The NASCAR schedule officially begins this week with Speedweek from the Daytona International Speedway. Wednesday night gets the Speedweek party started right, with single-lap qualifying, with the fastest two qualifiers moving on to the front row for Sunday’s Daytona 500.
However, Thursday’s Speedweek action is the focus of our preview, as the rest of the entries battle in two Duels to set the final 38 grid positions for Speedweek’s main event.
We’ll review the available information to prepare you for Thursday’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1-2.
Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1-2 at Daytona Information
Race: NASCAR Cup Series Duels at Daytona – 2 Duels @60 laps (150 mi)
Location: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2023, Duel 1: 7:00 PM ET, Duel 2: 8:45 PM ET.
Television: FS1
Last Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1-2 at Daytona
The 2022 Daytona 500 front row was locked out by Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson, who took the pole position, and Alex Bowman. This marked the tenth consecutive year that Chevrolet machinery took the pole position for the Daytona 500. A streak dating back to Danica Patrick’s pole-winning lap for the 2013 Daytona 500.
With Larson and Bowman off the board, Ford machinery took the top four spots in the first Duel, won by RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski, while three Fords took the top spots in Duel 2, won by Keselowski’s RFK teammate, Chris Buescher.
Daytona 500 Qualifying Favorites
Because single-lap qualifying has not been completed as of publication, we do not have any Bluegreen Vacations Duel odds to review for our betting preview.
However, we will use a special combo betting line and the Daytona 500 pole position betting lines to identify the two drivers who will emerge from single-lap qualifying to take pole position for the Daytona 500 this weekend.
Kyle Larson is the favorite to repeat and capture the 2023 Daytona 500 pole position, but any picks on Larson to win a second straight pole position need to be made with history in mind.
Going back-to-back at the Daytona 500 is very difficult. The last driver to win back-to-back Daytona 500 pole positions was Chase Elliot in 2016 and 2017. The previous driver to capture back-to-back Daytona 500 pole positions was Ken Schrader, who won three consecutive pole positions from 1988-1990.
Larson is the betting favorite to outright win 2023’s Daytona 500 qualifying at +900, while Larson is featured in most combinations of drivers on a Duels Special betting line to finish 1-2 on Wednesday.
Chevrolet driver Chase Elliot is second on the list of favorites at +1000 odds to claim pole position while defending NASCAR Cup Series Champion Joey Logano is third in the odds at +1200.
Our candidates to potentially win the Daytona 500 pole position and not be included in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel :
- Team Penske – Ford – Joey Logano: +1200
- Team Penske – Ford – Ryan Blaney: +1600
- Hendrick Motorsport – Chevrolet – Chase Elliot: +1000
- Richard Childress Racing – Chevrolet – Kyle Busch: +2000
- Team 23XI Racing – Toyota – Bubba Wallace: +1800
Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1-2 at Daytona Odds
There are no Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1-2 odds available as of publication. There will be no odds available until after Wednesday night’s qualifying has been completed and the fields for both Duels have been set.
Check your favorite online sportsbook on Wednesday night and throughout Thursday for the Bluegreen Vacation Duel betting lines when they are released.
Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1-2 at Daytona Betting Preview
We don’t need odds to make our Bluegreen Vacations Duel prediction.
First, we’ll explain how qualifying and setting the field for the Duels works before using what NASCAR odds we have for our Bluegreen Vacation Duel betting preview.
With the top two qualifiers from Wednesday night exempt from the Bluegreen Vacations Duel on Thursday, 18 charters are represented in each duel, with the open entries making up the rest of the grid for the Duels.
The top two fastest open entries from qualifying are granted entry into the Daytona 500 and exemption from the Duels. The Bluegreen Vacation Duels set the rest of the field for the Daytona 500, with Duel 1 competing for track position on the inside line while Duel 2 is competing for the outside starting positions.
Points are awarded for the top ten finishers in the Duels, with first place earning ten NASCAR Cup Series points down to tenth place earning one point.
For the purposes of this preview, we’re taking Hendrick motorsports Chase Elliot and teammate Kyle Larson off the board as the favorites to win the Daytona 500 pole position.
With Larsson and Elliot out of the Duels and the RFK Racing Team winning both Duels last year, who could win either Duel?
Team Penske-Ford’s Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney are among the favorites to win the NASCAR Cup Series and will be among the favorites to win the Duels if they don’t win qualifying.
Martin Truex Jr. held the lead of the Daytona 500 through the first two sessions before losing the lead in the dying laps and should be a contender to take any session this weekend. Truex Jr’s Joe Gibbs Racing-Toyota Teammate Denny Hamlin is another familiar name that will be among the betting favorites in the Duels.
23XI Racing-Toyota has two potential surprise winners in Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick.
Chevrolet will be well represented by Hendrick motorsports’ William Byron and Alex Bowman, Richard Childress racing’s Austin Dillon, and Trackhouse Racing Team’s Ross Chastain will get plenty of attention on betting lines this weekend.
Our favorites to win the Bluegreen Vacations Duels are Team Penske-Ford’s Ryan Blaney, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr., and Hendrick motorsports’ William Byron.
Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1-2 at Daytona Betting Prediction
Our first Bluegreen Vacations Duel prediction is that the Chevrolet-Daytona 500 pole position streak will continue in 2023.
We’re taking one of the Chevrolet rides to win the Daytona 500 pole position. At the same time, Team Penske-Ford and the NASCAR Cup Series Champion Joey Logano will have a better start to 2023’s Speedweek than his performance during Clash at the Coliseum.
As for the Duels, our picks are not dependent on who is slotted into each Duel, but these picks could be compromised by who is in each race.
Our top drivers to win the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1-2:
- Team Penske – Ford – Ryan Blaney
- Joe Gibbs Racing – Toyota – Martin Truex Jr.
- 23XI Racing – Toyota – Bubba Wallace
- Trackhouse Racing Team – Chevrolet – Ross Chastain
- Hendrick Motorsports – Chevrolet – William Byron
- Richard Childress Racing – Austin Dillon
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