano and 2010 race winner Jamie McMurray, in preparation for his last NASCAR start for the near future, finished seventh. Two-time 500 pole sitter Chase Elliott finished eighth and defending 500 champ Austin Dillon ended ninth while his younger brother Ty Dillon completed the top 10.
A few notable names were buried deep in the pack as Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson lost the draft and fell to 12th at the end. Bowman, who started on pole, never regained the lead and faded to 13th, the first car off the lead lap.
Erik Jones, who claimed his first career win at Daytona in July, was given a speeding penalty and ultimately finished 14th.
The race to make it into the Daytona 500 was anticlimactic compared to the first race as Brendan Gaughan prevailed over Joey Gase by finishing 15th. It will mark Gaughan’s fourth 500.
