Three state drivers competing for starting spots for Daytona 500

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DAYTONA, Fla. - Three Wisconsin NASCAR drivers are competing today for good starting positions in Sunday’s Daytona-500.

The order for the Great American Race will be determined by this afternoon’s “Budweiser Duels,” a pair of 150-mile qualifying events. Matt Kenseth of Cambridge won the second Duel a year ago, before he went on to win his second Daytona-500.

He and two other Wisconsin drivers will both be in today’s final qualifier. Kenseth is starting fifth, Paul Menard of Eau Claire seventh, and Travis Kvapil of Janesville 21st. Their starting orders were determined by their showings in last Sunday’s pole qualifying. Beloit-born Danica Patrick won the pole, and Jeff Gordon won the second spot beside her. Both were to be in the No. 1 positions for today’s Duels, with Patrick going first.

Except for Patrick and Gordon, the Top-15 finishers in each Duel will clinch the third-through-32nd spots for Sunday. The final 11 will be set by either qualifying times or provisional berths – and only two cars on the entry list will fail to be in Sunday’s-500.

Tags: wisconsin sports, proam, racing