Daytona Beach, FL (93.7 The Fan) - Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano each scored victories in Thursday night's Gander RV Duel qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway. Harvick's No. 4 Busch Beer Ford Mustang crossed the finish line first in Duel 1 while Logano's No. 22 Pennzoil Mustang took the checkered flag first in Duel 2.
Harvick and Logano will make up the second row for Sunday's Daytona 500 after Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman won front row starting spots last weekend in single-car qualifying runs.
Harvick beat Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by 0.165-seconds to capture the first Duel. Paul Menard finished third in the Wood Brothers Mustang, giving Ford the Top 3 finishing spots.
"When you look at second and third with Stenhouse and Menard back there, I felt like things were lined up pretty good for us towards the end of the race because I knew we had three fast Fords sitting up front," said Harvick. "We have seen when we all work together, it's hard to beat the Fords, the Roush-Yates engines, the thing that we have going at the superspeedways."
The Mustang grabbed the Top 3 finishing spots in Duel 2 as Logano beat Clint Bowyer to the finish line with Bowyer's teammate Aric Almirola finishing third in the No. 10 Ford. Bowyer summed up how he feels about Ford's Pony Car.
"I mean, have you ever driven a Fusion?" asked Bowyer. "Have you ever got out of that and got in a Mustang? I mean, you actually get some looks (laughter). You stop at the stoplight, you might get a look every now and then. Damn right I feel better in a Mustang."
Brendan Gaughn raced his way into The Great American Race with a 15th place finish.
"The Daytona 500 is special," said Gaughn. "I don't care if you start 40th or got the pole, it's special. It just is very exciting we got it in. We had to do it the hard way. I don't want to do it the hard way again. I'd rather do the easy way. Much more simple."
Ryan Truex and Joey Gase failed to make the 40-car field.
The green flag for the Daytona 500 is Sunday, February 17th at 2:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox and carried on Motor Racing Network affiliates.
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