Author: The Daytona Beach News-Journal

The NASCAR Cup Series took another step toward Sunday’s Daytona 500 as the starting lineup was set with a pair of 150-mile qualifying races.

NASCAR is uniquely set up for this high-profile moment in the sun Sunday at one of its most famous — and nasty — tracks: Darlington Raceway.

Erik Jones survived a wreckfest at Daytona International Speedway and won the season-opening exhibition race with only six cars racing at the end.