Daytona 500 2017: Starting Order, Top Drivers to Watch in the Duels
Chase Elliott will start the Daytona 500 from the pole for the second year in a row after finishing first in qualifying Sunday.
Sunday's event finalized only a small portion of the starting order for the Daytona 500. Along with Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. will sit second on the front row.
Thursday's Can-Am Duels will fill out the next 36 spots. Below is the running order for the two duels.
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| 1 | Chase Elliott | Chevrolet |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | Ford |
| 3 | Martin Truex Jr. | Toyota |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | Ford |
| 5 | Matt Kenseth | Toyota |
| 6 | Kyle Busch | Toyota |
| 7 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Ford |
| 8 | Daniel Suarez | Toyota |
| 9 | Joey Logano | Ford |
| 10 | Trevor Bayne | Ford |
| 11 | Paul Menard | Chevrolet |
| 12 | Jamie McMurray | Chevrolet |
| 13 | Aric Almirola | Ford |
| 14 | Landon Cassill | Ford |
| 15 | Matt DiBenedetto | Ford |
| 16 | Chris Buescher | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Brendan Gaughan | Chevrolet |
| 18 | Michael Waltrip | Toyota |
| 19 | Reed Sorenson | Chevrolet |
| 20 | Joey Gase | Toyota |
| 21 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | Chevrolet |
| 1 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevrolet |
| 2 | Clint Bowyer | Ford |
| 3 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota |
| 4 | Kasey Kahne | Chevrolet |
| 5 | Ryan Newman | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Ty Dillon | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Ryan Blaney | Ford |
| 10 | Erik Jones | Toyota |
| 11 | Kurt Busch | Ford |
| 12 | Danica Patrick | Ford |
| 13 | Austin Dillon | Chevrolet |
| 14 | AJ Allmendinger | Chevrolet |
| 15 | Michael McDowell | Chevrolet |
| 16 | David Ragan | Ford |
| 17 | Cole Whitt | Ford |
| 18 | Elliott Sadler | N/A |
| 19 | D.J. Kennington | Toyota |
| 20 | Timmy Hill | N/A |
Since Elliott and Earnhardt's starting spots for the Daytona 500 are assured, here's a look at four other drivers who will be fighting for positioning during Thursday's races.
Drivers to Watch
Denny Hamlin
No driver has won the Daytona 500 in consecutive years since Sterling Marlin in 1994 and 1995. Denny Hamlin knows what he's up against when he takes to the track Sunday.
"Some of NASCAR's greatest drivers haven't won two of them—much less two in a row," he said, per the Associated Press' Dan Gelston. "If anyone can go back-to-back, this is the year for us."
Hamlin will do himself few favors with a lackluster showing in the Can-Am Duels. He won last year's Daytona 500 from the 11th position, and the four winners before him started inside the top 10.
Kevin Harvick, Trevor Bayne and Matt Kenseth showed a poor starting position doesn't automatically doom a driver's chances at Daytona. The three all collected a checkered flag after beginning the race 32nd or worse.
Considering how many things needed to break for Hamlin just to win last year, though, he'd be riding his luck if he is faced with a starting position in the back half of the field for the 2017 Daytona 500.
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson is the reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup champion, winning his record-tying seventh points title in 2016. The 41-year-old was already considered one of the top drivers of his generation, but being in the same discussion as Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt puts his greatness in its proper context.
According to OddsShark, Johnson has 7-1 odds of repeating as points champion, second-best behind Harvick (13-2). The Daytona 500 won't make or break his 2017 season, but a victory would be nice assurance toward the Chase for the Cup.
Historically speaking, Daytona International Speedway hasn't been kind to Johnson. His average finish of 17.5 is his lowest among 23 tracks, while his seven DNFs are second-lowest behind Talladega, per DriverAverages.com.
Austin Dillon
Austin Dillon's racing career is evidence potential may take time to truly blossom. The 2013 Nationwide Series champion finished 14th in the Sprint Cup standings in 2016—his best finish since making the jump to the top circuit.
Although the 26-year-old has never won a race at Daytona International, he has consistently performed very well there. He has five top-10 finishes in seven tries.
The 2016 season represented progress for Dillon. He didn't last long in the Chase, but simply qualifying was a big step in the right direction. A strong performance in the Can-Am Duels could set him up for another top-10 finish at Daytona and even more in 2017.
Kyle Busch won the 2015 Sprint Cup championship and finished third in last year's Chase. With Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart retired, Busch's 38 victories on the top circuit are second behind Johnson among active drivers.
Yet the Daytona 500 has so far eluded the 31-year-old. A number of great drivers finished their careers without collecting a checkered flag from The Great American Race, but it's surprising Busch hasn't gotten over the hump. Even more surprising is that he has three top-10 finishes in 11 races.
Given both his age and talent, Busch's day in the spotlight will likely arrive at some point down the road. The Can-Am Duels will give him an opportunity to assist his pursuit of that first Daytona 500 victory.
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