Two Chevy drivers win the Duel 150's at Daytona

[Screaming Trees]

The Gatorade Duel 150's the races that determine starting positions 3-43 for the Daytona 500 today were won by two Chevy drivers. Tony Stewart visited victory lane for the second time during speedweeks winning the first 150 mile heat race. Jeff Gordon won the second 150 miler on a last lap pass of Kurt Busch. However Gordon's car failed post race inspection when NASCAR officials said the car was about an inch too low, instead of starting Sunday's race from the 4th position he will line up 42nd. Michael Waltrip was allowed to run the qualifying race and he will be in the Daytona 500. Team Toyota Red Bull with drivers Brian Vickers and A.J. Allmindinger did not make the Daytona 500 after both drivers fell out of the Duel races. Former F1 Racer Juan Montoya broke a wheel hub while leading during the second race and wound up 30th place.

The finish order from the two races...

Race 1. Finishing Position, Car number, Driver, Car make, sponsor

1 20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet The Home Depot

2 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser

3 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Cingular Wireless

4 38 David Gilliland Ford M&M's

5 11 Denny Hamlin Chevrolet FedEx Express

6 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker

7 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet Jack Daniel's

8 25 Casey Mears Chevrolet National Guard / GMAC

9 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA Auto Parts

10 21 Ken Schrader Ford Little Debbie

11 60 Boris Said Ford SOBE - No Fear

12 70 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet Yellow Trans.

13 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's

14 49 Mike Bliss Dodge BAM Racing

15 16 Greg Biffle Ford Ameriquest

16 36 Jeremy Mayfield Toyota 360 OTC

17 78 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing

18 44 Dale Jarrett Toyota UPS

19 30 Stanton Barrett Chevrolet Bad Boy Power Drink

20 37 Bill Elliott Dodge Huddle House

21 58 James Hylton Chevrolet Retirement Living TV

22 72 Brandon Whitt * Chevrolet Dutch Quality Stone

23 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker

24 45 Kyle Petty Dodge Wells Fargo

25 66 Jeff Green Chevrolet Blue Ox

26 4 Ward Burton Chevrolet State Water Heaters

27 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Target

28 6 David Ragan * Ford AAA

29 84 A.J. Allmendinger* Toyota Red Bull

30 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar

31 7 Robby Gordon Ford Jim Beam

Race 2

1 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont

2 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite

3 40 David Stremme Dodge Coors Light

4 5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet Kellogg's / CARQUEST

5 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT

6 18 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet Interstate Batteries

7 99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot

8 12 Ryan Newman Dodge ALLTEL

9 13 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet CertainTeed

10 96 Tony Raines Chevrolet DLP HDTV

11 09 Mike Wallace Chevrolet Miccosukee Gaming & Resorts

12 14 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Waste Management

13 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal

14 01 Mark Martin Chevrolet U.S. Army

15 15 Paul Menard * Chevrolet PEAK / Menards

16 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dodge Dealers / UAW

17 34 Kevin Lepage Dodge Detoxify Brand / Makoto Sauces

18 74 Derrike Cope Dodge Royal Admin.

19 39 Regan Smith Chevrolet Ginn Resorts

20 71 Frank Kimmel Ford Fast Track Driving School

21 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Dodge Dealers / UAW

22 88 Ricky Rudd Ford Snickers

23 04 Eric McClure Chevrolet Hefty

24 27 Kirk Shelmerdine Chevrolet Lilly Trucking of Virginia

25 10 Scott Riggs Dodge Valvoline / Stanley Tools

26 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull

27 23 Mike Skinner Toyota Bill Davis Racing

28 00 David Reutimann * Toyota Domino's Pizza

29 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Shell / Pennzoil

30 42 Juan Montoya * Dodge Texaco / Havoline

[scharmer05]

and 4 out of the 8 toyotas are going home early.

[scharmer05]

Also, Jeff Gordon's car failed post race inspection. It was almost an inch too low. I thought it was wierd how well he did after he ran poorly in the Bud Shootout before his car quit on him, and qualified mediocre at best for the Duels. NASCAR officials didn't beleive it was intentional, as they found a misaligned bold in a suspention component that caused it. Jeff Gordon will now start the Daytona 500 in 42nd, instead of 4th.

[AAS]

So... Dale Jr. had a run-in with Waltrip, dropped from 2nd to last, then managed to finish 2nd?

[Cory Wolfe]

Also, Jeff Gordon's car failed post race inspection. It was almost an inch too low. I thought it was wierd how well he did after he ran poorly in the Bud Shootout before his car quit on him, and qualified mediocre at best for the Duels. NASCAR officials didn't beleive it was intentional, as they found a misaligned bold in a suspention component that caused it. Jeff Gordon will now start the Daytona 500 in 42nd, instead of 4th.

I'm pretty sure he qualified 7th or 8th... How is that mediocre? And from what I've read and heard, the problem with his car during the shootout was electrical.