UPDATE: Anthony Alfredo (#62) has failed post-race inspection and will therefore NOT qualify for the 2026 DAYTONA 500.
BJ McLeod (#78) is next in line to make the DAYTONA 500 should his car pass post-race inspection.
More details to come.
It’s damn near impossible to win a superspeedway race on your own.
Chase Elliott captured the victory in Thursday’s second America 250 Florida Duel at Daytona International Speedway, but to do so, it took a lot of help from some Chevrolet teammates.
The Dawsonville, Georiga-native was able to secure the top spot after the pack got merged back together following green-flag pit stops, holding the top spot for the first time on Lap 51. From that point, the final nine laps were pretty straightforward, as a masterful defense from Chevrolet teammates Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson helped the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet go uncontested at the finish.
“A great way to get the blood pumping for sure on a Thursday night,” said Elliott post-race. “There was a lot going on those last handful, really ever since we came off of pit road after the cycle, we were getting after it. It was a lot of fun.”
It’s the third Daytona Duel victory of Elliott’s career in the NASCAR Cup Series, second-most of active drivers — behind only Joey Logano, who earned his fourth Daytona Duel win earlier on Thursday.
RELATED: 2026 America 250 Florida Duels at Daytona Results
Carson Hocevar finished in the runner-up spot, earning himself nine points towards a potential berth in the NASCAR Cup Series post-season. The Spire Motorsports driver, who recently signed a long-term extension with the team, said his goal coming into the evening was to earn eight points.
Kyle Larson, also a recipient of a recent contract extension, was third in Duel 2. Michael McDowell was fourth, with Christopher Bell rounding out the top-five in the finishing order in the second of two qualifying races on Thursday. Josh Berry, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Todd Gilliland, Ty Gibbs, and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-10.
Anthony Alfredo, driving the No. 62 DUDE Wipes Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports, put the small team with a single full-time employee into the DAYTONA 500 with an 18th-place finish in the duel, beating out BJ McLeod (19th) and JJ Yeley (22nd).
“I definitely don’t want to be in that position. Making it on time is a lot easier. This is for the third time. It’s really cool,” Alfredo said, holding back tears. “My career has had a lot of ups and downs. You never know when you’re going to get another shot to race on any Sunday, especially the Daytona 500, The Great American Race.”
“I have all my family here. My baby girl, Everleigh. I think I’ve only been this choked up twice in my life, when she was born, and qualifying for the Daytona 500.”
BJ McLeod (No. 78) and J.J. Yeley (No. 44) will join Chandler Smith (No. 36) and Corey LaJoie (No. 99) as the four drivers who will not qualify for the 2026 DAYTONA 500.
The weekend carries on for the NASCAR Cup Series teams on Friday, February 13, with a second 50-minute practice session taking place at 5:35 PM ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
