Chase Elliott secured his third Duel victory at Daytona, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports to a win without any cautions interrupting the race. Taking the lead on Lap 53, Elliott held off Carson Hocevar by a razor-thin margin of 0.065 seconds to clinch the triumph in the second Duel event. This achievement places him in an elite group of three Hendrick Motorsports drivers to win multiple Duels.
Race Dynamics and Starting Positions Set the Stage
Elliott led twice during the 60-lap event, totaling nine laps at the front, while Joey Logano captured the first Duel and Kyle Busch earned the pole position for Sunday’s main race. The starting grid for the Daytona 500 is established with Busch and Chase Briscoe on the front row. Logano and Elliott occupy the second row, followed closely by Ryan Blaney and Carson Hocevar. Slotting in at P4 gives Elliott a promising position, but the unpredictable nature of Daytona’s drafting and pack racing means the field can change dramatically as the race unfolds.
Balanced Optimism Tempered by Experience
Despite the momentum from his Duel win, Elliott remains measured in his excitement, aware that Thursday’s success serves only as a prelude to the more demanding 500-mile race on Sunday. The intense, elbows-out style of racing that takes over in the main event can quickly disrupt any advantage earned earlier in the week. His focus is already shifting toward refining the car’s performance for the primary race rather than celebrating the preliminary victory.
Winning at Daytona is always good, but Sunday is what we want. So, yeah, it’s one of those things where it’s great, and it’s a great way to start the season always. And these races are great opportunities to kind of just get your feet wet and get yourself in some situations on track that get the blood pumping, which is good,
the Hendrick Motorsports driver said.
But you kind of have to cautiously enjoy nights like Thursday night, right, because Sunday’s what we want. And so, really just my mind, having been in this situation before, my mind’s really just kind of on to Sunday already and just thinking about what we might need out of our car to improve from where we were tonight,
he added.
Strategic Advantage Through Pit Stall Selection
One crucial benefit from Elliott’s Duel performance is the pit stall selection secured for the Daytona 500, which is often considered invaluable here. Executing effective pit stops with this strategic advantage could translate into better track position during the longer race. Nonetheless, Elliott’s cautious tone reflects his knowledge that a Duel win does not guarantee success on Sunday.
Lessons From Past Disappointments Temper Celebrations
History underscores Elliott’s cautious optimism. Although he has won Duel races in previous years, the results in the main event sometimes did not follow. In 2017, after starting from pole and leading 39 laps, fuel issues in the closing stages cost him a potential victory, leaving Kurt Busch to win while Elliott finished 14th. His 2018 attempt was derailed by contact on the backstretch when Ryan Blaney blocked him, causing Elliott to collide with Brad Keselowski, Danica Patrick, and Kasey Kahne, ending his race prematurely with a 33rd-place finish.
These past experiences inform Elliott’s approach to the upcoming Daytona 500, viewing his Duel win as a strong foundation but recognizing that the main event demands a higher level of execution and a bit of luck. He understands that these preliminary contests help set the stage but do not define the ultimate outcome at the World Center of Racing.
9⃣ "Winning Daytona is always good, but Sunday's what we want."@chaseelliott reflects on his Duel No. 2 victory at the World Center of Racing and looks ahead to 500 miles this weekend with @TeamHendrick. pic.twitter.com/i0XkpaIfZA
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) February 13, 2026
