Ryan Blaney is ready for his close-up.
The Team Penske star had long been considered one of the better drivers in all of the Cup Series during the 2010s. YRB first earned plaudits at Wood Brothers Racing, earning a ninth-place finish in 2017 despite being signed to one of the division’s minnows. He proceeded to join Joey Logano on Team Penske and continued his hot form, earning six straight postseason berths.
But he wasn’t a superstar. Then, 2023 happened.
Blaney entered the postseason as an afterthought. He left it hoisting the famous Cup Series heirloom, joining the likes of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano as drivers to capture Cup Series gold with the Roger Penske-led team.
Blaney’s path to the title was littered with potholes. He hadn’t picked up a win in some 59 races before vanquishing all foes at the Coca-Cola 600, after all.
But it ended in delight. Blaney grasped the glimmering trophy with two hands, swept up in a tempest of confetti.
What will 2024 have in store for the newly minted supernova? It’s tough to predict, but Thursday’s Daytona Duels — the de facto qualifying session for Sunday’s Daytona 500 — should give fans a decent indication of just what’s next for Blaney and his Team Penske counterparts.
He’s already shown he can do it when the lights are at their brightest. Daytona is the biggest stage in the sport. Another strong showing could place Blaney in rarefied air.
The Sporting News is tracking live updates from Thursday’s Daytona Duels. Follow below for highlights and results as the Cup Series returns to asphalt for the first time in 2024.
MORE: Watch NASCAR races live with fubo (free trial)
Daytona Duels 2024 live updates, highlights
(All times Eastern)
6:20 p.m.: Lots of changes to this year’s Cup Series roster for Stewart-Haas Racing. Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola are out of the driver’s seat in the No. 4 and No. 10 cars, respectively. In their stead are Josh Berry and Noah Gragson. Berry impressed as Chase Elliott’s understudy when the Hendrick Motorsports star missed five races due to injury and suspension.
Meanwhile, Gragson struggled at Legacy Motor Club before being let go due to liking racist posts surrounding George Floyd’s murder.
Duel 1 starting lineup
| Pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
| 1 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 2 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 3 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 4 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 5 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 6 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 7 | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 8 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 9 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 10 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 11 | Anthony Alfredo | 62 | Beard Motorsports |
| 12 | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 13 | Daniel Hemric | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
| 14 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 15 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 16 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daughtery Racing |
| 17 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 18 | Jimmie Johnson | 84 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 19 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 20 | Carson Hocevar | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 21 | JJ Yeley | 44 | NY Racing |
Duel 2 starting lineup
| Pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
| 1 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 2 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 3 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 4 | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 5 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 6 | Riley Herbst | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 7 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 8 | Noah Gragson | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 9 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
| 10 | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 11 | Josh Berry | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 12 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 13 | David Ragan | 60 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 14 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 15 | Justin Haley | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 16 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 17 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 18 | Zane Smith | 71 | Spire Motorsports |
| 19 | John Hunter Nemechek | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 20 | BJ McLeod | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports |
| 21 | Kaz Grala | 36 | Front Row Motorsports |
Daytona Duels 2024 start times
- Duel 1: 7 p.m. ET
- Duel 2: 8:45 p.m. ET (approx.)
Duel 1 will consist of odd-number finishers (one, three, five, etc.) from time trials. Duel 2 will feature the trial’s even-numbered participants.
Daytona Duels 2024 TV channel
- TV networks: FS1 (U.S.), TSN (Canada)
- Live stream: FoxSports.com, Fox Sports App, fubo
Thursday’s races will be broadcast on FS1 nationally. Mike Joy (play-by-play) will lead the call; he’ll be joined by analysts Clint Bowyer and Larry McReynolds, who will offer occasional musings from the booth.
The races can be streamed on Fox Sports platforms or fubo, which offers a free trial.
