The top speeds all came from the second 20-minute session, which also proved the most dramatic.
Blaney’s average lap speed of 159.468 mph topped the overall speed chart, followed by Tyler Reddick (158.982 mph) and Chase Briscoe (158.478 mph) – all from Group B.
William Byron was fastest in the Group A with an average lap speed of 158.954 mph.
Both Zane Smith and Kaz Grala hit the wall hard in separate incidents in the second session.
Among those drivers who ran at least 10 consecutive laps, Byron had the fastest average lap speed (155.405 mph). Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs were second and third, respectively, in that category.
Group B
Following a nearly 10-minute delay, the Group B session got under way with Blaney leading the way at 159.468 mph.
Reddick was second fastest at 158.982 mph and Briscoe was third (158.478 mph). Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson was fourth and Michael McDowell ended up rounding out the top five.
About six minutes into the session, rookie Smith had a right-side tire go down, spun in Turn 2 and backed into wall, doing significant damage to his No. 71 Chevrolet. Smith will move to a backup car and have to start Sunday’s race from the rear of the field.
In the final minute of the session, Grala got loose off Turn 4, then shot up the track and into slammed into the outside frontstretch wall hard, which brought an ended to the second 20-minute session. Grala will also move to a backup car and have to start Sunday’s race from the rear of the field.
Group A
Byron set a blistering pace in the first session with an average lap speed of 158.954 mph but it may have been at a cost.
After his first long run on the track, Byron corded his right-front tire after his 17 laps and his crew chief, Rudy Fugle, elected not to send the No. 24 Chevrolet back out on the track.
Ross Chastain ended up second quick (158.200 mph) while A.J. Allmendinger was third (158.054 mph). Allmendinger’s No. 16 Kaulig Racing team also reported a corded tire on his last run.
Chris Buescher was fourth fastest and Hamlin rounded out the top five.
Truck Series regular Corey Heim, who is substituing for the injured Erik Jones in Legacy Motor Club’s No. 43 Toyota and making his Cup series debut this weekend, ended up 14th fastest in the session.
“It’s just so much different,” Heim said. “I was just trying to find my limits but in a 20-minute practice, it’s pretty tough. This race for me will be a help to get a real feel for these cars.
“You never know how these cars are gonna drive until you get in one.”
| CLA | DRIVER | # | MANUFACTURER | LAPS | TIME | INTERVAL | MPH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R. BlaneyTEAM PENSKE | 12 | Ford | 24 |
22.575 |
159.468 | ||
| 2 | T. Reddick23XI RACING | 45 | Toyota | 22 |
+0.069 22.644 |
0.069 | 158.983 | |
| 3 | W. ByronHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 24 | Chevrolet | 17 |
+0.073 22.648 |
0.004 | 158.954 | |
| 4 | C. BriscoeSTEWART-HAAS RACING | 14 | Ford | 22 |
+0.141 22.716 |
0.068 | 158.479 | |
| 5 | J. JohnsonLEGACY MOTOR CLUB | 84 | Toyota | 22 |
+0.146 22.721 |
0.005 | 158.444 | |
| 6 | M. McDowellFRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS | 34 | Ford | 21 |
+0.169 22.744 |
0.023 | 158.284 | |
| 7 | R. ChastainTRACKHOUSE RACING | 1 | Chevrolet | 20 |
+0.181 22.756 |
0.012 | 158.200 | |
| 8 | C. ElliottHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 9 | Chevrolet | 22 |
+0.186 22.761 |
0.005 | 158.165 | |
| 9 | A. AllmendingerKAULIG RACING | 16 | Chevrolet | 21 |
+0.202 22.777 |
0.016 | 158.054 | |
| 10 | C. BuescherRFK RACING | 17 | Ford | 21 |
+0.203 22.778 |
0.001 | 158.047 | |
| 11 | D. HamlinJOE GIBBS RACING | 11 | Toyota | 19 |
+0.203 22.778 |
0.000 | 158.047 | |
| 12 | K. BuschRICHARD CHILDRESS RACING | 8 | Chevrolet | 20 |
+0.219 22.794 |
0.016 | 157.936 | |
| 13 | J. LoganoTEAM PENSKE | 22 | Ford | 19 |
+0.222 22.797 |
0.003 | 157.916 | |
| 14 | J. BerrySTEWART-HAAS RACING | 4 | Ford | 15 |
+0.227 22.802 |
0.005 | 157.881 | |
| 15 | B. KeselowskiRFK RACING | 6 | Ford | 17 |
+0.227 22.802 |
0.000 | 157.881 | |
| 16 | A. CindricTEAM PENSKE | 2 | Ford | 18 |
+0.237 22.812 |
0.010 | 157.812 | |
| 17 |
T. GibbsJOE GIBBS RACING
|
54 | Toyota | 23 |
+0.246 22.821 |
0.009 | 157.749 | |
| 18 | B. Wallace23XI RACING | 23 | Toyota | 15 |
+0.247 22.822 |
0.001 | 157.743 | |
| 19 | C. BellJOE GIBBS RACING | 20 | Toyota | 24 |
+0.256 22.831 |
0.009 | 157.680 | |
| 20 | R. PreeceSTEWART-HAAS RACING | 41 | Ford | 12 |
+0.264 22.839 |
0.008 | 157.625 | |
| 21 | K. LarsonHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 5 | Chevrolet | 18 |
+0.283 22.858 |
0.019 | 157.494 | |
| 22 | A. BowmanHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 48 | Chevrolet | 22 |
+0.303 22.878 |
0.020 | 157.356 | |
| 23 |
C. HocevarSPIRE MOTORSPORTS
|
77 | Chevrolet | 15 |
+0.319 22.894 |
0.016 | 157.246 | |
| 24 |
Z. SmithSPIRE MOTORSPORTS
|
71 | Chevrolet | 10 |
+0.343 22.918 |
0.024 | 157.082 | |
| 25 | M. Truex JrJOE GIBBS RACING | 19 | Toyota | 23 |
+0.362 22.937 |
0.019 | 156.952 | |
| 26 | T. GillilandFRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS | 38 | Ford | 16 |
+0.372 22.947 |
0.010 | 156.883 | |
| 27 | A. DillonRICHARD CHILDRESS RACING | 3 | Chevrolet | 26 |
+0.434 23.009 |
0.062 | 156.461 | |
| 28 | D. SuarezTRACKHOUSE RACING | 99 | Chevrolet | 16 |
+0.435 23.010 |
0.001 | 156.454 | |
| 29 | K. GralaRICK WARE RACING | 15 | Ford | 27 |
+0.459 23.034 |
0.024 | 156.291 | |
| 30 | J. NemechekLEGACY MOTOR CLUB | 42 | Toyota | 21 |
+0.460 23.035 |
0.001 | 156.284 | |
| 31 |
C. HeimLEGACY MOTOR CLUB
|
43 | Toyota | 21 |
+0.470 23.045 |
0.010 | 156.216 | |
| 32 | R. Stenhouse JrJTG DAUGHERTY RACING | 47 | Chevrolet | 15 |
+0.506 23.081 |
0.036 | 155.972 | |
| 33 | J. HaleyRICK WARE RACING | 51 | Ford | 18 |
+0.516 23.091 |
0.010 | 155.905 | |
| 34 | N. GragsonSTEWART-HAAS RACING | 10 | Ford | 20 |
+0.516 23.091 |
0.000 | 155.905 | |
| 35 | D. HemricKAULIG RACING | 31 | Chevrolet | 26 |
+0.545 23.120 |
0.029 | 155.709 | |
| 36 | H. BurtonWOOD BROTHERS RACING | 21 | Ford | 21 |
+0.714 23.289 |
0.169 | 154.579 | |
| 37 | C. LajoieSPIRE MOTORSPORTS | 7 | Chevrolet | 16 |
+0.749 23.324 |
0.035 | 154.347 |
