Jeff Siner - jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Jimmie Johnson, left, and crew chief Chad Knaus talk in the Daytona garage Wednesday. Johnson, already in the Daytona 500, will be racing for a quality starting position.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- jutter@charlotteobserver.com
Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout showcased the best in NASCAR.
Today's Gatorade Duel 150-mile qualifying races are primarily about the rest.
With teams that finished in the top 35 in car owner points last year locked into Sunday's Daytona 500, plus three more spots locked in by qualifying speeds and a past provisional available, there are just 10 drivers of the 49 at Daytona whose fate will be determined by today's qualifying races.
The top two finishers among drivers not already qualified in each duel get a spot in the 500.
There is a lot on the line for just a few, including a lot of money.
The last place finisher in Sunday's race earns a $243,062 payday - as much as some races award winners throughout the course of the 36-race season.
Dave Blaney is among those who need to race their way in to the 500. His owner points earned from last season went to the team for Danica Patrick jointly fielded by Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) and Stewart-Haas Racing.
"We went through the same thing last year. We ran in the first duel and it was tandem racing and we ended up not having a partner, couldn't even stay in the race really," said Blaney, who is driving the No. 36 Chevrolet for TBR. "Michael Waltrip raced his way in and we managed to get in by speed.
"I really felt good about last Sunday and thought we had the car to get in by speed. We're a little disappointed we didn't."
Blaney is not alone.
Waltrip, Joe Nemechek, Michael McDowell, Bill Elliott, Mike Wallace, Robert Richardson Jr., Robby Gordon and JJ Yeley all need to claim one of the two transfer positions in their respective duel race in order to race again on Sunday.
Should drivers already in on speed, but not owner points, race their way in - much like Blaney's situation last season - it could open the door for some others.
But that's a big 'if.'
The drivers who most need to ensure a good finish will be racing against many already locked in the field, and unwilling to risk wrecking their cars prior to Sunday.
"I think we've got a really good car for Sunday, so you want to get the best finishing position you can in the Shootout without beating up the race car. So, we're going to try to do everything we can to not put ourselves in bad situations," reigning Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart said.
"The biggest thing is to just take care of the race car. But the racer in you, at the end of the day, still wants to go get the best finish you can."
If those like Blaney aren't successful in racing their way in, there is no Sunday for them.
"It's not a great spot to be in, but I know we have a really good race car. We had really good cars last year in the restrictor plate races," Blaney said. "We'll do everything we can do.
"If our points situation hadn't have changed we wouldn't be in this situation, but we are. Michael Waltrip is trying to get in and he's won the 500 twice."
