Photo – Todd Warshaw/Getty Images
Speedweeks 2010 was the last racing with the wing on the Sprint Cup cars at Daytona. Although a new spoilers didn’t happen until March, NASCAR decided to part ways with the old wing in hopes of better racing with the Car of Tomorrow.
Hendrick Motorsports cars were fast on pole day, as Mark Martin grabbed the pole and teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified second for an all-Hendrick front row for the Daytona 500. The Gatorade Duels were shaping up to be competitive as always.
In the first Duel, Mark Martin led most of the first 30 laps.
The question of the day circled around whether tires would make a difference or not.
A late wreck involving two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip bunched up the field for one last time. Many of the leaders came in to pit, but a few stayed out, including Jimmie Johnson and Max Papis, who was looking for a way to get into the Great American Race.
Johnson got going on the restart, as Papis spun the tires, holding up the outside lane. On worn tires, Johnson held his ground and was side-by-side with Kevin Harvick on the last lap. At the stripe, Johnson nipped Harvick by .005. Michael McDowell and Max Papis grabbed the two transfer spots.
As for Michael Waltrip, he had to wait out the results of the second Duel to see if he would race in his 24th consecutive Daytona 500.
The lead changed several times in second Duel, as the win came down to Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne.
Kahne rode behind Stewart for several laps and made his charge to the front with two laps to go. Stewart wouldn’t give up, and got a bump from Juan Pablo Montoya on the backstretch of the last lap to pull alongside Kahne. It was a drag race to the finish line, as Kahne edged Stewart by .014.
Mike Bliss and Scott Speed were in the two transfer spots. Since Speed got in through the Duel, it allowed Michael Waltrip to get into the 2010 Daytona 500 by his qualifying speed.
The margin of victory for both Duel races was a combined .02 seconds.
2010 Gatorade Duel #1 Top-Ten
#48 Jimmie Johnson (first Gatorade Duel win)
#29 Kevin Harvick
#18 Kyle Busch
#33 Clint Bowyer
#78 Regan Smith
#1 Jamie McMurray (2010 Daytona 500 winner)
#43 A.J. Allmendinger
#39 Ryan Newman
#6 David Ragan
#24 Jeff Gordon
2010 Gatorade Duel #2 Top-Ten