DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The green flag for the America 250 Florida Duel No. 1 flies Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway with a 23-car lineup that blends seasoned vets, budding stars and draft-savvy strategists in a 60-lap sprint that will set the inside rows for Sunday’s 68th Daytona 500. The duel races, under the lights and on the historic 2.5-mile tri-oval, aren’t glorified practice — they award regular-season points (10 for the winner, nine for second, etc.) and determine starting spots inside the outer limits of “The Great American Race.”
Thrills are built in here like the draft itself: raw speed, slick strategy and pack dynamics that can make or break a week of Speedweeks hype. With a trio of Fords clustered through the top half of the field and a pole-winning Chevrolet on the point, Duel 1 should heavily favor the blue oval contingent — at least on paper — though Daytona’s notorious unpredictability means nothing is etched in stone.
America 250 Duel No. 1 starting lineup (23 cars):
- Kyle Busch, No. 8 Chevrolet – Richard Childress Racing
- Ryan Preece, No. 60 Ford – RFK Racing
- Corey Heim, No. 67 Toyota – 23XI Racing
- Alex Bowman, No. 48 Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports
- Chris Buescher, No. 17 Ford – RFK Racing
- Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford – Team Penske
- Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet – Richard Childress Racing
- Corey LaJoie, No. 99 Ford – RFK Racing
- John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Toyota – Legacy Motor Club
- Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Ford – RFK Racing
- Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford – Team Penske
- William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports
- Cole Custer, No. 41 Chevrolet – Haas Factory Team
- Cody Ware, No. 51 Chevrolet – Rick Ware Racing
- Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Toyota – Legacy Motor Club
- Bubba Wallace, No. 23 Toyota – 23XI Racing
- AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Chevrolet – Kaulig Racing
- Ross Chastain, No. 1 Chevrolet – Trackhouse Racing
- Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Chevrolet – Trackhouse Racing
- Daniel Suárez, No. 7 Chevrolet – Spire Motorsports
- Chandler Smith, No. 36 Ford – Front Row Motorsports
- Casey Mears, No. 66 Ford – Garage 66
- Noah Gragson, No. 4 Ford – Front Row Motorsports.
Busch, the pole winner for Sunday’s Daytona 500 after topping Wednesday night’s qualifying, starts Duel 1 from the point and will be a focal point of the early laps as the draft forms and reshuffles.
Last year’s Duel No. 1 was won by Bubba Wallace — then in a Toyota — who led the way to score a key starting spot for the 2025 Daytona 500, underscoring just how much momentum one of these 150-mile dashes can build for a team before the big one.
Statistically, the Ford contingent boasts depth here: Preece, Buescher, Keselowski and Blaney give the blue oval strong mid-pack horsepower and drafting partners, which could be pivotal in the late stages of the duel. Chevrolet isn’t out of it — with pole sitter Busch and the Hendrick pair of Bowman and Byron — while Toyota’s three entries will be battling to stay integrated with the faster lines.
But Daytona’s drafting chess game routinely defies power curves. One quick block, one overly-optimistic lane shift and a pack that looked orderly can become an accordion of mayhem — all before the sun dips and the lights fully take over. That’s why beloved superspeedway strategist talk often sounds like weather forecasting: guess early, revise often.
Why it matters: The finishing order here sets odd-numbered starting slots for Sunday, determines who earns early Cup points in the first official points races of the year and cements momentum for teams who thrive under pressure. With regular-season points on the line and coveted positioning entering the Daytona 500, the duel is as much about survival and draft alliances as it is about raw speed.
EasySportz is on site all weekend at Daytona, bringing updates, driver interviews and in-garage analysis that goes beyond the numbers and into what this duel means for race day strategy. Expect punchy insights, expert breakdowns and the sort of real-time context that turns qualifying stats into racing intelligence.
As the Suncoast shadows lengthen and engines rev at 7 p.m. Eastern, Duel No. 1 figures to mix horsepower, heart and the occasional headline-worthy move — exactly how Daytona Speedweeks likes to roll.
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