Penske, Joey Logano Capture Duel No. 1 at Daytona

Duel Breakdown: Stats & Strategy

• 1st — Joey Logano (No. 22, Team Penske, Ford) — 63 laps led: 15
• 2nd — Ryan Blaney (No. 12, Team Penske, Ford) — Ford 1-2 finish
• *3rd — Austin Dillon (No. 3, RCR, Chevrolet)
• *4th — Brad Keselowski (No. 6, RFK Racing, Ford)
• *5th — John Hunter Nemechek (No. 42, Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
  These results, while unofficial pending NASCAR clearance, set Logano up to start third in Sunday’s 68th Daytona 500, with Blaney right alongside.

The race was not without its twists. Multiple lead changes illustrated the dynamic nature of superspeedway racing, where partnerships and lane choice can make or break the run to the front. Blaney’s consistent work alongside Logano turned into more than just sibling rivalry — it became a mobile draft alliance that kept Penske in command through the final green-flag laps.

A late-race melee on the backstretch involving Corey LaJoie — who had been positioned well to transfer his way into the Daytona 500 — brought out the caution that ultimately froze the running order. That incident cleared the path for Casey Mears to muscle through the chaos and claim the lone Open car transfer from this duel, a satisfying subplot for the veteran driver.

Penske’s Second Line: A Superspeedway Asset

While the headline grabs went to Logano and Blaney, the true story may be the Penske second line’s continued development this Speedweeks. From practice to qualifying to the Duels, the Penske Fords have shown a remarkable knack for aerodynamic harmony — staying “plugged in” on the high line and outpacing rivals in momentum through the tri-oval north end. Their coordinated lane choice and push dynamics, especially with Blaney running point as the primary pusher, turned what could have been a chaotic shuffle into a methodical march forward.

Talking to crew members on pit road, it was clear the team put extra emphasis on split-second timing during pit stops and spacing in the draft — two factors that separate contenders from pack traffic at Daytona. From where we were up in the grandstands to the frenetic clockwork in the pits, Team Penske’s weekly data on sector times and push metrics has them dialed in for both Duels and the upcoming 500.

What It Means for the Daytona 500

With the Daytona 500 set to go green Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, Logano’s Duel win isn’t just another trophy — it’s a psychological and analytical edge. His performance against a stacked superspeedway field — and the tangible evidence of Penske’s drafting synergy — could shape how the Toyota and Chevrolet camps plot their offenses in the Great American Race.

From the overhead vantage point with EasySportz to the tactical skirmishes three feet from the pit wall, one thing is clear: at Daytona, strength in numbers and precision teamwork win more than speed alone. And if Penske’s second line continues to gel the way it did Thursday night — with Logano in checkered-flag position — Sunday promises a Daytona 500 with layers of strategy as rich as the stats we’re crunching. Bring your graph paper and your heart rate monitor.