Daytona 500: Dale Earnhardt Jr wins opening Duel qualifying race

The 2004 and '14 500 winner led 43 of the Duel's 60 laps, battling back past Denny Hamlin in the closing stages after the Joe Gibbs Toyota jumped to the front during the race's sole pitstop sequence.

Earnhardt's Hendrick Chevrolet looked unstoppable once back out front, while Hamlin was shuffled down to fifth place by the flag.

Joey Logano clawed his way through to second after losing ground due to taking fresh tyres in the pitstops while most frontrunners settled for just a fuel top-up.

As well as settling the starting grid for Sunday's main event from row two backwards, the Duels also decide which of the non-charter entrants fail to qualify for the 500.

Ryan Blaney made the cut in heroic style. Having dropped a lap down due to a loose wheel on his Wood Brothers Ford, Blaney got back on the lead lap during the race's only yellow and then surged from the back to third place.

Michael McDowell also made it through for the Circle Sport Leavine Family team by virtue of his pace in qualifying last Sunday. He came home 14th.

That meant Motorsports Group driver Josh Wise and Premium Motorsports' Cole Whitt failed to qualify.

Wise could only finish 17th, while Whitt triggered the yellow with a spin as he battled with Brian Scott and then slowed with a mechanical problem.

With pole for the 500 already secured, Chase Elliott kept his nose clean to finish sixth behind Kevin Harvick and Hamlin.

The second Duel takes place later on Thursday night.

RESULTS - 60 LAPS:

Pos  Driver              Team/Car                       Time/Gap
 1.  Dale Earnhardt Jr   Hendrick Chevrolet           52m03.000s
 2.  Joey Logano         Penske Ford                     +0.184s
 3.  Ryan Blaney         Wood Brothers Ford              +0.333s
 4.  Kevin Harvick       Stewart-Haas Chevrolet          +0.495s
 5.  Denny Hamlin        Joe Gibbs Toyota                +0.508s
 6.  Chase Elliott       Hendrick Chevrolet              +0.593s
 7.  Kasey Kahne         Hendrick Chevrolet              +0.618s
 8.  Greg Biffle         Roush Fenway Ford               +0.709s
 9.  Chris Buescher      Front Row Ford                  +0.733s
10.  Ricky Stenhouse Jr  Roush Fenway Ford               +0.780s
11.  Austin Dillon       Childress Chevrolet             +0.858s
12.  Trevor Bayne        Roush Fenway Ford               +0.881s
13.  Brad Keselowski     Penske Ford                     +0.986s
14.  Michael McDowell    Circle/Leavine Chevrolet        +1.163s
15.  Regan Smith         Baldwin Chevrolet               +1.280s
16.  David Ragan         BK Toyota                       +1.419s
17.  Josh Wise           Motorsports Group Chevrolet     +2.187s
18.  Clint Bowyer        HScott Chevrolet               +12.543s
19.  Bobby Labonte       Go FAS Ford                    +14.291s

Retirements:

     Brian Scott         Petty Ford                       -1 lap
     Paul Menard         Childress Chevrolet             -2 laps
     Cole Whitt          Premium Toyota                 -13 laps