Sprint Cup Series Race Report - Can-Am Duel Race 1
February 19, 2016
Track: Daytona International Speedway
Race: Cam-Am Duel Race 1
Date: February 13, 2016
No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion – Brad Keselowski
Start: 10th
Finish: 13th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 60/60
Laps Led: 0
Points Position (behind leader): N/A
Recap: Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion ran among the leaders for a majority of the first Can-Am Duel at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday night but ultimately finished the race in the 13th position. After starting the race from 10th, Keselowski methodically worked his way to the front of the field, entering the top five on the fifth lap. On lap 38, just prior to making his only pit stop of the day, Keselowski attempted to make a move around race leader Dale Earnhardt Jr., but was unable to complete the pass. He entered pit road on the next lap from the fifth position. A caution flag flew at lap 43, just before the pit stops could cycle through and Keselowski restarted ninth when the race resumed. After being caught on the slower, inside lane, Keselowski lost several positions late in the race. He moved his Miller Lite Ford around quite a bit over the final laps to try to find speed and learn for Sunday’s Daytona 500, finishing 13th.
Quote: "We finished 13th and that is definitely not what we were shooting for. Not where we want to finish by any means. We ran second or third there for a while and then got shuffled there a little bit and sent towards the back and we were just never able to get back up toward the front."
No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion – Joey Logano
Start: 7th
Finish: 2nd
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 60/60
Laps Led: 0
Points Position (behind leader): N/A
Recap: Joey Logano drove his No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford from seventh to second, making a late charge for the lead late before falling just short of winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Thursday night’s Cam-Am Duel race number one. Logano started seventh and proved once again to be one of the best restrictor-plate drivers, moving into third by lap 10 and then passing teammate Brad Keselowski for second on lap 28. Logano then rode in second as the field clicked off laps until green-flag pit stops began on lap 39. Logano came to pit road for four tires while most of the field took either two tires or fuel only, putting Logano 14th as the field strung back out. A caution then bunched the field and Logano restarted in 10th. With eight laps to go, Logano began his charge to the front, jumping to the low lane and getting cars to help him draft to the front. With just two laps to go, Logano made a move to second and used drafting help from Ryan Blaney to battle for the lead. Ultimately, Logano would finish second, matching his finish from the Sprint Unlimited on Saturday night. By finising second, Logano will start fifth in Sunday’s Daytona 500.
Quote: "Second. We have finished second twice now. I am proud of what we are doing here though. We are showing that we are one of the best speedway teams right now and I am proud of that. We still have room to gain. It is hard to pass that 88 car. He is really, really good. He has a good car and is a good driver at this stuff. You are back there just taking notes on what he is doing and we had a great run. Blaney did a great job behind me and we had a run there on the last lap, going into one, and he just blocked it at the right time. It is hard to get to the outside or inside of him. The cars are so hard to actually get to the back bumper of somebody it is really challenging."