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NASCAR Kicks Off Daytona 500 Weekend with Can-Am Duels Thursday Night

The drivers of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will take to the track at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday night for the Can-Am Duels. The Duels will determine who starts in the third through 40th positions in Sunday’s DAYTONA 500.

Thirty-eight teams are locked into the DAYTONA 500 (36 via charter and the two fastest open teams from Sunday’s qualifying – Elliott Sadler and Brendan Gaughan). The highest finisher in each Duel among the Open teams will make the Daytona 500. The other Open teams will be driven by Reed Sorenson, Corey LaJoie (both in Duel 1), and Timmy Hill or DJ Kennington (in Duel 2).

The highest finishers other than Chase Elliott (pole winner) in Duel 1 will fill the third through 39th starting spots on Sunday, while the highest finishers in Duel 2 other than Dale Earnhardt Jr. will line up in the fourth through 40th positions on Sunday. 

Programming info for Can-Am Duels:
When: Feb. 23, starting at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Daytona International Speedway
TV: FS1
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

What is the format?
There are two 60-lap, 150-mile races. Who is in which Duel is determined based on qualifying speeds from Sunday's single-lap qualifying runs.

How do the Duels set the Daytona 500 lineup?
The Duels determine who will line up in spots 3-38 on the starting grid for the "Great American Race" after Sunday's qualifying speeds saw the Hendrick Motorsports duo of Chase Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr. earn front row spots for the 2017 Daytona 500.

Drivers in the first Duel race will line up on the inside row for the Daytona 500 (odd-numbered starting position), based on the order in which they finish the first Duel race. Drivers in the second Duel race will line up on the outside row for the Daytona 500 (even-numbered starting positions), based on the order in which they finish the second Duel race. Remember, all 36 Charter teams are guaranteed spots in the Daytona 500.

How can open teams make the Daytona 500?
Two open teams will make the field based on their qualifying speed from Sunday's single-car qualifying runs. The other two open spots come from the best finishing open teams in each Duel. Should the fastest qualifying open team driver earn a spot based on his or her Duel result, then the next fastest open team would get in based on qualifying speed.

Sadler and Gaughan had the fastest entries among the open teams in single-car qualifying and are locked into the Daytona 500 field.

The open team entries that will battle for two Daytona 500 spots in the Duels are Timmy Hill (No. 51 Chevrolet), Reed Sorenson (No. 55 Toyota), Corey LaJoie (No. 83 Toyota) and DJ Kennington (No. 96 Toyota).

How are points awarded?
It's similar to stages in the 36 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races. Meaning the winner of each Duel will get 10 points down to the 10th-place driver, who will get one point. Two drivers -- each Duel winner -- will head into the Daytona 500 with a share of the point lead.

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