Rookie NASCAR Cup driver Shane Van Gisbergen is gearing for the opening round of the 2025 season this weekend, competing in the sport’s premier crown jewel event, the 67th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
This race marks Van Gisbergen’s second appearance as a full-time Cup driver, following his debut with the Trackhouse Racing #88 crew at the non-championship Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium held in early February.
In this outing, Van Gisbergen made a strong impression by finishing third in his heat race, which secured him a tenth-place starting position on the grid. He continued his solid performance in the 200-lap Clash, crossing the finish line in a respectable ninth place.
Now, the series moves from the quarter-mile of Bowman Gray Stadium to the superspeedway of Daytona International Speedway, talk about a change in pace.
To add to the challenge, qualifying for this race is unlike any other on the calendar. The format includes two rounds of single-car qualifying to set the front row of the Daytona 500, plus a pair of 60-lap Duel races that determine the remainder of the field and the official starting lineup for the “Great American Race.”
If you’re confused, don’t worry. I’m going to break it down for you.
First, we will have single-car qualifying, which will take place on Wednesday (Thursday NZT). Each driver will run one timed lap around the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway. The top ten fastest drivers will then advance to Round 2 to compete for pole position. The two fastest drivers in the final round will secure spots on the front row for Sunday’s Daytona 500, with the fastest driver awarded pole position for the iconic race. The rest of the lineup is determined by the Duel races on Thursday (Friday NZT).
The lineups for the two Duel races are decided by the qualifying speed chart. Drivers finishing first, third, fifth, etc. will race in Duel 1, while those finishing second, fourth, sixth, etc. will race in Duel 2. NASCAR ensures there is an even number of Charter and non-Charter cars in each Duel race.
The Duels consist of two 60-lap, 150-mile qualifying races that set positions third through 40th in the Daytona 500. The finishing order from Duel No. 1 will determine the inside rows for the Daytona 500, while those participating in Duel No. 2 will fill the outside rows.
Once qualifying and the Duels are complete, there will be an additional two practice sessions before the 67th running of the Daytona 500, which is scheduled to kick off at 8:30 AM Monday morning NZT.
If you want to follow the NASCAR Cup Series action this weekend, the races will be streamed live and free on ThreeNow.
*Schedule for the Daytona 500 (NZT):*
Thursday: –
4:05 AM – Practice 1
2:15 PM – Qualifying
Friday: –
1:00 PM – Duel 1 at Daytona
2:45 PM – Duel 2 at Daytona
Saturday: –
11:35 AM – Practice 2
Sunday: –
9:05 AM – Practice 3
Monday: –
8:30 AM – Daytona 500
Header Image: Trackhouse Racing Facebook
