2011 Gatorade Duels
Clint Bowyer followed in the second position, ahead of third-placed Michael Waltrip.
With four laps remaining, Michael McDowell's engine failed, prompting the second caution to be given.
During the second race, Jeff Gordon was the leader at the start, but after one lap he was passed by Bowyer.
On the third lap, Casey Mears' engine failed, prompting the first caution of the race to be given.
There were a record-breaking 22 lead changes among seven drivers and five caution periods in the second event.
[12] Large well-established teams approach the races as practice sessions for the Daytona 500 while a successful qualification into the Daytona 500 for smaller less-established teams would allow them to enter future NASCAR events during the season.
An unsuccessful qualification meant the team would risk closing down until sponsorship was found.
[11] The top 35 drivers were assigned to Gatorade Duel races based upon their qualifying positions in the previous year's Daytona 500.
Drivers who qualified in odd-number positions competed in the first Duel along with the winner of the 2011 Daytona 500 pole.
[15] In the first practice session, which was delayed because of rain,[15] Kyle Busch was quickest with a time of 44.943 seconds.
He was followed by Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Johnson, and Juan Pablo Montoya in the next four positions.
[19] The qualifying races for the 2011 Daytona 500 began at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and were televised live in the United States on Speed.
[24] The conditions on the grid were dry before the race, the air temperature at 70 °F (21 °C) with sunny skies expected.
[25] Following the invocation and the performance of the United States National Anthem, the children of the late sports marketer Ed Shull gave the command for drivers to start their engines.
At the start, Newman was the leader going through the first corner, but on the same lap Menard, with pushing assistance from Martin, passed him.
On the 22nd lap, Johnson moved up to ninth while Harvick and Kurt Busch switched the first position between them.
On the 45th lap, Kenseth was the leader, ahead of Harvick, Kahne, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Regan Smith.
Kurt Busch remained the leader to win the race, ahead of Smtih, Harvick, and Kenseth.
[2] Following the first Gatorade Duel, Murphy Reynolds gave the command for drivers to start their engines.
[25] During the pace laps, Casey Mears went to the back of the field because he changed his engine and Truex did the same because he switched to a backup car.
On the following lap, Jamie McMurray moved into the third position, after drafting with Kyle Busch.
At the lap six restart, Bowyer was the leader, ahead of Burton, Kyle Busch, and Biffle.
On the 39th lap, Brad Keselowski spun sideways after losing control of his car, prompting the third caution to come out.
Burton remained the leader to cross the finish line in first, ahead of Bowyer in second.
Michael Waltrip finished third, Kyle Busch clinched fourth, and Brian Keselowski rounded out the first five positions.
[25] In the end, the following five drivers failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 because they could not finish high enough in their respective Duels or turn a fast enough qualifying lap: Casey Mears, Todd Bodine, Derrike Cope, Kevin Conway, and Michael McDowell.
[28] The second race had a record-breaking total of 22 lead changes in the Gatorade Duels among seven different drivers and had five caution periods.
"[30] Also by winning the race, Kurt Busch would be the leader at the start of the Daytona 500, after Earnhardt was involved in an accident.
