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Brad Keselowski goes fastest in final Roval practice, then wrecks

Brad Keselowski topped the final practice session on the Roval course at Charlotte Motor Speedway but it will likely do him little good.

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Alliance Truck Parts

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Alliance Truck Parts

Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Alliance Truck Parts
Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Alliance Truck Parts
Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Alliance Truck Parts
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Unifirst
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Unifirst

Keselowski topped the final 50-minute NASCAR Cup Series practice session Saturday with an average lap speed of 105.596 mph.

However, about 40 minutes into the session, Keselowski jumped the curb on the exit of the frontstretch chicane and he slammed head-on into the oval track wall in the area, doing extensive damage to his No. 2 Ford.

Keselowski will move to a backup car and have to start Sunday’s race from the rear of the field.

“Sorry man, hit the ‘turtle’ (curbs),” Keselowski said over his team radio. “Really sorry man.”

After leaving the care center, Keselowski said, “Just got in too hot. Didnt want to hit those dumb turtles (curbs). I should have skipped the corner and been more cool but I wanted to see what we had (in the car).”

 

Rookie William Byron ended up second (105.072 mph) and Kyle Larson was third (104.995 mph). Paul Menard was fourth and Martin Truex Jr. completed the top-five.

Rounding out the Top 10 were pole-winner Kurt Busch, A.J. Allmendinger, Michael McDowell, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney.

Before the start of practice, NASCAR adjusted the angle of the backstretch chicane tire barrier wall to allow more room for cars to exit. Before the change the barrier jutted out from the oval Turn 3 wall in a perpendicular angle past the blue curbing.

The exact position for barrier in Sunday’s race will be determined following practice.

There were no incidents with cars hitting the tire barrier during the session.

Cla # Driver 4506 Laps Time Gap Interval Mph
1 2 United States Brad Keselowski  Ford 10 1'17.730     105.596
2 24 United States William Byron  Chevrolet 19 1'18.118 0.388 0.388 105.072
3 42 United States Kyle Larson  Chevrolet 13 1'18.175 0.445 0.057 104.995
4 21 United States Paul Menard  Ford 16 1'18.185 0.455 0.010 104.982
5 78 United States Martin Truex Jr.  Toyota 15 1'18.264 0.534 0.079 104.876
6 41 United States Kurt Busch  Ford 18 1'18.331 0.601 0.067 104.786
7 47 United States A.J. Allmendinger  Chevrolet 14 1'18.357 0.627 0.026 104.751
8 34 United States Michael McDowell  Ford 19 1'18.409 0.679 0.052 104.682
9 9 United States Chase Elliott  Chevrolet 10 1'18.531 0.801 0.122 104.519
10 12 United States Ryan Blaney  Ford 14 1'18.535 0.805 0.004 104.514
11 18 United States Kyle Busch  Toyota 13 1'18.634 0.904 0.099 104.382
12 48 United States Jimmie Johnson  Chevrolet 12 1'18.696 0.966 0.062 104.300
13 14 United States Clint Bowyer  Ford 14 1'18.737 1.007 0.041 104.246
14 22 United States Joey Logano  Ford 16 1'18.778 1.048 0.041 104.192
15 88 United States Alex Bowman  Chevrolet 10 1'18.883 1.153 0.105 104.053
16 6 United States Trevor Bayne  Ford 13 1'18.959 1.229 0.076 103.953
17 37 United States Chris Buescher  Chevrolet 17 1'18.961 1.231 0.002 103.950
18 19 Mexico Daniel Suarez  Toyota 14 1'18.963 1.233 0.002 103.947
19 17 United States Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  Ford 4 1'19.087 1.357 0.124 103.784
20 11 United States Denny Hamlin  Toyota 15 1'19.147 1.417 0.060 103.706
21 10 United States Aric Almirola  Ford 13 1'19.209 1.479 0.062 103.625
22 8 United States Daniel Hemric  Chevrolet 12 1'19.233 1.503 0.024 103.593
23 31 United States Ryan Newman  Chevrolet 17 1'19.239 1.509 0.006 103.585
24 13 United States Ty Dillon  Chevrolet 15 1'19.441 1.711 0.202 103.322
25 1 United States Jamie McMurray  Chevrolet 12 1'19.461 1.731 0.020 103.296
26 3 United States Austin Dillon  Chevrolet 19 1'19.481 1.751 0.020 103.270
27 4 United States Kevin Harvick  Ford 16 1'19.599 1.869 0.118 103.117
28 38 United States David Ragan  Ford 16 1'19.656 1.926 0.057 103.043
29 32 United States Matt DiBenedetto  Ford 21 1'20.015 2.285 0.359 102.581
30 15 United States Justin Marks  Chevrolet 10 1'20.095 2.365 0.080 102.478
31 72 United States Cole Whitt  Chevrolet 9 1'20.558 2.828 0.463 101.889
32 23 United States J.J. Yeley  Toyota 5 1'20.970 3.240 0.412 101.371
33 96 United States Jeffrey Earnhardt  Toyota 9 1'21.186 3.456 0.216 101.101
34 95 United States Regan Smith  Chevrolet 3 1'21.990 4.260 0.804 100.110
35 00 United States Landon Cassill  Chevrolet 1 1'26.190 8.460 4.200 95.231

Take a virtual lap around the Charlotte Roval with the No. 78 Toyota Camry of Martin Truex Jr., courtesy of NASCAR Heat 3, which you can order now:

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