The thrilling JJ vs. JJ duel that no one saw coming

One is a NASCAR Hall of Famer, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, and a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.

The other is an accomplished dirt racer whose NASCAR career hasn’t exactly panned out with great success. It’s led to many start-and-park efforts and rides with lower-budgeted teams running in the back of the pack weekly.

But in an unlikely scenario, they battled through the final corner of the first Daytona Duel race to determine which would make the Daytona 500 on Sunday. And it was the Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson who came out in front.

JJ Yeley, whose name only appeared on the entry list on Wednesday, won’t race on Sunday. He hasn’t been in ‘The Great American Race’ in nine years, and it will be at least a decade until he runs it again.

Anthony Alfredo qualified for the 500 by being one of the two fastest open cars to record a lap in qualifying. So, there was one spot up for grabs between Johnson and Yeley in the first duel. Since Yeley’s qualifying lap was slower than Johnson’s, the only way he could have made the race was if he finished ahead of both open cars driven by Johnson and Alfredo.

Alfredo fell a lap down after speeding on pit road early in the race during a green flag stop. And about two-thirds into the event, Johnson was involved in a multi-car wreck and spun out. Luckily for him, he had minimal damage as he never hit the wall.

On the final green flag stint, it became a one-on-one battle between the two JJs. Whoever finished ahead of the other would make the race. And until the final corner, it looked like Yeley had the advantage.

But when he was forced to check up behind Ross Chastain and slide up the track as the pack entered the front stretch for the final time, Yeley lost his momentum, and Johnson was able to squeak by.

It was a valiant effort by Yeley and his No. 44 NY Racing Team. When Johnson climbed out of his car on pit road after the race, he walked up to Yeley and shook his hand — a gesture of good sportsmanship after an intense battle.

Johnson was always a contender to win throughout his Cup career. And Yeley was typically several laps down when and if he finished a race. It was not a battle NASCAR fans ever thought would be a possibility, but since both were driving cars that didn’t have charters and therefore had no guarantee of being in the field, it became a fierce fight, and it showed a competitive side of Yeley that isn’t seen too often.

“I’ve never been in a position like this before,” Johnson said after the Duel. “Such a greater appreciation for those who’ve tried to race in before me. Grateful … right spot at the right time when the checkered fell. Hats off to JJ Yeley. He put up a great fight in a competitive car.”

Yeley appreciated his team’s effort, and naturally, he said it “hurts” to miss the show by such a small margin.

“I was worried about keeping up with the draft, let alone being in the position coming to the checkered to lock in,” Yeley said. “This one hurts just as much as it did two years ago to be within a lap.”

Johnson finished 12 and will start 23rd on Sunday, while Yeley finished 16th.