DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR champion Joey Logano won the first qualifying race for the Daytona 500 on Thursday night, his third victory in the event that sets the field for “The Great American Race.”
Zane Smith in a Ford for Front Row Motorsports earned one of the open positions in the Daytona 500 with an eighth-place finish. Six drivers had been chasing four spots in Sunday’s 40-car field; seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and action star Travis Pastrana claimed two of the spots in time trials, leaving one spot open in each of the qualifying races.
Smith, the reigning Truck Series champion, will make his Daytona 500 debut. Smith warmed up for the effort with a win last month at Daytona International Speedway in a sports car race and will race in Friday night’s Truck Series season opener. His Cup crew is his Truck Series team.
“Crazy, I don’t even know what’s going on,” Smith said after earning his spot in the 500. “I don’t even know what life is right now. I had Jimmie Johnson parked behind me. I watched him all my life growing up and he still is my idol. Just unbelievable being in ‘The Great American Race.'”
By making the race, Smith ensured it will be the first Daytona 500 that includes the reigning champions from the Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series. Ty Gibbs, the reigning Xfinity Series champ, is a rookie for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Smith beat Chandler Smith in a Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing for the available spot in the Daytona 500.
“Before I said ‘I’m fine’ if I don’t make it, but it would be awesome if I make it. I believe everything happens for a reason. I’m I believer,” Chandler Smith said. “I’m fine with this. I had a lot of fun right there. I learned a lot, a lot, a lot, now I get what these guys talk about, when you run on a Sunday you gain a lot of experience. That translates into Saturdays and Sundays.”
The second race featured a showdown between IndyCar star Conor Daly in a car fielded by Floyd Mayweather, and Austin Hill for Richard Childress Racing.
Logano, meanwhile, picked up where he left off last season. His win in the season finale last November sealed his second Cup championship, which paired the Team Penske driver with Kyle Busch as the only active drivers with multiple Cup titles.
Logano got a push from teammate Ryan Blaney at the end of the 60-lap race to help Logano hold off fellow Ford driver Kevin Harvick.
“I saw Blaney was behind me. I said, ‘That’s my buddy. I’ve got to stick with him,'” Logano said.
The final push was a drag race between Logano and Christopher Bell in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, with Logano holding on for the win.
The victory gives Logano a starting spot in the second row of Sunday’s race. The front row was set in Wednesday night’s time trials, with Hendrick Motorsports teammates Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson sweeping the two spots.
