Matching the drama of Thursday night’s opening act, NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell executed a clutch, final-lap move to earn a win during the finale of the twin Duel races Thursday night at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway.
Duel 2 consisted of even-number finishers from time trials and was low-lighted by a 10-machine pile up that took out some big names, including Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, William Byron and Brad Keselowski.
Avoiding the Lap 48 pile up, Bell made the winning move on the final lap, much like fellow Toyota teammate Tyler Reddick did during his Duel 1 victory.
X (Twitter) users responded to the newly designed Toyota Camry XSEs sweeping the two Duel at Daytona events …
BELL WINS DUEL 2! GRALA EARNS THE FINAL 500 SPOT!
The No. 20 gets past @dennyhamlin to lead only the final lap to earn the 4th starting spot as @ToyotaRacing sweeps the Duels at Daytona in 2024.@KazGrala will race in the #Daytona500 after edging out B.J McLeod.#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/u0AXMXMDUN
— NASCAR on TSN (@NASCARonTSN) February 16, 2024
At the end, Bell’s victory margin over Austin Cindric was 0.113 seconds. It was a good start for the driver who has qualified for the past two Championship 4 races, but still seeks his first Cup title. Bell didn’t sound too concerned with the long odds of making it three in a row …
I tried to tell Christopher Bell that the odds are he doesn’t keep making the Championship 4 every year (five drivers have made it three years in a row). His response and expectations: pic.twitter.com/tnSWoajza1
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 9, 2024
Going green …
Well, what will happen next?
Duel No. 2 is GREEN from @DAYTONA!
📺: FS1 | 📲: https://t.co/oWWAut6pxx pic.twitter.com/S9XokZDbso
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 16, 2024
What will happen next? Well, on Lap 48, a lot of top cars were soon on hooks. The mele started when Kyle Busch bumped William Byron while attempting to block Ryan Blaney for fourth place. Byron went sideways and started a chain reaction, involving Busch, Byron, Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Noah Gragson, Chase Briscoe, Riley Herbst, Bubba Wallace, Justin Haley and BJ McLeod …
Big wreck. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/SrRXBwkwW8
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 16, 2024
Busch spoke of the perils of Daytona’s tri-oval …
"You don't want to hit a guy in the tri-oval."@KyleBusch will be going to a back-up for the 2nd year in a row for the #Daytona500 after consecutive crashes in the Duels.#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/cEv5UjwRU0
— NASCAR on TSN (@NASCARonTSN) February 16, 2024
Blaney, the reigning Cup champion, criticized his peers following his hard crash Thursday …
#NASCAR … Ryan Blaney after that accident: “I’m pissed. I’m pissed. I’m sick of getting right reared here by someone’s awful push.” pic.twitter.com/Qe9fY1go4s
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) February 16, 2024
Blaney’s pit crew will be busy building the team’s backup machine for Sunday …
#NASCAR … Ryan Blaney’s car after that accident pic.twitter.com/DBGQSJSf2x
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) February 16, 2024
NASCAR’s new LED screens made their pit box debuts Thursday …
#NASCAR permitting teams to have LED screens on pit boxes this season. Image must be static during the race. This is RFK pit box before tonight’s Duels at Daytona. Can have motion when no track activity. pic.twitter.com/3q8hu0OEZW
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) February 15, 2024
After not being competive during Wednesday’s qualifying, a trio of Toyota drivers met for a pre-Duel 2 discussion. The newly designed Toyotas showed their power Thursday with Reddick earning the Duel 1 checkered flag and Wallace dominating the opening stages of Duel 2 before being involved the Lap 48 crash …
A #TeamToyota meeting before Duel 2 🤔 pic.twitter.com/hChoefRx8F
— LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (@LEGACYMotorClub) February 16, 2024
Duel at Daytona flashback to 1996 and Ernie Irvan coming back from a bad injury to earn a trip to victory lane …
Ernie Irvan held off Ken Schrader in a thrilling finish to win the second #DAYTONA500 Duel race in 1996.
Irvan, who was critically injured in 1994, made three NASCAR Cup Series starts in the No. 88 car for Robert Yates in 1995.
His victory at @DAYTONA was his first race back in… pic.twitter.com/ZLDFNaM7dm
— NASCAR Classics (@NASCARClassics) February 15, 2024
By about three feet, “open” driver Kaz Grala, who blew out his engine before qualifying Wednesday, earned the to transfer into the Daytona 500 …
Mission Accomplished. @KazGrala | #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/rfQprthGYr
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 16, 2024
Bell stopped and asked a veteran for directions to victory lane …
Been to victory lane at Daytona a time or three. Had to show @CBellRacing the way. #TeamToyota pic.twitter.com/5gQMfyp4QM
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) February 16, 2024
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