The 2022 Daytona 500 champion from Mooresville, North Carolina, edged Erik Jones at the moment of caution on the final lap to claim his first Daytona Duel victory while the third-generation LaJoie from Charlotte, North Carolina, claimed his ninth berth into the Great American Race with a "non-chartered" entry.
The 31-year-old Wallace from Mobile, Alabama, led a race-high 21 of 60 laps en route to his first Daytona Duel career victory while the reigning Xfinity Series champion from Riverton, Illinois, awarded JR Motorsports' first entrance to a Cup event for the 2025 Great American Race.
A new season dawns upon us this weekend, with the Clash at Daytona this Saturday, to be followed by Sunday qualifying for the Daytona 500. After a couple of months sitting around watching world events and gleefully upsetting some with my witty political commentary, it is back to things involving gears and grease.
