(DAYTONA BEACH, FL) -- The Gatorade qualifying duel on Thursday completed the field for Sunday's Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt Jr. created even more momentum by winning the first of the two qualifying races. Earnhardt also won last Saturday's Bud Shootout at Daytona. "I never thought I would start off at Hendrick this successful. That would be ridiculous for me to have thought that," said Earnhardt.

Although Junior was pleased with winning two races in one week at Daytona, he seemed realistic about what kind of roll he is on. "This is a qualifying race. We didn't have half the field out there. We didn't have half the field out there in the Shootout either. It's going to be a different race on Sunday."

Denny Hamlin gave Toyota its first Cup Series victory by wining the second qualifying race behind the solid preparation work of his crew and Crew Chief, Mike Ford. "Give credit to them and Mike for, obviously, the great handling race car, really couldn't ask too much more of it," said Hamlin. As a matter of a fact, Crew Chief Mike Ford said to watch out for Toyota on Sunday. "We know that one of the three Gibbs cars can win the 500," Ford said.

(DAYTONA BEACH, FL) -- The hours are ticking away leading up to Sunday's 50th running of the Daytona 500. The entire field for Sunday's race gets set on Thursday with the Gatorade Duel.

Having already locked in the pole this past Sunday, current champion and former 500 winner, Jimmie Johnson speculated that the wing on the Car of Tomorrow might create one of the best 500s yet. "It made the cars a handful to drive which puts on a better show and the fact that we're not crashing once they are sideways will lead towards a better 500," said Johnson.

Joe Gibbs Racing Driver Denny Hamlin said he and teammates Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch must work together on the track. "It's just all about gettin' our chemistry together. Making sure myself, Tony and Kyle are all on the same page when it comes to how to work together right in the draft," said Hamlin.

Meanwhile, after winning the Bud Shootout last Saturday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not buying the idea of that win helping him getting a monkey off his back, or the idea that there's still a monkey on his back as the newest member of Hendrick Motorsports. "I don't know. I've never felt like I've had a monkey on my back. I've always raced with pressure. It is what it is. There's a lot of pressure, but we've always delivered," said Earnhart.