Chase Elliott secured a dramatic win in the America 250 Florida Duel 2 at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday night in Daytona Beach, Fla. Holding the lead from Lap 53, Elliott fended off a strong challenge from Carson Hocevar to cross the finish line first by a mere 0.065 seconds, marking his third career victory in the Duel races at the 2.5-mile track.
Race Progression and Key Moments
The 2020 Cup Series champion led nine laps during the caution-free contest, building on his previous Duel triumphs in 2017 and 2018. Defending series champion Kyle Larson finished third, followed by Michael McDowell and Christopher Bell, with Chevrolet drivers sweeping the top four positions.
Joey Logano had won the first of the two qualifying races earlier, while Chase Briscoe started on pole for the second Duel. Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin maintained a two-car lead for the first 21 laps, with Ty Dillon interrupting the Toyota duo by moving to second.
Elliott and Larson, racing side-by-side in third and fourth, maintained position as the field steadied. By halfway, the front five included Briscoe, Hamlin, Elliott, Dillon, and Larson, but pit stops were imminent with 30 laps remaining.
Closing Stages Bring Intense Competition
With 25 laps left, Hamlin fell back to fifth as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. advanced along the high line, pressuring Dillon. Twenty laps to go saw Chevrolet drivers surge forward, taking the lead from Briscoe’s Toyota and bringing McDowell into contention. Briscoe led the most laps at 38 but dropped back after a pit stop mistake with 16 laps remaining.
Following pit stops, Tyler Reddick and Carson Hocevar found themselves leading, with Hamlin, McDowell, and Elliott close behind. The race intensified in its final circuits as Elliott regained control, ultimately holding off Hocevar to secure the win.
Significance of Elliott’s Victory at Daytona
Chase Elliott’s triumph in this Duel race strengthens his position heading into the main event at Daytona International Speedway, where qualifying performance often sets the tone for the season. His third victory in the Duel at Daytona underscores his strong command of the track and highlights Hendrick Motorsports’ competitiveness. As the Cup Series continues, Elliott’s showing promises an exciting campaign ahead.
