Daytona 500: Explaining how qualifying works for The Great American Race and what the Duels are

Here is a complete look at Daytona 500 qualifying

By Steven Taranto

Feb 16, 2022 at 1:54 pm ET • 4 min read

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As the biggest and most prestigious race on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar, the Daytona 500 features a buildup that compares to no other race in the sport. Much of that buildup involves the race's qualifying format, the only one of its kind and a major part of Speedweeks at Daytona.

Compared to other races in NASCAR, where the starting lineup for each race is determined by a single session of time trial qualifying, the Daytona 500 features a unique qualifying format that entails time trials, as well as a pair of qualifying races to set the field for The Great American Race.

Here is a complete look at Daytona 500 qualifying, how the starting lineup is set and how who makes the field and who doesn't is determined.

Time Trial Qualifying

The first step in Daytona 500 qualifying is time trials, which feature single-car qualifying runs in two different rounds. The first round will see each driver and team entered for the race take a qualifying lap, with the Top 10 fastest cars by lap time moving on to the second round. The second round will see those 10 cars take to the track again for another lap, with the fastest car winning the pole for the Daytona 500.

After time trials, the Top 2 fastest cars -- the front row for the Daytona 500 -- lock in their starting spots. For the rest of the field, the results of time trials set the order for their respective Bluegreen Vacation Duel qualifying races.

In the event that either the polesitter or outside polesitter is forced to switch to a backup car due to a crash or other issue in the Duels or Daytona 500 practice, they will still be credited with their starting spot and still roll off the grid in first and/or second. However, they will drop to the rear of the field shortly before the start of the race.

Bluegreen Vacation Duels

The Bluegreen Vacation Duels are a pair of 60-lap, 150-mile races where the lineup is set by the results of time trials and the finishing order determines the lineup for the Daytona 500. Odd-numbered finishing positions from time trials (First, third, fifth, etc.) will make up the field for Duel 1, while even numbers (Second, fourth, sixth, etc.) comprise the field for Duel 2.

The results of the Duels set the inside and outside rows for the Daytona 500. The winner of Duel 1, for instance, starts the Daytona 500 third, while the winner of Duel 2 starts the 500 in fourth. In the event that the polesitter or outside polesitter wins their respective Duel race, the second-place finisher in that race would start behind them and so forth.

While it's possible for a driver to simply play it safe in the Duels and not risk crashing their primary car for the Daytona 500, there is an incentive for drivers to race hard. The Top 10 finishers in each Duel will earn stage points towards the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, with the winner scoring 10 points and so on until the 10th-place finisher receives one point.

Who qualifies and who doesn't?

Of the 42 cars entered for 40 starting spots in the Daytona 500, 36 are guaranteed a starting spot by virtue of having a charter -- NASCAR's version of a franchise, which guarantees full-time teams a spot in every Cup Series race. Six other "Open", or non-chartered cars, will compete for the four available spots in the field through both time trials and the Duels.

In time trials, the two fastest Open cars will automatically be locked into the Daytona 500, guaranteeing them at least starting spots 39 and 40. The remaining four cars will have to race their way in, with the highest-finishing Open car in their respective Duel earning a starting spot in the Daytona 500. There will be three Open cars in each Duel race, as NASCAR ensures there are an equal number competing against each other.

In the event that the highest-finishing Open car already earned a starting spot through time trials, the fastest Open car from time trials not already locked into the Daytona 500 will earn a starting spot. For example, if the fastest Open car is the highest finisher in the Duels, the third-fastest Open car from time trials locks into the 500. If the first and second-fastest Open cars are both the highest finishers in their Duels, the third and fourth-fastest Open cars will then get a starting spot.

With 42 cars entered for 40 starting spots, two drivers will fail to qualify for the Daytona 500 at the end of their respective Duels. The following drivers are in "Open" cars looking to make the field.

#27 - Jacques Villeneuve

#44 - Greg Biffle

#50 - Kaz Grala

#55 - J.J. Yeley

#62 - Noah Gragson

#66 - Timmy Hill

What happens if it rains?

In the even that rain forces the Duel races to be cancelled, the results of time trials will be the starting lineup for the Daytona 500. If only the second Duel is rained out, the results of time trials will be used to determine the outside row, while the fastest remaining Open teams will qualify for the race. In the event both time trials and the Duels are rained out, the starting lineup will be determined by virtue of car owner points from the end of the 2021 season.