While Bubba Wallace earned a victory in the first Duel race before the 2025 Daytona 500, all eyes — particularly Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s — were on the middle of the field as the action came to a head.
That's because Justin Allgaier, piloting the No. 40 Chevrolet co-owned by Earnhardt and his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, was running three-wide and driving the race of his life against the outside wall. For a while, the reigning Xfinity Series champion had struggled to make up ground. But in the waning moments of the race, the third lane formed up and he pushed his way into NASCAR's biggest race, finishing ninth — ahead of J.J. Yeley, the driver he had to beat to make it to Sunday's race.
