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Brad Keselowski tops two playoffs drivers in Saturday's first practice

 Brad Keselowski topped two current Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff contenders to lead Saturday’s first practice at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Discount Tire

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Discount Tire

Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Discount Tire and Paul Wolfe
Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Discount Tire
Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Discount Tire

Keselowski, who was eliminated from further playoff contention following last weekend’s race at Kansas, topped the first practice session with an average lap speed of 95.714 mph.

Keselowski has one series win at Martinsville, coming in 2017. He has finished 10th or higher at the track in six of his last seven races at the short track.

Kurt Busch was second (95.646 mph) and Kyle Busch was third (95.593 mph). Ryan Blaney and Aric Almirola completed the top-five.

Rounding out the Top 10 were Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones and A.J. Allmendinger.

About 34 minutes into the session, a caution was displayed after Almirola’s No. 10 Ford slowed on the track. He appeared to have broken a tire rod or suffered a mechanical failure with his right-front wheel.

The track soon returned to green-flag conditions.

Three drivers – Jamie McMurray, Jeb Burton and Alex Bowman – sat out the final 15 minutes of the session after their respective cars failed pre-race inspection last weekend at Kansas.

Cla # Driver 4506 Laps Time Gap Interval Mph
1 2 United States Brad Keselowski  Ford 33 19.784     95.714
2 41 United States Kurt Busch  Ford 24 19.798 0.014 0.014 95.646
3 18 United States Kyle Busch  Toyota 37 19.809 0.025 0.011 95.593
4 12 United States Ryan Blaney  Ford 20 19.858 0.074 0.049 95.357
5 10 United States Aric Almirola  Ford 36 19.874 0.090 0.016 95.280
6 78 United States Martin Truex Jr.  Toyota 36 19.879 0.095 0.005 95.256
7 14 United States Clint Bowyer  Ford 39 19.904 0.120 0.025 95.137
8 11 United States Denny Hamlin  Toyota 38 19.906 0.122 0.002 95.127
9 20 United States Erik Jones  Toyota 33 19.937 0.153 0.031 94.979
10 47 United States A.J. Allmendinger  Chevrolet 36 19.986 0.202 0.049 94.746
11 4 United States Kevin Harvick  Ford 45 19.998 0.214 0.012 94.689
12 21 United States Paul Menard  Ford 37 19.999 0.215 0.001 94.685
13 31 United States Ryan Newman  Chevrolet 38 20.004 0.220 0.005 94.661
14 48 United States Jimmie Johnson  Chevrolet 29 20.013 0.229 0.009 94.618
15 42 United States Kyle Larson  Chevrolet 45 20.017 0.233 0.004 94.600
16 9 United States Chase Elliott  Chevrolet 53 20.019 0.235 0.002 94.590
17 37 United States Chris Buescher  Chevrolet 48 20.027 0.243 0.008 94.552
18 1 United States Jamie McMurray  Chevrolet 31 20.028 0.244 0.001 94.548
19 19 Mexico Daniel Suarez  Toyota 15 20.032 0.248 0.004 94.529
20 22 United States Joey Logano  Ford 53 20.035 0.251 0.003 94.515
21 6 United States Matt Kenseth  Ford 31 20.036 0.252 0.001 94.510
22 43 United States Darrell Wallace Jr.  Chevrolet 45 20.059 0.275 0.023 94.402
23 3 United States Austin Dillon  Chevrolet 46 20.063 0.279 0.004 94.383
24 88 United States Alex Bowman  Chevrolet 34 20.086 0.302 0.023 94.275
25 13 United States Ty Dillon  Chevrolet 53 20.123 0.339 0.037 94.101
26 24 United States William Byron  Chevrolet 42 20.133 0.349 0.010 94.055
27 38 United States David Ragan  Ford 29 20.149 0.365 0.016 93.980
28 17 United States Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  Ford 28 20.174 0.390 0.025 93.863
29 72 United States Cole Whitt  Chevrolet 15 20.177 0.393 0.003 93.849
30 34 United States Michael McDowell  Ford 38 20.179 0.395 0.002 93.840
31 95 United States Regan Smith  Chevrolet 34 20.183 0.399 0.004 93.822
32 32 United States Matt DiBenedetto  Ford 30 20.224 0.440 0.041 93.631
33 23 United States J.J. Yeley  Toyota 28 20.462 0.678 0.238 92.542
34 15 United States Ross Chastain  Chevrolet 28 20.464 0.680 0.002 92.533
35 96 Canada D.J. Kennington  Toyota 23 20.515 0.731 0.051 92.303
36 7 Hermie Sadler  Chevrolet 19 20.780 0.996 0.265 91.126
37 00 United States Joey Gase  Chevrolet 39 20.905 1.121 0.125 90.581
38 51 United States Jeb Burton  Ford 20 21.014 1.230 0.109 90.111
39 66 United States Timmy Hill  Toyota 16 21.053 1.269 0.039 89.944

Take a virtual lap around the historic short track, courtesy of NASCAR Heat 3.

 

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