Daytona Duel Results – Race 1: February 11, 2021 (NASCAR Cup Series)

Duel at Daytona race results from the first of two Thursday night NASCAR races

It’s the Daytona Duels on the 2.5-mile oval in Daytona Beach, Florida. Two short races are on deck for the NASCAR Cup Series and we’re set to drop the green flag.

View full Duel at Daytona results below.

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Kyle Larson is set for his debut with Hendrick Motorsports. Christopher Bell makes his debut at Joe Gibbs Racing. Daniel Suarez makes his debut with the brand new Trackhouse Racing team.

It’s a race to set the Daytona 500 starting lineup. Alex Bowman and William Byron will start the Daytona 500 from the front row. The rest of the field will be set via finishing positions in these two short races at Daytona.

Duel 1 will set the inside row for Sunday. 22 cars are in the field for race one.

Open cars: Ty Dillon, Ryan Preece, Austin Cindric and Timmy Hill are the non-charter cars who are racing for a starting position in the 500. Ryan Preece is the only one locked in based on his qualifying speed. The highest finisher of the other three cars will qualify as two load up and go home.

Alex Bowman and Aric Almirola lead them to the starting line. 60 laps of stock car racing are up next…

Duel 1 at Daytona
Race Report

Green flag, Bowman and Almirola run side by side into turn one. Lap 2, Almirola finally noses ahead on the outside lane.

Lap 3, Bowman pulls back even but Suarez gaps the middle to make it three wide for the race lead. Daniel Suarez takes the lead with his brand new team.

Lap 5, Suarez gets too far out front. Christopher Bell has a run and he clears him to take the lead.

Aric Almirola and Christopher Bell - Duel at Daytona International Speedway - NASCAR Cup Series 2
Credit: DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 11: Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 DEWALT Toyota, and Aric Almirola, driver of the #10 Smithfield Ford, lead the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations Duel #1 at Daytona International Speedway on February 11, 2021 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Lap 10, Bell has picked up a piece of debris. Almirola pulls even on the inside lane. Logano shoves Almirola to the lead.

Lap 20, Almirola leads a four car break away on the inside lane but the outside lane is forming.

Lap 22, Almirola and Logano both move to the outside lane to block the the run. The entire field is now running single file around the top and the inside lane dissipated quickly.

Lap 31, Alex Bowman hits the pit lane as he thinks he’s blowing up. No caution as the crew lifts the hood.

Alex Bowman and Matt DiBenedetto in the Duel at Daytona - NASCAR Cup Series
Alex Bowman and Matt DiBenedetto in the Duel at Daytona – NASCAR Cup Series (Photo: Credit: DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 11: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, and Matt DiBenedetto, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations Duel #1 at Daytona International Speedway on February 11, 2021 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Pit cycle

Lap 34, Aric Almirola heads for the pit lane along with the rest of the Ford camp.

Lap 35, all four Toyotas hit the pit lane.

Pit Penalty: Austin Cindric has been caught speeding. He’ll serve a pass through.

Lap 36, all the Chevrolets hit the pit lane.

Denny Hamlin is the race leader after pit stops. However, a train of Fords are coming fast. They drive right by and Almirola cycles back to the lead.

Lap 45, the field runs single file around the top. Almirola leads Logano and DiBenedetto.

7 to go, Denny Hamlin has locked onto the bumper of Christopher Bell and they’ve charged to 3rd as the field is looking more dicey.

2 to go, the top 10 run single file around the top.

White flag, Logano backs up to get a run, Almirola lifts to defend.

Logano has a run into turn three, he dives to the inside but Almirola side drafts and pulls him back. As they slow each other down, Christopher Bell has a run on both of them. Bell pulls to the right rear of Almirola as they drag race to the line.

Almirola wins the first Duel at Daytona!

Aric Almirola and Christopher Bell - Duel at Daytona International Speedway - NASCAR Cup Series
Credit: DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 11: Aric Almirola, driver of the #10 Smithfield Ford, crosses the finish line to win over Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 DEWALT Toyota, in the NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations Duel #1 at Daytona International Speedway on February 11, 2021 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Daytona Duel 1 Results
February 11, 2021
NASCAR Cup Series

Pos | Driver

1. Aric Almirola
2. Christopher Bell
3. Ryan Newman
4. Joey Logano
5. Ryan Preece
6. Ty Dillon
7. Kyle Larson
8. Daniel Suarez
9. Michael McDowell
10. Jamie McMurray
11. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
12. Matt DiBenedetto
13. Denny Hamlin
14. Cole Custer
15. Tyler Reddick
16. Austin Cindric
17. Erik Jones
18. Quin Houff
19. Timmy Hill
20. Alex Bowman
21. Cody Ware
22. Josh Bilicki

Open cars to advance into Daytona 500: Ryan Preece, Austin Cindric
Failed to qualify for Daytona 500: Ty Dillon, Timmy Hill

Related: Daytona Duel Results – Race 2 on February 11, 2021 (NASCAR Cup Series)

Aric Almirola wins Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway - NASCAR Cup Series
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 11: Aric Almirola, driver of the #10 Smithfield Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations Duel #1 at Daytona International Speedway on February 11, 2021 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Duel 1 Video (Full Race)
NASCAR Cup Series
Daytona International Speedway
February 11, 2021
Links

Daytona International Speedway | NASCAR

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