Harvick, Logano lead way
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano won the Daytona 500 qualifying races in a pair of Ford sweeps that have the new Mustang positioned for a strong showing in “The Great American Race.”
Harvick captured the first of the 150-mile qualifying races Thursday night that set the field for NASCAR’s showcase event. Logano used a last-lap pass for the lead in the second one.
Harvick and Logano led podium sweeps for Ford, which this year is racing the Mustang in NASCAR’s top series. The qualifying races set the starting lineup for Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500, and Ford drivers locked down the second through fourth rows.
William Byron and Alex Bowman, in Chevrolets for Hendrick Motorsports, swept the top two spots in time trials last week and represent the youngest starting row in Daytona 500 history. Byron is 21 and Bowman is 25.
Harvick’s victory was uneventful beyond Jimmie Johnson’s involvement in his second wreck of Speedweeks.
Logano was fourth on the final lap when he pulled out of line to try for the win. The reigning NASCAR champion got a solid push from Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney to move to the front and earn his spot alongside Harvick in Sunday’s race.
“Cool to see a couple of Mustangs in Victory Lane already,” Logano said. “The big one’s still Sunday. It’s a confidence builder for everyone.”
Logano was followed by Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola as Mustang drivers went 1-2-3 in both races. Harvick led Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Paul Menard in the first race for the initial Ford sweep.
The tally represents four different teams, with Stewart-Haas Racing flexing its power to put Harvick, Bowyer and Almirola up front in the Daytona 500. Stenhouse represents Roush Fenway Racing, Logano drives for Roger Penske and Menard for the Wood Brothers.
All have been ordered by Ford leaders to work together and win the Daytona 500.
Toyota has so far been shut out of Speedweeks as Johnson won last weekend’s exhibition race in a Hendrick Chevrolet.
The highest-starting Toyota drivers will be Denny Hamlin and Matt DiBenedetto in the fifth row.
Parker Kligerman earned the transfer spot into the 500 during the first qualifying race, while Brendan Gaughan earned the final slot in the 40-car field.