Kyle Larson fastest in NASCAR Cup practice at Phoenix
Kyle Larson set the pace early and ended up with the fastest average lap speed in Friday’s NASCAR Cup practice session at Phoenix Raceway.
Larson, among the first cars on the track in the 50-minute session, led the way at 131.257 mph.
Friday’s practice session was the first since NASCAR announced new aero rules this season for road courses and a majority of tracks measuring 1.058-mile or less in distance, including Phoenix.
The package, which was tested in the offseason at Phoenix, consists of a 2-inch spoiler and the removal of three diffuser strakes and engine panel strakes. The changes were expected to lead to a 30-percent reduction in downforce.
Ryan Blaney ended up second-fastest (131.104 mph) and Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Alex Bowman, was third (130.723 mph).
Joey Logano, who won the 2022 series championship at this track last fall, was fourth and Chase Briscoe – who won the spring Phoenix race a year ago – rounded out the top-five.
Completing the top-10 were Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Harrison Burton, Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola.
The Toyota camp appeared to struggle in the session. Bubba Wallace, driving the No. 23 Toyota for 23XI Racing, posted the fastest lap among the Toyotas, coming in at 16th.
Josh Berry, in his second weekend substituting for the injured Chase Elliott, ended up 23rd fastest.
Among those drivers who ran at least 10 consecutive laps, Larson led the way with an average lap speed of 129.311 mph. Blaney and Logano were second and third, consecutively, in that category.
Cla | # | Driver | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Gap | Mph | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet | 59 | 27.427 | 131.258 | ||
2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Ford | 48 | 27.459 | 0.032 | 131.105 | |
3 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Chevrolet | 55 | 27.539 | 0.112 | 130.724 | |
4 | 22 | Joey Logano | Ford | 44 | 27.568 | 0.141 | 130.586 | |
5 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Ford | 47 | 27.635 | 0.208 | 130.270 | |
6 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | Ford | 55 | 27.645 | 0.218 | 130.222 | |
7 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Chevrolet | 57 | 27.655 | 0.228 | 130.175 | |
8 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Ford | 57 | 27.661 | 0.234 | 130.147 | |
9 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Ford | 59 | 27.684 | 0.257 | 130.039 | |
10 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Ford | 52 | 27.701 | 0.274 | 129.959 | |
11 | 16 | A.J. Allmendinger | Chevrolet | 49 | 27.740 | 0.313 | 129.776 | |
12 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Ford | 51 | 27.741 | 0.314 | 129.772 | |
13 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | Chevrolet | 57 | 27.742 | 0.315 | 129.767 | |
14 | 7 | Corey Lajoie | Chevrolet | 42 | 27.753 | 0.326 | 129.716 | |
15 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Chevrolet | 39 | 27.797 | 0.370 | 129.510 | |
16 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | Toyota | 51 | 27.818 | 0.391 | 129.413 | |
17 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Toyota | 48 | 27.827 | 0.400 | 129.371 | |
18 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Ford | 33 | 27.836 | 0.409 | 129.329 | |
19 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 44 | 27.836 | 0.409 | 129.329 | |
20 | 24 | William Byron | Chevrolet | 42 | 27.855 | 0.428 | 129.241 | |
21 | 38 | Zane Smith | Ford | 31 | 27.884 | 0.457 | 129.106 | |
22 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | Toyota | 53 | 27.889 | 0.462 | 129.083 | |
23 | 9 | Josh Berry | Chevrolet | 48 | 27.910 | 0.483 | 128.986 | |
24 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Toyota | 52 | 27.912 | 0.485 | 128.977 | |
25 | 42 | Noah Gragson | Chevrolet | 37 | 28.037 | 0.610 | 128.402 | |
26 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Chevrolet | 45 | 28.056 | 0.629 | 128.315 | |
27 | 43 | Erik Jones | Chevrolet | 42 | 28.101 | 0.674 | 128.109 | |
28 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Toyota | 47 | 28.109 | 0.682 | 128.073 | |
29 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Chevrolet | 37 | 28.141 | 0.714 | 127.927 | |
30 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Ford | 47 | 28.211 | 0.784 | 127.610 | |
31 | 15 | Todd Gilliland | Ford | 42 | 28.410 | 0.983 | 126.716 | |
32 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Ford | 30 | 28.436 | 1.009 | 126.600 | |
33 | 31 | Justin Haley | Chevrolet | 35 | 28.480 | 1.053 | 126.404 | |
34 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Chevrolet | 38 | 28.528 | 1.101 | 126.192 | |
35 | 51 | Cody Ware | Ford | 44 | 28.551 | 1.124 | 126.090 | |
36 | 78 | B.J. McLeod | Chevrolet | 18 | 28.603 | 1.176 | 125.861 |
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