Chase Elliott scored an impressive win on Thursday night, seizing victory in the Daytona Duel and putting himself in a strong position for the Daytona 500. Piloting his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Elliott surged to the front on Lap 53 and managed to stay ahead of Carson Hocevar by just 0.065 seconds, notching his third Duel win and boosting momentum heading into the season’s marquee event. This Chase Elliott Daytona Duel victory underscores his readiness as the racing world looks to Sunday’s main event at the World Center of Racing.
Elliott’s achievement places him among only three Hendrick Motorsports drivers to reach this rare milestone. He led the pack for nine laps in the second Duel, locking in his win after Joey Logano and Kyle Busch had already made their marks in qualifying action, with Logano capturing the first Duel and Busch grabbing the pole. The starting grid for the Daytona 500 is now set: Busch and Chase Briscoe will feature on the front row, while Logano and Elliott make up the second row, closely followed by Ryan Blaney and Hocevar.
Strategic Positioning: The Importance of Starting Spot and Pit Selection
Starting Sunday’s race from the fourth position gives Elliott a tactical edge, but the veteran driver remains aware of the unpredictable nature of Daytona. While Thursday’s Duel may have felt like a promising rehearsal, Elliott knows the Daytona 500 requires a different level of intensity. Drafting tracks like Daytona leave the door open for dramatic swings in the field, as strategies shift between fuel saving and aggressive, elbows-up racing.
Elliott acknowledged the value of the Duel win but stressed the greater goal ahead.
“Winning at Daytona is always good, but Sunday is what we want. So, yeah, it’s one of those things where it’s great, and it’s a great way to start the season always. And these races are great opportunities to kind of just get your feet wet and get yourself in some situations on track that get the blood pumping, which is good,”
— Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports driver.
He reinforced his forward-looking mindset as he considers how to improve for the main event.
“But you kind of have to cautiously enjoy nights like Thursday night, right, because Sunday’s what we want. And so, really just my mind, having been in this situation before, my mind’s really just kind of on to Sunday already and just thinking about what we might need out of our car to improve from where we were tonight,”
— Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports driver.
In addition to a favorable grid placement, Elliott secured an advantageous pit selection, a detail of critical importance at Daytona. This strong positioning provides extra flexibility and potential for the Hendrick Motorsports crew as they plot strategy for the 500-mile spectacle.
Drawing on Past Experience to Tame Daytona’s Unpredictability
Elliott’s measured optimism reflects hard-earned lessons from previous years. While his Duel victories in 2017 and 2018 showcased his ability to run at the front, disappointments in the Daytona 500 left him with a cautious approach. In 2017, after winning the Duel and starting from pole, Elliott led for 39 laps but ran out of fuel with just three laps remaining, ultimately finishing 14th while Kurt Busch captured the win. That same race saw drivers like Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. facing similar late-race challenges.
The following year, Elliott again started in the top four, but after a strong run, a block from Ryan Blaney on Lap 102 triggered a multi-car incident involving Brad Keselowski, Danica Patrick, and Kasey Kahne, sending Elliott into the wall and cutting his race short at 33rd place. These experiences have shaped Elliott’s outlook—valuing the Duel victories but recognizing that only Sunday’s result truly matters.
Anticipation Builds for the Daytona 500 Main Event
As anticipation peaks for Sunday’s Daytona 500, Elliott, along with contenders like Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Carson Hocevar, are primed to take the stage. Fans and competitors alike recognize that the Duel results provide only a glimpse into what could unfold in the main event. The focus now shifts to preparing for every variable this storied race might present. Elliott summed up the mindset:
“Winning Daytona is always good, but Sunday’s what we want.”
— Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports driver.
The challenge of translating Duel victories into Daytona 500 triumphs remains a formidable one, but with experience, a strong starting position, and a motivated Hendrick Motorsports crew, Chase Elliott enters this year’s race prepared to chase the win that has eluded him in previous years.
9⃣ "Winning Daytona is always good, but Sunday's what we want."@chaseelliott reflects on his Duel No. 2 victory at the World Center of Racing and looks ahead to 500 miles this weekend with @TeamHendrick. pic.twitter.com/i0XkpaIfZA
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) February 13, 2026
