Why Denny Hamlin is the Favorite at 2014 Daytona 500 After Avoiding Duels Crash

Perhaps it is an omen that this time, for NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Denny Hamlin, all the wrecking was behind him. The mayhem at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday unfolded as Hamlin hustled his No. 11 Toyota toward the checkered flag in the second of the qualifying races for the Daytona 500 commonly referred to as "the Duels." For his efforts in winning the crash-marred second Duel, Hamlin was rewarded with a starting position in the second row for Sunday's 500, on the outside of Matt Kenseth, winner of Thursday's first Duel. But there was more to Hamlin's victory in a non-points qualifier than meets the eye. For starters, it came on the bumper of his very impressive run the previous Saturday night while winning the S...

Read Complete Article at Bleacher Report - Motorsports
Article is property of BleacherReport.com