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KURT BUSCH – Can-Am Duel Race Report

Event:                           Can-Am Duel
Series:                           Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:                      Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format:                         Twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500
Start/Finish:                  11th/3rd (Running, completed 60 of 60 laps) 
Duel No. 1 Winner:        Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Duel No. 2 Winner:        Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
 

Stewart-Haas Racing Finish:      

  • Kevin Harvick (Started 4th, Finished 3rd / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 1)
  • Clint Bowyer (Started 2nd, Finished 2nd / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2)
  • Kurt Busch (Started 11th, Finished 3rd / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2)
  • Danica Patrick (Started 12th, Finished 7th / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2)

Notes:              

  • Stewart-Haas Racing scored three top-five and four top-10 finishes in the Can-Am Duels at Daytona.
  • Busch and Harvick each scored eight regular-season points, Bowyer scored nine.
  • Busch’s third-place finish was his sixth top-five finish in the Duel.
  • Busch will start eighth in the Daytona 500.
  • Busch sustained right-side damage which hurt the handling of his No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford Fusion, but was able to continue on to finish behind his SHR teammate Bowyer.
  • Drivers earning even-numbered positions from Sunday’s pole qualifying session were assigned to the first Duel race. Drivers earning odd-numbered positions from pole qualifying competed in the second Duel race. The starting positions for each Duel race were based on qualifying times.

 

Kurt Busch, Driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:
“I’m satisfied with it. We had a good run and it’s not on the wrecker. I just didn’t execute like I needed to. Me and (Clint) Bowyer were like two brothers walking down the hallway looking at each and going in different directions. We just didn’t have a clean exchange. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, we just didn’t have a good exchange. I wasn’t able to execute to get to his back bumper and get to Denny (Hamlin) at the end. We just need to work on our straightaway speed for Sunday. I think we’re good. We have a good car to go race and try to win the Daytona 500.”

 

Next Up:                                                                        
The 59th Daytona 500 gets underway at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 26, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 1 p.m.