Martin Truex Jr. (eighth) and Denny Hamlin (ninth) scored top-10 finishes in Thursday night’s second Duel qualifying race to set the second-half of the field for Sunday’s running of the 65th Daytona 500.
Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Duel 2 – Daytona International Speedway
150 miles, 60 laps
Thursday, February 16, 2023
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Aric Almirola*
2nd, Austin Cindric*
3rd, Chase Elliott*
4th, Brad Keselowski*
5th, Corey Lajoie*
8th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
9th, DENNY HAMLIN
13th, TYLER REDDICK
21st, TRAVIS PASTRANA
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 8th
What was your perspective on that wild final lap and what did you learn for Sunday?
“It’s good to get some race practice in – with no practice. I felt like the Bass Pro Camry TRD was decent – just never really had anywhere to go. I was mired at the bottom most of the race, but was able to get to the guy in front of me and push him really well as long as I had a car somewhere close to me, so that is good sign. I thought it handled pretty good, and we were sitting in a pretty decent spot there on that last lap, I thought, and then the 38 (Todd Gilliland) got turned, and we lost all of our momentum. I just kind of rode it out from there. Overall, it was a good learning experience and not a terrible starting spot, I guess. We will take it and go from there.”
TRAVIS PASTRANA, No. 67 Black Rifle Coffee Toyota Camry TRD, 23XI Racing
Finishing Position: 21st
What happened in the accident and what were you able to learn in the Duel to prepare for the Daytona 500?
“Learned a lot actually and we have a great car. Hopefully we can get it repaired and not have to go to a backup. It didn’t take much of an impact, just couldn’t get it slowed down quite in time. Everything was kind of happening in front of me and I couldn’t make it through that. It was intense those first couple laps running two-by-two. You don’t realize on TV what you can’t see in these vehicles. You’re following the car in front of you, but you don’t know where you are on the race track. Those two Sunoco signs are your turning points. I did learn where my car works best in the draft. Honestly, the whole race was intense. It was fun and it was exciting and even had a good time sliding across the grass. Hope to never do that again, at least this weekend.”
Toyota Racing PR
