NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick is now 2 for 2 at Daytona International Speedway by winning the first of two 150-mile Budweiser Duel qualifying races, and winning an exhibition race last weekend. In doing so he's positioned himself as the favorite to win the 500, despite feeling like he's still the "lame-duck underdog."
"We've been fortunate to win the first two races of Speedweeks," said Harvick, the 2007 Daytona 500 winner, according to ESPN. "We've just got to keep a level head on our shoulders, not get too high over what we've done, just do the same things that we've done. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. I think we definitely have the car and team to be in contention to do that."
Nobody is really sure what to expect this coming Sunday, as NASCAR is set to formally introduce their new gen-6 race car. Approximately 43 vehicles will be racing, which is double the amount that ran in the qualifying races this week.
Only 19 cars participated in the exhibition race on Feb. 16 according to the Associated Press.
Kyle Busch, the winner of the second duel race, believes that fans should brace themselves for a completely different race come Sunday as many drivers are still getting used to their cars.
"With more cars out there, we might see it be a little bit different come Sunday," Busch said according to ESPN. "There were half the field in each race, obviously. There's going to be twice as many good cars, twice as many middle of the pack cars, twice as many back of the pack cars. If you can get your car handling, driving, feeling good, you'll be able to be one of the guys that's up front."
Pole winner Danica Patrick risked her starting spot by racing in the duels this week, but admitted after the event she raced a little more cautiously than she will be come this Sunday.
"As long as you can stay in the lead, stay there," said NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip to USA Today Sports before the race. "But as soon as they start coming by you left, right, bring it to the garage. That's how important it is for her to start on the pole Sunday. Not only to her, but to all of us."
Patrick became the first woman to ever win a pole position in the Sprint Cup Series this weekend, something that most NASCAR experts felt she shouldn't risk by participating in the duels.
Had Patrick crashed or needed to use a new vehicle, she would have lost her top spot in the Daytona 500. She started first in the first qualifying race, competed for the first dozen or so laps, and then started driving a little more conservatively to hold on to her top spot.
Patrick finished 17th out of 23 vehicles.
"I hate coming to the end like that and just lagging back," Patrick said according to ESPN. "That's not fun. But it's also really ignorant to go drive up into the pack and be part of an accident for absolutely no reason. You're really not going to learn much there."
Racers will start their engines for the 500 at approximately 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24.
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