NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
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CUP: Harvick Captures Duel No. 1
Kevin Harvick now has two Speedweeks victories…
Tom Jensen  |  Posted February 21, 2013   Daytona Beach, FL
Kevin Harvick is two-for-two so far in Daytona. He goes uncontested on the last lap to win Duel 1.
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Kevin Harvick continued his hot streak at Daytona Speedweeks, as he won the first of Thursday’s two Budweiser Duel 150 qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway.

Harvick held off Greg Biffle to win, just as he did when he captured the Sprint Unlimited on Saturday night. Juan Pablo Montoya made a late charge to third over Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch.

According to Harvick, the new G6 cars require more finesse to drive than the cars they replaced.

“You’ve just got to be precise in your moves if you get yourself in the wrong spot like we did at the beginning of the race in the middle you just can’t go anywhere,” said Harvick. “The only place you are going in backwards. It’s hard to get yourself into the hole that you need when you make a mistake. Usually you go back several car lengths you’ve just got to be precise about making the right moves.”

Danica Patrick started from the pole, knowing she had to keep her car intact to maintain the No. 1 starting spot in the big prize, Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Second-qualifier Trevor Bayne took the lead on the opening lap, as Patrick began to slip back, falling to 22nd on Lap 10. Protecting her car was critical for Patrick; had she crashed, she would lose the No. 1 starting spot in the Daytona 500. So instead, she played it safe all race long, finishing 17th.

“I’ll be really honest,” said Patrick. “I didn’t feel like I got a lot of great experience on how to pass or the draft so much. I was able to hang with the group. I guess I did learn that being too tight is pretty detrimental here. If you can’t keep your foot in it and run up behind cars, then you’re going to struggle to make moves. It looks really hard to pass, to be honest.”

At the halfway point, Bayne led Casey Mears, Martin Truex Jr. and the Penske Fords of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano.

Finally, on Lap 37, Bayne surrendered the lead to Harvick.

Most of the leaders pitted on Lap 42, Bayne blowing a right-front tire as he tried to brake for the pits. Harvick maintained the lead, with the race heading into its final stages.

On Lap 53, there was a crash in the exit of Turn 2, as Denny Hamlin spun on the outside and hit Carl Edwards, collecting Regan Smith, and Bayne with him. Montoya also pitted with body damage from hitting the wall. It was the fourth wreck for Edwards since Speedweeks began.

The race restarted on Lap 57, with Harvick and Biffle fighting for the lead, ahead of Johnson. Once again, Harvick was able to win.

Brian Keselowski finished 21st and was the only car in this race not to make the Daytona 500.

RESULTS: Duel No. 1

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.
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