Brad Keselowski tops Truex in final practice at Richmond
Brad Keselowski, looking for his fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series victory, was fastest in final practice.
Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Reese/DrawTite
Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images
Keselowski, who is already locked in the playoffs’ second round thanks to his win last week at Las Vegas, posted the fastest average lap speed (120.224 mph) in the final practice session at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.
Keselowski is the third driver this season to win three consecutive races. In 18 career Cup starts at Richmond, he owns one win – the 2014 fall race, when he also started on the pole.
Martin Truex Jr. was second fastest (120.133 mph) and Austin Dillon was third (119.458 mph). Ty Dillon and Ryan Newman completed the top-five.
Rounding out the Top 10 were Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Daniel Suarez, Kyle Larson and Clint Bowyer.
“It was OK for us,” Blaney said of his final practice. “We learned a lot in the first practice. It’s hard testing here in the afternoon when it’s a night race.
“We made a couple mock (qualifying) runs. Hopefully, we can get a good solid run Saturday night. We’ve had our share of bad ones.”
Suarez ended the session with the top average lap speed among the drivers who ran at least 10 consecutive laps (118.141 mph). Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Erik Jones completed the top-five in that category.
Take a virtual lap around Richmond Raceway, courtesy of NASCAR Heat 3, which you can order now:
Cla | # | Driver | 4506 | Laps | Time | Gap | Interval | Mph |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Ford | 52 | 22.458 | 120.224 | ||
2 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Toyota | 58 | 22.475 | 0.017 | 0.017 | 120.133 |
3 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Chevrolet | 49 | 22.602 | 0.144 | 0.127 | 119.458 |
4 | 13 | Ty Dillon | Chevrolet | 52 | 22.615 | 0.157 | 0.013 | 119.390 |
5 | 31 | Ryan Newman | Chevrolet | 60 | 22.631 | 0.173 | 0.016 | 119.305 |
6 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Ford | 48 | 22.657 | 0.199 | 0.026 | 119.168 |
7 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Chevrolet | 34 | 22.693 | 0.235 | 0.036 | 118.979 |
8 | 19 | Daniel Suarez | Toyota | 66 | 22.695 | 0.237 | 0.002 | 118.969 |
9 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet | 54 | 22.699 | 0.241 | 0.004 | 118.948 |
10 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Ford | 32 | 22.708 | 0.250 | 0.009 | 118.901 |
11 | 51 | Cole Custer | Ford | 46 | 22.745 | 0.287 | 0.037 | 118.707 |
12 | 20 | Erik Jones | Toyota | 52 | 22.749 | 0.291 | 0.004 | 118.687 |
13 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Ford | 47 | 22.755 | 0.297 | 0.006 | 118.655 |
14 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Ford | 61 | 22.771 | 0.313 | 0.016 | 118.572 |
15 | 37 | Chris Buescher | Chevrolet | 40 | 22.795 | 0.337 | 0.024 | 118.447 |
16 | 41 | Kurt Busch | Ford | 65 | 22.827 | 0.369 | 0.032 | 118.281 |
17 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Ford | 36 | 22.845 | 0.387 | 0.018 | 118.188 |
18 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | 65 | 22.876 | 0.418 | 0.031 | 118.028 |
19 | 43 | Darrell Wallace Jr. | Chevrolet | 35 | 22.881 | 0.423 | 0.005 | 118.002 |
20 | 24 | William Byron | Chevrolet | 51 | 22.891 | 0.433 | 0.010 | 117.950 |
21 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Ford | 78 | 22.921 | 0.463 | 0.030 | 117.796 |
22 | 22 | Joey Logano | Ford | 83 | 22.925 | 0.467 | 0.004 | 117.775 |
23 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 51 | 22.929 | 0.471 | 0.004 | 117.755 |
24 | 32 | Matt DiBenedetto | Ford | 28 | 22.952 | 0.494 | 0.023 | 117.637 |
25 | 47 | A.J. Allmendinger | Chevrolet | 44 | 22.954 | 0.496 | 0.002 | 117.627 |
26 | 6 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | 49 | 22.955 | 0.497 | 0.001 | 117.621 |
27 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | 65 | 22.962 | 0.504 | 0.007 | 117.586 |
28 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | Chevrolet | 78 | 22.988 | 0.530 | 0.026 | 117.453 |
29 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Chevrolet | 52 | 22.988 | 0.530 | 0.000 | 117.453 |
30 | 21 | Paul Menard | Ford | 63 | 23.026 | 0.568 | 0.038 | 117.259 |
31 | 38 | David Ragan | Ford | 46 | 23.046 | 0.588 | 0.020 | 117.157 |
32 | 15 | Ross Chastain | Chevrolet | 44 | 23.145 | 0.687 | 0.099 | 116.656 |
33 | 72 | Corey Lajoie | Chevrolet | 32 | 23.203 | 0.745 | 0.058 | 116.364 |
34 | 95 | Regan Smith | Chevrolet | 36 | 23.316 | 0.858 | 0.113 | 115.800 |
35 | 96 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | Toyota | 38 | 23.400 | 0.942 | 0.084 | 115.385 |
36 | 99 | Landon Cassill | Chevrolet | 29 | 23.494 | 1.036 | 0.094 | 114.923 |
37 | 23 | Alon Day | Toyota | 41 | 23.685 | 1.227 | 0.191 | 113.996 |
38 | 52 | Gray Gaulding | Ford | 21 | 23.731 | 1.273 | 0.046 | 113.775 |
39 | 00 | Joey Gase | Chevrolet | 14 | 23.905 | 1.447 | 0.174 | 112.947 |
40 | 66 | Timmy Hill | Toyota | 29 | 24.081 | 1.623 | 0.176 | 112.122 |
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