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Daytona 500 Qualifying: Jeff Burton Wins Second Gatorade Duel

Jeff Burton won the second of Thursday's Gatorade Duels at Daytona used to determine the starting grid for Sunday's Daytona 500. What worries NASCAR and fans alike, tonight, is just how exciting the race will be on newly paved Daytona Motor Speedway.

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From the drop of the green flag today, the field broke into 2-car packs as drivers searched for the fastest way around the 2.5 mile oval. It's a far cry from the wild pack racing that has been the trademark of Daytona during the restrictor-plate era.

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Burton feels that come Sunday, no one will notice the difference.

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"It's my prediction it will be the same Daytona 500," he said. "When somebody has a chance to take the Daytona 500 trophy home, you do things that you weren't going to do 100 laps before that. It's the same thing every time we come down here."

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The field is now set.

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Photographs by spatulated, Triple Tri, and chrischappelear used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.