Bluegreen Vacations Duel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bluegreen Vacations Duel

NASCAR Cup Series
Venue	Daytona International Speedway
Location	Daytona Beach, Florida, United States
Corporate sponsor	Bluegreen Vacations
First race	1959
Distance	150 miles (241.401 km)
Laps	60
Previous names	100 Mile Qualifying Races (1959–1967) 125 Mile Qualifying Races (1969–1980) UNO Twin 125 Qualifiers (1981–1984) 7-Eleven Twin 125's (1985–1987) Twin 125 Qualifiers (1988–1990) Gatorade Twin 125 Qualifiers (1991–1993) Gatorade Twin 125's (1994–1996) Gatorade 125's (1997–2004) Gatorade Duel (2005–2012) Budweiser Duel (2013–2015) Can-Am Duel (2016–2018) Gander RV Duel (2019)
Most wins (driver)	Dale Earnhardt (12)
Most wins (team)	Hendrick Motorsports Richard Childress Racing (16)
Most wins (manufacturer)	Chevrolet (53)
Circuit information
Surface	Asphalt
Length	2.5 mi (4.0 km)
Turns	4

The Bluegreen Vacations Duel, once called the Twin 125s, is a special NASCAR Cup Series race. It happens every February at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida. This event is a warm-up for the famous Daytona 500 race.

The Duel is actually two separate races, each about 150 miles (241 km) long. These races are held on the Thursday before the Daytona 500. The order in which drivers finish these two races helps decide where they will start in the main Daytona 500 race.

Qualifying for the Daytona 500 is very unique in NASCAR. Only the two fastest drivers get their starting spots (the "pole" and "outside pole") right away. For all other drivers, their qualifying speed decides which Duel race they will be in. Drivers with odd-numbered qualifying spots go into the first Duel. Drivers with even-numbered spots go into the second Duel.

After the Duels, the top 15 finishers from each race (not including the two fastest qualifiers) get the next 30 starting spots in the Daytona 500. A few more spots are given to the fastest drivers who didn't qualify through the Duels. Also, some spots are saved for teams that did very well in the previous season's points standings.

History of the Duel Races

The Bluegreen Vacations Duel started way back in 1959. Back then, they were called the "100 Mile Qualifying Races." Each race was 100 miles long, or about 40 laps. From 1959 to 1971, these races actually counted for championship points in NASCAR's top series.

In 1968, the races were supposed to be 125 miles long, but rain caused them to be canceled. So, the starting lineup for the Daytona 500 that year was decided only by qualifying speeds. In 1969, the races officially became 125 miles (50 laps) long. This longer distance meant drivers usually had to make a pit stop, which made the races more exciting!

In 1972, NASCAR changed some rules, and the Duel races stopped counting for championship points. They continued as special non-points events. In the early 1980s, TV channels like CBS started showing parts of these races.

Around 1988, new rules about "restrictor plates" were introduced. These plates made cars go slower and use less fuel. This meant drivers could sometimes finish the race without needing a pit stop. However, in 2003, rules changed again to require smaller fuel tanks. This made pit stops necessary once more.

Starting in 2001, the Duel races began to be shown live on TV. In 2005, the races were made even longer, to 150 miles (60 laps). They also got a new name: the Gatorade Duel.

A big change happened in 2014. The qualifying races started being held at night under stadium lights. This made them a prime-time event on TV! From 2016 to 2018, the races were known as the Can-Am Duel.

In 2017, the Duels became points-paying events again. Now, the top ten drivers in each Duel race earn points towards the regular season championship. The winner gets 10 points, second place gets 9 points, and so on, down to 1 point for tenth place.

How Drivers Qualify and Start

The process for drivers to get into the Daytona 500 is quite detailed. Here's how it generally works:

Busch Pole Qualifying

• The main qualifying session, called "Busch Pole qualifying," happens a few days before the Daytona 500.
• Drivers try to set the fastest lap time.
• The fastest driver gets the "pole position" for the Daytona 500. This means they start in the very first spot.
• The second fastest driver gets the "outside pole" position, starting next to the pole winner.
• These two drivers are guaranteed their starting spots in the Daytona 500.

Setting Up the Duel Races

• The driver who won the pole position for the Daytona 500 starts first in the first Duel race.
• The driver who got the "outside pole" for the Daytona 500 starts first in the second Duel race.
• Other drivers are split between the two Duel races based on their qualifying times. Drivers with odd-numbered qualifying spots go to the first Duel. Drivers with even-numbered spots go to the second Duel.

After the Duel Races

• All drivers from teams with a special "charter" (which means they are guaranteed a spot in most races) who finish the Duels get a starting spot in the Daytona 500. The first Duel decides the inside row of the starting grid, and the second Duel decides the outside row.
• For teams without a "charter" (called "open" entries), the highest-finishing "open" car in each Duel race gets a spot in the Daytona 500.
• Two more "open" drivers can get into the Daytona 500 based on their original qualifying speeds, if they haven't already qualified through the Duels. This means a total of four "open" cars can make it into the big race.

This system makes the Duels very important. Sometimes, even a well-known driver might not make the Daytona 500 if they don't perform well in their Duel race or have a fast enough qualifying time.

Past Winners

Drivers with Multiple Wins

Teams with Multiple Wins

Manufacturer Wins