Keith Tkachuk helped Team USA win the World Cup of Hockey in 1996. Now, his sons are doing their part for their country’s national team.

Brady Tkachuk and brother Matthew each scored twice Thursday as the Americans broke open a tight game to rout Finland 6-1 in their opener at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The win gives the USA three points for the lead in the tournament standings. The Americans play Canada (two points) on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ABC) in Montreal.

The brothers started the game on separate lines and Brady tied the game in the first period after Finland had gone ahead on a Henri Jokiharju goal.

But coach Mike Sullivan put them together with Jack Eichel in the second period and they led a third-period surge. Matthew scored 15 seconds into the period on a long shot to make it 3-1. After a Jake Guentzel goal, Brady scored again at 3:00 of the third, set up by Matthew. Then it was Matthew’s turn on the power play at 11:13.

The final tally: two goals and an assist for Matthew, two goals for Brady, a combined 13 shots, eight hits by Brady and three for Matthew.

Finland will try to rebound against Sweden (one point) in the early game on Saturday (1 p.m. ET).

Brady Tkachuk on playing on a line with brother Matthew

Brady Tkachuk told ESPN it was a ‘dream come true’ to play on a line with brother Matthew.

‘My first thought was my parents, my sister and all of our family, how happy they must be, how excited they must be, but I thought if we’re getting together, we ought to play good and stick together,’ Tkachuk said.

They did and the Tkachuk-Tkachuk-Jack Eichel line could be a good counter on Saturday against Canada’s high-powered top lines.

USA vs. Finland highlights

Final score: USA 6, Finland 1

Finland kept it as tight as it could, considering it was far down on the list on its defense because of pre-tournament injuries. The USA pounced on mistakes on its first two goals, then got a lucky bounce and its superior firepower won out.

The USA will face a deeper opponent in Canada and Finland will need to address its penalty kill. Does Juuse Saros get the net again when Finland plays Sweden on Saturday?

USA-Finland score: It’s Matthew Tkachuk’s turn

Matthew Tkachuk scores again on the power play, popping in a rebound. Zach Werenski gets an assist for his third point of the game. USA 6, Finland 1.

USA-Finland score: Brady Tkachuk scores

Brady Tkachuk gets his second goal of the game, finishing off a play down low after Jack Eichel threads him a pass at 3:00. Brother Matthew gets the secondary assist. USA 5, Finland 1

USA-Finland score: Jake Guentzel scores

Two goals in 11 seconds. Jake Guentzel has a goal and an assist in the first 26 seconds of this period. Juuse Saros probably wants that back. USA 4, Finland 1

USA-Finland score: Matthew Tkachuk scores

Matthew Tkachuk joins his brother Brady on the scoresheet. His long shot deflects off a Finland player past Juuse Saros. USA 3, Finland 1

Third period underway

USA on a power play.

End of second period: USA 2, Finland 1

For a while, it looked like this second period would be like the second period of Canada-Sweden. Like Sweden, Finland controlled play early after being outplayed in the first period, but the USA broke through on a Matt Boldy goal for the lead. Brady Tkachuk has been the USA’s best player through two periods with a goal, three shots and seven hits.

USA goes on power play

Olli Maatta hauls down Auston Matthews with 2.2 seconds left in the second. It will carry over into the third period.

USA-Finland score: Matt Boldy scores

It’s a Minnesota Wild connection. Defenseman Brock Faber’s long wrist shot from the point is deflected in by Matt Boldy at 17:04. USA 2, Finland 1

Tkachuk brothers play together

USA coach Mike Sullivan puts Brady and Matthew Tkachuk on a line with Jack Eichel. Eichel has to go to the bench because of a cut on his nose.

USA goes on power play

Finland’s Nikolas Matinpalo is called for boarding Jake Guentzel at 7:19. The USA has no shots so far this period. They had no shots on the power play in the first period. They finally get a shot but Juuse Saros stops Guentzel as Finland kills the penalty.

Second period underway

Scored tied 1-1.

End of first period: USA 1, Finland 1

Finland might be the least-heralded team in the tournament, but it holds its own and emerges with a tie after one period. Defenseman Henri Jokiharju (who had one goal this season) gives Finland the lead but Brady Tkachuk responds quickly. The USA outshoots Finland 13-7 and outhits them 13-6. Finland blocks four shots and the USA hits iron twice.

Finland goes on power play

Noah Hanifin is called for tripping. Finland goes with five forwards and gets some chances but it’s killed off. Hanifin gets a chance coming out of the penalty box.

USA-Finland score: Brady Tkachuk ties it up

Finland can’t clear and the puck eventually gets to Brady Tkachuk. On a second effort, he banks it in off Juuse Saros at 10:21 to tie the game. Matt Boldy and Zach Werenski get the assists. USA 1, Finland 1.

USA-Finland score: Finland gets first goal

Defenseman Henri Jokiharju joins the rush and his shot from the right faceoff circle goes off a U.S. stick and past Connor Hellebuyck at 7:31. Jokiharju wasn’t originally named to the team but joined as an injury replacement. Finland 1, USA 0

Brock Nelson hits the crossbar

Game still scoreless.

USA on power play

Finland’s Joel Armia is called for cross-checking. Finland kills it off. No shots on goal for the USA.

Game underway

It will be interesting to see how the undermanned Finnish defense handles the U.S. attack.

Player introductions

Montreal fans boo U.S. players with division rivals Auston Matthews and Charlie McAvoy hearing it more. Finland players are cheered. Ex-Canadien Artturi Lehkonen gets the loudest one. Goalie Juuse Saros is mistakenly introduced as forward Teuvo Teravainen.

For the second night in a row, fans are asked to respect the singing of the national anthems.

USA-Finland starters

USA: Fs Auston Matthews, Jake Guentzel, Jack Hughes; Ds Zach Werenski, Charlie McAvoy; G Connor Hellebuyck

Finland: Fs Aleksander Barkov, Mikko Rantanen, Artturi Lehkonen; Ds Esa Lindell, Niko Mikkola; G Juuse Saros

When is 4 Nations Face-Off USA vs. Finland?

The United States and Finland will play at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

How to watch 4 Nations Face-Off USA vs. Finland

The USA-Finland game will be broadcast on ESPN.

How to stream 4 Nations Face-Off USA vs. Finland

Sling, Fubo and ESPN+ carry ESPN and ABC games.

USA vs. Finland goaltending matchup

The USA will go with two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck in net while Finland will use Juuse Saros.

Team Finland lines

Expected scratches are forward Kaapo Kakko, defenseman Juuso Valimaki and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Team USA lineup

USA Hockey announced the lines for Thursday’s game. This means forward Chris Kreider, defenseman Jake Sanderson and goalie Jeremy Swayman are the scratches.

Connor Hellebuyck playoff performance

Though he’s a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, Connor Hellebuyck struggled in the playoffs the past two seasons. He had a 3.44 goals-against average and .886 save percentage in 2023. He was 5.23 and .864 last season.

ESPN’s 4 Nations Face-Off intro narrated by Mike Eruzione

4 Nations Face-Off opening night ratings

TNT announced that the Canada-Sweden opener averaged 1 million viewers Wednesday night on its platforms. The network said the game was the most-watched TNT hockey telecast this season and the most-watched non-playoff hockey game of all time on its MAX streaming service. The NHL said that including Canadian viewership, the North American average was 4.1 million.

TNT’s next broadcasts are Monday, with Canada facing Finland at 1 p.m. ET and the USA playing Sweden at 8 in the final round-robin games.

4 Nations Face-Off standings points

Under the 4 Nations Face-Off format, teams will get three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime/shootout win, one point for an overtime/shootout loss and zero points for a loss in regulation. So if the USA or Finland wins in regulation Thursday, it would move ahead of Canada (two points) and Sweden (one point) in the standings.

USA vs. Finland previous results

Finland and the United States have met in the last four Olympics that involved NHL players. The USA routed Finland 6-0 in the round robin in 2002 on the way to a silver medal. Finland beat the USA 4-3 in the quarterfinals in 2006 on the way to silver. The USA downed Finland 6-1 in the 2010 semifinals on the way to a silver medal. In the 2014 Olympics, Finland beat the USA 5-0 in the bronze medal game. Finland also beat the USA 2-1 in the semifinals of the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.

Shea Theodore injury update

The Vegas Golden Knights announced that defenseman Sean Theodore is week-to-week with the injury he suffered during Canada’s win against Sweden. Theodore was hurt when he was checked into the boards by Sweden’s Adrian Kempe. He has been ruled out of the tournament and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim will take his place.

World Cup of Hockey returning in 2028

The World Cup of Hockey will return in February 2028, and the NHL and players association envision a continuing cycle of alternating Olympics and World Cups every two years.

Details are still to be worked out, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday it would involve ‘at least’ eight countries. Cities, including those in Europe, can start bidding in the coming months. Bettman said he didn’t foresee any melded teams, as happened in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey with smaller European countries forming one team and the North American under-23 ‘Young Guns’ forming another.

It’s up in the air whether Russian players can take part because of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The International Ice Hockey Federation recently voted to ban Russian players from its championships for another year, through the 2025-26 season.

4 Nations Face-Off schedule, TV

(Times p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Feb. 12:  Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Thursday, Feb. 13: USA 6, Finland 1
Saturday, Feb. 15: Finland vs. Sweden at Montreal, 1, ABC
Saturday, Feb. 15: USA vs. Canada at Montreal, 8, ABC
Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland at Boston, 1, TNT
Monday, Feb. 17:  Sweden vs. USA at Boston, 8, TNT
Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game at Boston, 8, ESPN

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LOS ANGELES — The last few games have been anything but normal for Southern California star JuJu Watkins.

She had one of the best freshman campaigns ever last season, scoring at will while bringing the Trojans back into the national spotlight. She largely picked up where she left off to begin this season and looked set to be the next face of the sport. 

But recently, she hadn’t really looked like it. USC was still winning, but Watkins was struggling. In her prior four games, she shot just 31% from the field, nothing close to her standards. 

The sport could only wonder: Is this the sophomore slump? Is Watkins finally slowing down?

She had us all fooled.

The hometown kid shined Thursday, doing it all to lead No. 6 USC to a 71-60 win over rival and No. 1 UCLA, handing the Bruins their first loss of the season. 

Any worries about a continued slump disappeared the moment she put up her first shot: a 3-pointer. It went right through the net and she put three fingers up in the air, a sign of things to come.

She almost couldn’t miss. When her team was struggling to get a bucket, Watkins was there to save the day, pulling up from beyond the arc or weaving through the lane. In the first half, she had 25 of USC’s 38 points, including a whopping six made 3-pointers on seven attempts. Everyone not named Watkins shot 4-for-19 in the first 30 minutes, while the guard was 9-for-15.

“What I was so impressed with tonight was just the mentality she came out with,” head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “Obviously, the ball going through the net helps.”

Of course, it was going to take more than shooting the lights out to put away the No. 1 team in the country. The Bruins came out of halftime and went on a 10-0 run, with center Lauren Betts starting to take control in the paint.

It was a fate all 23 teams that previously faced UCLA had suffered. Betts starts to become a nightmare matchup in the post and the win streak continues. USC center Clarice Akunwafo and company were doing all they could to slow down the 6-foot-7 player of the year candidate.

But during a break in the action, Watkins went up to Akunwafo and told her something: Betts is a great player, and she’s going to score, but I got your back.

How did Watkins live up to the promise? By blocking a career-high eight shots, including some swats on Betts.

“She did have my back after that,” Akunwafo said.

After doing so much scoring, Watkins took over the game on the defensive end, seemingly leaping into the air and swatting anything in her vicinity. Betts would get the ball in the post and would be met by a swift block from Watkins. 

The defensive intensity led to a complete shutdown of the Bruins. After leading by five entering the fourth quarter, UCLA scored just eight points in the final 10 minutes. Watkins ended up with more blocks in the quarter (five) than UCLA had made field goals (two).

“Whatever it takes to win,” Watkins said. “I didn’t plan on having that many blocks, but I think that’s what we needed to win. Any way I could help out, that’s my goal.”

The rest of the Trojans were able to put the finishing touches on the signature victory. But it was a night that completely belonged to Watkins.

“She’s always been that way,” said UCLA head coach Cori Close. “She takes a ton of chances, and she’s able to get into a rhythm and really anticipate those; she takes pride on both sides of the ball. She’s a really good player. Credit to her for some of the plays that she’s made.”

Akunwafo said she didn’t notice Watkins had been struggling recently, but Thursday night may have seen Watkins flip the switch at the right time.

Watkins mentioned she did notice Sanaa Lathan, who played fictional USC star Monica Wright in the classic 2000 film “Love & Basketball,” was in the star-studded crowd and said “you can’t disappoint” in front of the “OG.”

A 38-point game with 11 rebounds, five assists and eight blocks will not disappoint anyone.

Heading into the night, Watkins reminded herself to just play the game with joy. She needed to bring back that youthful spirit, the same one that got her to play for her hometown team.

“That’s the biggest thing for me; go just be happy out there, go out there with my teammates and get the job done,” Watkins said. “It has been a tough couple weeks for me, but just staying true to the process. I mean, there’s a lesson in everything, and I think that is to always stay joyful on the court.”

There was plenty of joy inside the sold-out Galen Center. Gottlieb told the crowd after the victory, USC’s first over a No. 1-ranked team since 1983, it wouldn’t be one the team ever forgets. 

If Watkins continues to shine on the biggest stage, there will be much more joy and unforgettable nights awaiting the Trojans in March.

The 2025 Daytona 500 starting lineup is set.

Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric moved the Great American Race one step closer to its green flag. They were the two winners at the Duel at Daytona that determined the full lineup for Sunday’s 67th annual ‘Great American Race.’ Chase Briscoe will start on the pole after posting the fastest time in Daytona 500 pole qualifying earlier this week. Cindric qualified second and Wallace, by virtue of his first-place finish in the 60-lap ‘duel,’ will start in third position for the first (and biggest) race of the season.

Defending Daytona 500 champion WIlliam Byron, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano are also among the big names that qualified well during the lead-up to this year’s NASCAR season opener. Hamlin is seeking to become just the third driver in NASCAR history to win the Daytona 500 at least four times, joining Hall of Famers Richard Petty (seven) and Cale Yarborough (four). Hamlin won in 2016 and back-to-back in 2019-20.

Here’s a breakdown of the full 2025 Daytona 500 starting lineup and how to watch Sunday’s race:

Daytona 500 projected starting lineup

Here is the projected starting lineup for the 2025 Daytona 500 and how each driver earned their spot, via NASCAR:

1. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Toyota … Busch Light Pole winner

2. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Ford … Second fastest in qualifying

3. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 Toyota … Duel No. 1 results

4. Erik Jones, No. 43 Toyota … Duel No. 2 results

5. William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

6. Chris Buescher, No. 17 Ford … Duel No. 2 results

7. Ty Dillon, No. 10 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

8. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota … Duel No. 2 results

9. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

10. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford … Duel No. 2 results

11. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 Toyota … Duel No. 1 results

12. *Corey LaJoie, No. 01 Ford … Duel No. 2 results

13. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

14. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Ford … Duel No. 2 results

15. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

16. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford … Duel No. 2 results

17. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

18. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Toyota … Duel No. 2 results

19. *Justin Allgaier, No. 40 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

20. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Toyota … Duel No. 2 results

21. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

22. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Chevrolet … Duel No. 2 results

23. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Toyota … Duel No. 1 results

24. Riley Herbst, No. 35 Toyota … Duel No. 2 results

25. Michael McDowell, No. 71 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

26. Shane Van Gisbergen, No. 88 Chevrolet … Duel No. 2 results

27. Ryan Preece, No. 60 Ford … Duel No. 1 results

28. Cody Ware, No. 51 Ford … Duel No. 2 results

29. Josh Berry, No. 21 Ford … Duel No. 1 results

30. Cole Custer, No. 41 Ford … Duel No. 2 results

31. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

32. Noah Gragson, No. 4 Ford … Duel No. 2 results

33. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

34. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Ford … Duel No. 2 results

35. Justin Haley, No. 7 Chevrolet … Duel No. 1 results

36. Daniel Suárez, No. 99 Chevrolet … Duel No. 2 results

37. Zane Smith, No. 38 Ford … Duel No. 1 results

38. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Chevrolet … Duel No. 2 results

39. *Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 Toyota … Qualifying speed

40. *Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Toyota … Qualifying speed

41. *Helio Castroneves, No. 91 Chevrolet … Open Exemption Provisional

*-denotes Open, non-Charter team

How to watch and stream 2025 Daytona 500

Date: Sunday, Feb. 16
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Stream: Fubo, FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app
Where: Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Florida)

Watch the 2025 Daytona 500 with Fubo

It is a passion. It’s a dream. It’s a commitment. And now, it has become a responsibility.

Jeff Idelson, the former Baseball Hall of Fame president, and photographer and filmmaker Jean Fruth traveled around the world, interviewing and filming girls and women baseball players. They went everywhere from Uganda to Cuba to Japan to Puerto Rico to South Korea and Canada, watching and listening to girls and women sharing their passion of playing baseball.

Now, they want to spread the message to the rest of the world.

They have produced “See Her Be Her,’’ a film about women’s baseball around the globe, following the lives of seven women in seven different countries. The documentary, in conjunction with Dolby Laboratories, is set to be shown at AMC Theaters on a 12-city tour across the country, while also streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video. The tour, beginning Feb. 22 in San Francisco, will continue throughout the season and end during the World Series. It will also include a Q&A with a panel of women baseball experts and book signing.

“This film means so much to me,’’ Fruth said. “Just talking to them about the joy and different experiences they have playing baseball, it was magical. The point of the film is to raise visibility for these women. We need to shine light on the women’s baseball game.’’

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. talks about growing up with three siblings in the baseball family, insisting the best baseball player in their family growing up was their oldest sister, Elly.

“I would have loved to have seen Elly play baseball,’’ Ripken said, “but at the time, there was just no outlet for girls to play the game. …. All she wanted to do was play baseball, but there wasn’t an opportunity for her to play.  She was mad all the time.  She became a star in softball.

“Elly wanted desperately to play baseball, but she didn’t get the chance.’’

Kelsie Whitmore describes her experience playing for the Saten Island FerryHawks, becoming the first female to play in a full-season league partnered with Major League Baseball. She now pitches for the Oakland Ballers in the Pioneer League.

“Hey, if your dreams aren’t scary,’’ Whitmore says, “they’re not big enough.’’

Just ask Ayami Sato, considered to be best female baseball player in the world. Sato helped lead Japan to five gold medals, and is the only women’s baseball player to ever have won three consecutive MVP awards in the World Cup.

“Baseball consumes my life,’’ Sato says, “and I wouldn’t have it any other way. … When I’m not playing, I am doing everything I can to grow the game.’’

Fruth and Idelson hope one day that there will be a female major-league baseball player, but most important, the say, is to assure women have the opportunity of playing baseball, and are not relegated to softball.

“It would be amazing, of course,’’ Fruth said, “but to me the real win is for more opportunities overall for women and girls, breaking the barriers. The bigger win is having a place to play, having a women’s professional team. They can see that, and dream to do that.’’

In the words of Hall of Fame tennis player Billy Jean King, who’s part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers: “Every girl should have the same dream as every boy would have.’’

Women’s baseball is lagging behind other countries with 23,000 women playing baseball in Japan, 27,000 in Canada, and six women umpires in Cuba’s professional league. Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki, who once had a female teammate in elementary, Tomomi Niwa, spends time trying to develop female players during the Japan High School Girls All-Star game.

“It’s happening in other countries,’’ Idelson said. “They just need the visibility because people have no idea that women are playing professional baseball around the world. When you see someone with Ichiro’s status working with women high school All-Stars at the Tokyo Dome, it shows you what it means in Japan.

“We know the film is going to open a lot of eyes, and the more exposure, the more opportunity.’’

And, yes, one day….

“As minds become more open and the gender gap narrows, women will continue to change the game for the better and for good,’’ Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. said. “It meant so much to me to get to play alongside my dad. I hope that one day I get to see a young woman play alongside her mom in a major league game.’’

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The Duel, which divides drivers among two 60-lap, 150-mile races, determined the full starting lineup for the 67th annual Daytona 500.

Bubba Wallace won Duel No. 1 in the No. 23 Toyota of 23XI Racing, topping defending Daytona 500 winner William Byron on the final lap. With the victory, Wallace secures the No. 3 starting spot in Sunday’s race.

‘I was lucky to have (teammate) Tyler (Reddick) behind me – he did a great job pushing me,’ Wallace said after his win. ‘I appreciate that massive 23XI effort to get us this win. But all-in-all, we’ve got McDonald’s back in victory lane at the Duel. It sets us up really good for Sunday.

‘We will enjoy this little moment right now. I told myself I would do more of – enjoy the little stuff.’

The first Duel was altered by caution flags, with the first one coming on Lap 3 and the second on Lap 14, completely changing the fuel strategy for the race. But none of it phased Wallace, who led a race-high 21 laps.

Duel No. 2 was more mundane for most of the race, no doubt because drivers and teams had witnessed the opener. The first caution arrived at Lap 48 after the entire field had made green-flag pit stops. When the race restarted with just seven laps remaining, Cindric was back where he started – at the front of the field.

Cindric started on the pole in Duel No. 2 after finishing second in Wednesday night’s pole qualifying behind Chase Briscoe. Though he relinquished his Duel lead early to Denny Hamlin, he drove his No. 2 Team Penske Ford back to the front when it mattered.

The final lap of Duel No. 2 came down to a drag race to the finish line after Erik Jones, in the Legacy Motor Club No. 43 Toyota, made a strong move on the outside to challenge Cindric. And while it looked like Jones had edged Cindric by a hair, NASCAR officials had thrown a caution flag a second before the duo crossed the line. After video review, officials determined Cindric was leading when the caution flag flew, making him the winner.

“Obviously a great race for us and a fast Discount Tire Ford Mustang,” Cindric said. “I thought it was super close. I thought I got it, but I think the 43 beat me to the line. But the caution light came out a little earlier, so obviously it was a great result and glad my guys let me race this one tonight to see what we had. Now we can tune on this thing for the 500.’

With the Duel races completed, the lineup is now set for Sunday’s “Great American Race.” Briscoe and Cindric will make up the front row of the starting grid, followed by Wallace and Jones.

For highlights, results and a recap of all the action from Thursday night’s Duel races, see below:

Daytona 500 projected starting lineup

Here is the projected starting lineup for the 2025 Daytona 500, via NASCAR (*-denotes Open, non-Charter team). The Daytona 500 is scheduled for Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on Fox.

Austin Cindric wins Daytona Duel No. 2

Following a video review by NASCAR, Team Penske driver Austin Cindric was declared the winner of Duel No. 2 over Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones. Cindric, in the No. 2 Ford, and Jones, in the No. 43 Toyota, took the checkered flag at seemingly the same time, but because a caution flag was thrown less than a second before, NASCAR had to review which driver was leading when the yellow flag waved.

Cindric was already locked into the front row of Sunday’s Daytona 500 after finishing second behind pole winner Chase Briscoe in Wednesday’s pole qualifying. But his win in Duel No. 2 will generate extra regular-season points. With his second-place finish, Jones sewed up the No. 4 starting spot in the 67th annual Daytona 500.

RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher finished third in the No. 17 Ford, Denny Hamlin finished fourth in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, and reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano took fifth in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford.

Daytona Duel No. 2 results

(Starting position in parentheses)

(1) Austin Cindric, Ford
(18) Erik Jones, Toyota
(9) Chris Buescher, Ford
(3) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
(2) Joey Logano, Ford
(17) Corey LaJoie, Ford
(7) Todd Gilliland, Ford
(10) Ryan Blaney, Ford
(19) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
(4) Christopher Bell, Toyota
(5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
(13) Riley Herbst, Toyota
(20) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet
(15) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
(22) Cody Ware, Ford
(16) Cole Custer, Ford
(21) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet
(11) Noah Gragson, Ford
(14) Jimmie Johnson, Toyota
(8) Brad Keselowski, Ford
(12) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
(6) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet

Daytona Duel No. 2 ends in a photo finish

Austin Cindric, who started on the pole in Duel No. 2, and Erik Jones took the checkered flag at nearly the exact same time. But a caution flag was waved just before the cars crossed the line as a multicar crash broke out in the back of the field.

Corey LaJoie, driving part-time in the No. 01 Ford, finished sixth as an open-car to lock himself into the Daytona 500 field.

Daytona Duel No. 2 restarts after crash

The green flag drops with seven laps remaining. Chris Buescher and Austin Cindric restart on the front row.

Caution flag flies after crash on Lap 48

Following green-flag pit stops by all drivers, a multi-car crash broke out on the backstretch near the back of the field. The front of the field began slowing up, setting up an accordian effect further back. Daniel Suarez checked up, causing Alex Bowman to get into the back of his No. 99 Chevrolet. Suarez then spun into Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford. Bowman hit the SAFER barrier in his No. 88 Chevrolet and was unable to make it back to pit road, ending his race.

Ford cars make their pit stops

Following fuel stops for the Chevrolets and Toyotas, the remaining cars – all Fords – came down pit road for fuel, shuffling the field.

Entire inside lane pits for fuel on Lap 45

All of the Chevrolets and Toyotas came down pit road for fuel on Lap 45 of 60, led by Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez. But Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin and John Hunter Nemechek were penalized for speeding and will be forced to come down pit road again.

Jimmie Johnson makes an unscheduled pit stop

Two-time Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson, who was running in the top four, radioed his team that he thought he was running out of fuel and came down pit road on his own – a major detriment in a pack-racing track like Daytona International Speedway. Johnson could never catch back up with the field and went a lap down on Lap 39. But the semi-retired seven-time NASCAR champion, who is driving a handful of races in 2025, is already locked into the field for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Jimmie Johnson rockets up the leaderboard

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, driving the No. 84 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club, the team he co-owns, shot up near the front of the pack along with his teammate, Erik Jones, who is pacing the field in his No. 43 Toyota. Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney has also moved into the Top 3.

Denny Hamlin leads Daytona Duel No. 2

Three-time Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin has led 12 of the first 13 laps of Duel No. 2 in his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Also in the top six: Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric, Joey Logano, Alex Bowman and Chris Buescher

Daytona Duel No. 2 begins

The green flag has dropped on the second of two Daytona 500 Duel races as Austin Cindric leads the field. Cindric will also start on the front row for Sunday’s 67th annual Daytona 500, alongside pole winner Chase Briscoe.

Bubba Wallace wins Daytona Duel No. 1

Bubba Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota outdueled William Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet and Ty Dillon’s No. 10 Chevrolet to take the checkered flag in Duel No. 1 at Daytona. With the win, Wallace clinches the third starting spot in Sunday’s Daytona 500. Wallace led six times for 20 laps.

Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain finished fourth in the No. 1 Chevy, and Wallace’s 23XI Racing teammate Tyler Reddick finished fifth in the No. 45 Toyota.

Justin Allgaier raced his way into the Daytona 500 field as an open car after finishing ninth. Allgaier, the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, is driving the No. 40 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, the team co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller that is making its Daytona 500 debut.

Daytona Duel No. 1 results

(Starting position in parentheses)

(15) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
(11) William Byron, Chevrolet
(5) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
(19) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
(14) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
(10) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
(4) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
(8) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
(17) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet
(7) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
(13) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
(9) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
(2) Ryan Preece, Ford
(3) Josh Berry, Ford
(12) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
(21) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
(23) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet
(18) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
(1) Chase Briscoe, Toyota
(22) Chandler Smith, Ford
(16)Justin Haley, Chevrolet
(20) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet
(6) Zane Smith, Ford

Daytona Duel No. 1 leaders

23XI teammates Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick are both racing in the top-four with 20 laps remaining in Duel No. 1. Also running up front: reigning Daytona 500 champion William Byron and Ryan Preece.

Preece was later shuffled back after getting stuck on his own in the middle lane.

Pole winner Chase Briscoe retires from Duel No. 1

Not wanting to risk his pole-winning No. 19 Toyota, Chase Briscoe and his Joe Gibbs Racing team opted to retire from Duel No. 1 to keep his car from sustaining any damage ahead of the 67th annual Daytona 500. Briscoe is still guaranteed to start on the pole for Sunday’s race.

Helio Castroneves knocked out of Daytona Duel No. 1

Justin Haley got into the back of Chandler Smith, sending his No. 66 Ford hard into the wall on Lap 14 and collecting a number of other cars, including four-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves, who was making his NASCAR debut. Smith and Castroneves were forced to retire from the race with damage, though the IndyCar legend is guaranteed a starting spot in Sunday’s Daytona 500 with a provisional.

Haley also hit the outside wall in the process, while Ty Gibbs, JJ Yeley, and Bubba Wallace also sustained damage.

First caution flag flies in Daytona Duel No. 1

Zane Smith brought out the caution flag on the third lap after hitting the wall and cutting his right front tire in Turn 2. Smith, who was running in the fifth position, managed to make it back to pit road under his own power.

Duel at Daytona No. 1 begins

The green flag has dropped on the first of two Daytona 500 Duel races as Chase Briscoe leads the field. Briscoe will also start on the pole for Sunday’s 67th annual Daytona 500.

Helio Castroneves attempts first NASCAR race

Helio Castroneves, who won the Indy 500 four times in his illustrious open-wheel career, is behind the wheel of a Cup Series car for his first NASCAR race. Castroneves will start 20th of 23 cars in Duel at Daytona No. 1. Should his finishing result not lock him into the Daytona 500 field, Castroneves is guaranteed a provisional starting spot for Sunday’s race but would start last on Sunday.

What time do the Daytona Duel races start?

Duel at Daytona No. 1 is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET. Barring delays, Duel at Daytona No. 2 should begin at 8:45 p.m. ET.

What TV channel is showing the Daytona Duel races?

Fox Sports 1 (FS1) is televising both Daytona Duel races.

Will there be a live stream of the Daytona Duel races?

Both Daytona Duel races can be streamed on FoxSports.com, the Fox Sports app and Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Watch the Daytona Duel races on Fubo

What is the weather forecast for the Daytona Duel races?

The National Weather Service is calling for mostly cloudy skies with temperatures in the low-to-mid 70s Thursday night for the start of Duel No. 1, before dropping into the high 60s for Duel No. 2. There is a slight possibility of showers and thunderstorms before 10 p.m. ET, with the odds of precipitation at 20%.

Daytona duel odds: Top favorites for each race

All odds provided by BetMGM as of Thursday afternoon:

Duel No. 1 odds

Kyle Busch … +650
Chase Elliott … +900
William Byron … +1000
Bubba Wallace … +1200
Chase Briscoe … +1400
Michael McDowell … +1400
Ryan Preece … +1600
Josh Berry … +1600
Ty Gibbs … +1600
Tyler Reddick … +1600
Ross Chastain … +1600

Duel No. 2 odds

Joey Logano … +650
Brad Keselowski … +700
Ryan Blaney … +700
Denny Hamlin … +750
Austin Cindric … +900
Christopher Bell … +1000
Kyle Larson … +1000
Chris Buescher … +1100
Todd Gilliland … +1400
Alex Bowman … +1600

How do the Daytona Duel races work?

The Daytona Duels consist of two 60-lap, 150-mile races that set positions third to 40th on the starting grid for the Daytona 500 – after the top-two finishers in Wednesday’s night pole qualifying locked up the Daytona 500 front row. The winners of the two Duel races will start on the second row of Sunday’s Daytona 500 (if they didn’t already land on the front row in pole qualifying).

The drivers who finished first, third, fifth, etc., in Wednesday’s pole qualifying will race in Duel No. 1, while those who finished second, fourth, sixth, etc., in qualifying will race in Duel No. 2. The finishing order from Duel No. 1 will make up the inside lane for the starting lineup of the Daytona 500, starting with position No. 3. The results of Duel No. 2 will make up the outside lane on the starting grid.

The top finishers in both Daytona Duel races also receive NASCAR Cup Series regular season points.

Who will start first in the Daytona Duel races?

Chase Briscoe posted the top time in Wednesday night’s Daytona 500 pole qualifying, guaranteeing the pole position for both the Daytona 500 and Duel No. 1. Austin Cindric posted the second-fastest time in qualifying and will start on the pole in Duel No. 2 and second in the Daytona 500.

∎ Duel at Daytona No. 1 front row

Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford

∎ Duel at Daytona No. 2 front row

Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
Joey Logano. No. 22 Team Penske Ford

What are the starting lineups for the Daytona Duel races?

Duel at Daytona No. 1

(19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota
(60) Ryan Preece, Ford
(21) Josh Berry, Ford
(3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
(10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
(38) Zane Smith, Ford
(8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
(9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
(71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
(16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
(24) William Byron, Chevrolet
(56) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
(54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
(45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
(23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
(7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
(40) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet
(77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
(1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
(91) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet
(47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
(66) Chandler Smith, Ford
(44) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet

Duel at Daytona No. 2

(2) Austin Cindric, Ford
(22) Joey Logano, Ford
(11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
(20) Christopher Bell, Toyota
(5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
(48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
(34) Todd Gilliland, Ford
(6) Brad Keselowski, Ford
(17) Chris Buescher, Ford
(12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
(4) Noah Gragson, Ford
(99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
(35) Riley Herbst, Toyota
(84) Jimmie Johnson, Toyota
(88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
(41) Cole Custer, Ford
(01) Corey LaJoie, Ford
(43) Erik Jones, Toyota
(42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
(62) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet
(78) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet
(51) Cody Ware, Ford

Who won the 2024 Daytona Duel races?

Tyler Reddick won Duel No. 1 last year in the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota. Christopher Bell won Duel No. 2 in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

How to watch the Daytona 500

Date: Sunday, Feb. 16
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Streaming: Fubo, FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app
Location: Daytona International Speedway

Who won last year’s Daytona 500?

William Byron won the 66th annual Daytona 500 to kick off the 2024 season. The 26-year-old edged Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman at the checkered flag. Byron’s win gave team owner Rick Hendrick a record-tying nine Daytona 500 victories, becoming the sixth different driver in the team’s history to win the iconic race.

Which drivers have won the most Daytona 500 races?

*-active driver

Richard Petty … 7
Cale Yarborough … 4
Bobby Allison … 3
Jeff Gordon … 3
*-Denny Hamlin … 3
Dale Jarrett … 3

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Jay Bilas says SEC basketball’s performance this season is the best ever by a conference. Bold statement, but true? He’s got a case.
The Big East set a Final Four record in 1985 and a NCAA Tournament bids record in 2011. The SEC pursues those bars of greatness.
How many March Madness bids for SEC? Fourteen teams are in play.

Jay Bilas, ESPN’s erudite college hoops voice, abandoned his east coast allegiance and saluted the SEC’s fiefdom.

“This is the most powerful basketball league, top to bottom, that there has ever been,” Bilas said Tuesday on the SEC Network. “I have never seen anything remotely like what we’re seeing in the Southeastern Conference this year.”

Oh, my! Best ever? That’s lofty praise from a blue-blooded Dukie. Such words could be considered treason for ACC or Big East fans.

Nobody should dispute the SEC’s claim to the best conference this season after it dunked on non-conference competition, but are we ready to award GOAT status?

The 1985 Big East would like a word.

The 2011 Big East, too.

What about when the ACC snagged three No. 1 seeds in 2019 and Virginia took home the title?

For Bilas, this SEC season trumps all of that and more.

Bilas’ opinion is no crackpot musing. He knows ball. He’s enjoyed a front-row seat to quality hoops throughout his three decades broadcasting games.

A Big East and SEC expert weighs in

But, did Bilas suffer from recency bias anointing the SEC? I knew I needed to consult with Mike Tranghese, the former Big East commissioner who spent three decades in a conference synonymous with basketball. Tranghese later joined the SEC to help galvanize its hoops.

Forty years after No. 8 seed Villanova became the O.G. Cinderella and won the national championship, Tranghese can still rattle off results from the Big East’s magical 1985 season. Six of the Big East’s nine teams made the NCAA Tournament. Georgetown and St. John’s joined Villanova in a Final Four resembling a Big East Invitational that Memphis stumbled into.

The Big East’s six qualifiers combined for an 18-5 March Madness record. Five Big East teams won at least one tournament game. Four reached the Sweet 16, including 11th-seeded Boston College, which upset No. 3 Duke along the way.

So, what about this idea of the SEC enjoying the best season ever for a conference? Well, Tranghese won’t refute it. He sides with Bilas.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Tranghese said.

And he’s seen plenty, from Chris Mullin and Patrick Ewing and Ed Pinckney to Allen Iverson and Rip Hamilton to Carmelo Anthony and Emeka Okafor. Still, he’s ready to crown the SEC.

“It’s probably the best I’ve seen from any conference, in a particular year,” Tranghese said. “I watch games all the time, and the SEC is really, really good.”

No argument on that point, but college basketball’s judgement day arrives in March.

At least for me, it’s premature to anoint the SEC the GOAT before March Madness. The SEC last produced a national champion in 2012. It last put a team in the championship game in 2014. Kentucky delivered on both fronts.

Load up the Sweet 16, put multiple teams in the Final Four, bring a national championship home to the South, and that’ll settle this debate, hands down.

Tranghese sees nothing to suggest the SEC won’t keep the good times rolling.

“They’ve all got a chance to do damage in the tournament,” Tranghese said.

SEC basketball uprising a culmination of Greg Sankey’s mandate

Let’s dig into this tremendous SEC uprising. Fourteen of the league’s 16 teams assemble résumés worthy of tournament consideration.

Even if the SEC finishes a bid or two short of 14 qualifiers, it threatens to break the record of 11 NCAA bids, set by the 2011 Big East. That’s the only time any league reached double figures.

The SEC’s 14-2 record in the SEC/ACC challenge highlighted its evisceration of non-conference opponents. That interconference dominance formed the linchpin of Bilas’ argument. Case in point: SEC cellar dweller South Carolina beat Clemson, one of the ACC’s best teams.

This season marks a crescendo of SEC commissioner Greg Sankey’s decade-long push to elevate men’s basketball. The SEC’s initiative involved smarter scheduling and improving officiating, but hiring better coaches and investing in retaining them became the biggest factor in this hoops movement.

“In the pudding, regardless of what league you administrate, you’ve got to start with coaches. That’s just where it all is,” said Chris Plonsky, Texas’ executive senior associate athletics director. She previously worked for the Big East.

Two hires help change SEC basketball

In 2016, one year into Sankey’s commissionership, his league’s basketball product dragged the bottom. Just three SEC teams earned NCAA bids. Sankey wouldn’t tolerate that. He made two important hires to spur an uprising. Sankey tapped Tranghese as his special assistant for men’s basketball and hired former coach Dan Leibovitz as an associate commissioner for men’s basketball. Each served in their roles for seven years.

The new personnel sparked change and ignited some fires. Tranghese remembers delivering a rally cry to the conference’s athletic directors.

“In my wildest dreams, I didn’t think it would get to this,” Tranghese said, “but I remember when I went in and told the ADs, ‘For the SEC not to be winning in basketball, it’s absurd. Utterly absurd.’ It’s just got too many things going for it.’”

Combine enviable financial resources, elite facilities, the conference’s television network, passionate fan bases and access to talent, and Tranghese insisted the SEC possessed tools to thrive in basketball.

Insert better coaches, and a limping league started to sprint.

“The most important thing is, we got our schools to hire good coaches,” Tranghese said.

SEC in 2025 or Big East in 1985? Who gets the edge?

The 1972 Miami Dolphins sip a champagne toast each year when the NFL’s last undefeated team loses, to celebrate the Dolphins remaining the league’s only team to finish a season unbeaten.

Members of the Big East’s old guard don’t break out the bubbly, but they relish the league’s unprecedented and unmatched 1985 record of three Final Four bids.

“We all still converse, and we love that stat: Three out of four in ’85,” said Plonsky, who joined the Big East in 1986. “That’s a badge of pride.”

She also nods to the Big East’s 2011 feat of 11 qualifiers. Only two reached the Sweet 16, but Connecticut won the national championship.

“It was a collection of some of the best, deepest basketball, with great coaches – a similar scenario of what the SEC men are enjoying right now,” Plonsky said of that 2011 Big East season, by which point she’d settled in at Texas.

The argument for the SEC being the best ever resides in its top to bottom strength. The top four teams in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball poll hail from the SEC. No. 1 Alabama will face No. 2 Auburn on Saturday. All but two SEC teams rank in the NET rankings’ top 50. Oklahoma, the SEC’s 14th-place team, owns wins against Arizona, Louisville, Michigan and Oklahoma State.

By comparison, the 1985 Big East included three teams with losing records. A few anchors existed within the 2011 Big East, too.

This sport revolves around March Madness, so the SEC’s final exam begins next month, but “there is a new standard, potentially, being created,” Plonsky said.

And would it surprise anyone if the last team standing wears an SEC jersey patch? Nonbelievers are so hard to find, you wonder whether any still exist.

“I don’t want to jinx it, but I picked a team at the beginning of the year, and they’re having a great season, and I think they’ve got a heck of a chance to win the whole thing,” Tranghese said. “And, it’s an SEC team.”

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.