Results tagged “Gatorade Duels” from Haddock in the Paddock

Make it 2-for-2 for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his new Hendrick Motorsports team.
Earnhardt Jr. won his Gatorade Duel race at Daytona Internetaional Speedway, his second win in as many races with Hendrick. He also won the Bud Shootout last week.
At this rate, the question won't be when will Earnhardt win his first real Sprint Cup Series race with his new team, but how many races will he win.
Other notes of interest from the first Duel: Reed Sorenson was able to pull away with Earnhardt Jr. in the closing laps of the race. It was a strong, patient showing for the other driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, which has open-wheel superstars Juan Pablo Montoya and Dario Franchitti on its team.
Kenny Wallace and Brian Vickers raced their way into the Daytona 500, the highest finishing drivers in the duel without a spot in the Daytona 500. Vickers took a gamble near the end of the race, pitting when Elliott Sadler hit the wall with eight laps to go. Vickers lost valuable track position when the race resumed with two laps to go, but finished with a fairly comfortable lead to capture one of two available starting spots for drivers not already qualified in the Daytona 500.
Kurt Busch had engine problems and had to drop out of the duel. He will start the Daytona 500 with his past champion provisional, meaning Dale Jarrett, a past Cup champion not already qualified for the Daytona 500, has to race into the field in his duel. Bill Elliott, another past Cup champion who was in the duel race with Busch, will not start the Daytona 500.