Daytona 500 2015: Starting Order and Top Drivers to Watch for Budweiser Duels
The Daytona 500 is the single most popular race in NASCAR every season. Speedweeks leading up to the race is an entirely different animal to help lead up to the exciting race.
Drivers are not only competing to make the race in qualifying but also during a series of mini-races on Thursday night. The two events, known as the Budweiser Duels, help set the starting order for Sunday.
Following Sunday's, um, let's say interesting round of qualifying, the full field is set for Thursday night. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who will start on the front row for the Daytona 500, will pace the top of the two races.
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Ahead of the two crucial races, here's a look at the starting order and drivers to watch.
| 1 | Jeff Gordon | Jimmie Johnson |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | Matt Kenseth |
| 3 | Carl Edwards | Kasey Kahne |
| 4 | Austin Dillon | Ty Dillon |
| 5 | Jamie McMurray | Martin Truex Jr. |
| 6 | Johnny Sauter | Greg Biffle |
| 7 | Trevor Bayne | Sam Hornish Jr. |
| 8 | Aric Almirola | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 9 | Brad Keselowski | Ryan Blaney |
| 10 | Joey Logano | Michael Waltrip |
| 11 | J.J. Yeley | Bobby Labonte |
| 12 | Paul Menard | Alex Bowman |
| 13 | A.J. Allmendinger | Ryan Newman |
| 14 | Kevin Harvick | Kurt Busch |
| 15 | Tony Stewart | Danica Patrick |
| 16 | Casey Mears | Brian Scott |
| 17 | Michael Annett | Justin Allgaier |
| 18 | Kyle Larson | David Gilliland |
| 19 | Michael McDowell | Jeb Burton |
| 20 | Clint Bowyer | Reed Sorenson |
| 21 | Justin Marks | David Ragan |
| 22 | Cole Whitt | Josh Wise |
| 23 | Landon Cassill | Mike Wallace |
| 24 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Dale Earnhardt Jr.* |
| 25 | Denny Hamlin* |
Matt Kenseth, Joe Gibbs Racing
The season may not have started, but Matt Kenseth is clearly showing that he's back on top of his game.
In his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing, Kenseth posted seven wins and came up just short of his second Sprint Cup title. He didn't have quite as much luck in his second year, failing to win a race and finishing seventh in the Chase.
Now, he'll look to blend those seasons together, taking the victories from the first season and consistency from the second to win a championship. The winning already started at the Sprint Unlimited race. However, Gibbs has his eyes set on Kenseth winning the whole thing, via Marty Smith of ESPN:
A great qualifying run on Sunday, Kenseth will start on the front row for the second duel. As long as he avoids the "Big One" again, the JGR driver has a great chance to put himself in solid standing for the big race.
Having won a Duel in two of the last three years, taking another seems like a promising scenario for Kenseth. If he earns two races before the season ever starts, this might have the makings of another special season for Kenseth and Gibbs.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports
The Earnhardt name and the Budweiser Duels are synonymous with one another. Dale Earnhardt won the event 10 times in a row and 12 of them overall. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has continued that legacy with three duels of his own.
This year will be slightly more difficult for Junior, who will be starting from the back of the pack due to a failed post-race inspection, per Dustin Long of NBC Sports. In a 24-car field, overcoming the likes of Ryan Blaney, Ty Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.—who are all in the top 10—shouldn't be a difficult task.
Earnhardt found out about the failed inspection following the qualifying and took to Twitter. Rather than focusing on the negative, Junior noted it will only make the race more interesting:
With three straight top-two finishes in the 500 and a win last year, Earnhardt knows all about winning at the track in February. Even with a poor starting position, Junior is still capable of pulling off a surprising run to finish at or near the top.
Carl Edwards, Joe Gibbs Racing
Two Joe Gibbs drivers worth watching during the Budweiser Duels? Well, there should technically be more with Denny Hamlin's success in the twin races. For now, however, the other top driver on the radar will be Carl Edwards.
The newest JGR driver narrowly missed out on winning the Sprint Unlimited, finishing third after leading a lap. Now that he's used to his new equipment, Edwards will be even more of a contender than he was on Saturday.
Edwards also has a chance to be the latest driver to make a strong statement with a new team. Kenseth finished his first season at second with JGR. Kevin Harvick won it all in his opening campaign with Stewart-Haas Racing. Can Edwards do the same after making the switch to Gibbs?
Getting off to a hot start in the Duel will make things intriguing for Edwards and his crew. Expect him to challenge for the win on Thursday night, with a chance to put Toyota back in the running.
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