Denny Hamlin tops final Cup practice at Texas

After Hamlin was released from time out, he posted a fast lap of 191.469mph.

“I hadn't been really that encouraged going into this week about this racetrack,” said Hamlin, who starts second on Sunday. “We had tons of struggles here in the spring. Our whole organization did, us especially. But we have turned the corner so much since then. It seems like five years ago when we ran here last. 

“Obviously the speeds are dramatically faster than what we were here in the spring, and it just ‑‑ it's encouraging that we were able to have a car that was very comfortable right off the get‑go, and I mean, that's half the battle at these types of racetracks is getting yourself comfortable in a car that's able to race. Now, we haven't been around anyone yet, so that's the only thing you worry about is what's it going to do in traffic, because obviously at these speeds, aero will be everything."

Kurt Busch continued his speedy ways with a lap of 190.375mph after the first eight minutes of the session, but Kyle Larson matched his lap just before the 10-minute mark. Jimmie Johnson ran third (189.733mph) followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (188.983mph), Austin Dillon (188.897mph), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (188.824mph), Clint Bowyer (188.791mph), Jamie McMurray (188.420mph) and Michael McDowell (188.190mph).

Truex made his first run in final practice and jumped up to third (190.007mph). Ryan Blaney (189.520mph) was next to break into the top-five single lap speeds with 27 cars making runs.

NASCAR began releasing the drivers with 15-minute practice holds including Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Trevor Bayne, Reed Sorenson, Joey Logano, Corey LaJoie, Chase Elliott and Gray Gaulding.

Harvick vaulted to third in his first run with a lap of 190.349mph. Elliott was ninth-quick (188.884mph), Bayne 13th (188.739mph) and Logano 15th (188.219mph). 

Twenty minutes into the 50-minute session, Keselowski moved up to seventh (189.407mph). Paul Menard returned to the track after a short maternity leave following the birth of his second child on Wednesday. Menard was 25th-quick following three runs (186.130mph).

Halfway through practice, Daniel Suarez jumped up to P1 with a lap of 190.685mph, but Blaney passed him with his run of 190.691mph. Larson dropped to third on the speed chart followed by Busch, Harvick, Truex, Johnson, Keselowski, Logano, Stenhouse, Dillon, Elliot, Earnhardt, Bowyer and Bayne.

NASCAR released Erik Jones, Matt Kenseth and Hamlin just before the 30-minute mark. Jones jumped to P1 (190.860mph), but Hamlin topped him (191.469mph) moments later. Busch was the 39th and final driver to make a lap. Both he and Hamlin lost 30 minute in both second and final practices. He was released 32-minutes in and posted a speed of 190.134mph (ninth) after his first run.

With 15 minutes remaining, Hamlin led the way followed by Jones, Blaney, Suarez, Truex, Larson, Kurt Busch, Harvick, Kyle Busch, Johnson, Kahne, Keselowski, Logano, Bowyer, Stenhouse, Austin Dillon, Elliott, Earnhardt, Bayne and Kenseth.

After completing her 37th lap, Danica Patrick told her crew, “We’re good. I felt we slowed down a little early, but we’re alright.” 

Landon Cassill’s 40 laps were the most completed in final practice. He was 26th-quick with a lap of 188.107mph.

Cla	#	Driver	Manufacturer	Laps	Time	Gap	Interval	Mph
1	11	Denny Hamlin	Toyota	28	28.203			191.469
2	77	Erik Jones	Toyota	23	28.293	0.090	0.090	190.860
3	21	Ryan Blaney	Ford	29	28.318	0.115	0.025	190.691
4	19	Daniel Suarez	Toyota	39	28.319	0.116	0.001	190.685
5	78	Martin Truex Jr.	Toyota	35	28.329	0.126	0.010	190.617
6	42	Kyle Larson	Chevrolet	34	28.365	0.162	0.036	190.375
7	41	Kurt Busch	Ford	30	28.365	0.162	0.000	190.375
8	4	Kevin Harvick	Ford	31	28.369	0.166	0.004	190.349
9	18	Kyle Busch	Toyota	18	28.401	0.198	0.032	190.134
10	20	Matt Kenseth	Toyota	15	28.405	0.202	0.004	190.107
11	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet	31	28.406	0.203	0.001	190.101
12	48	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet	38	28.452	0.249	0.046	189.793
13	5	Kasey Kahne	Chevrolet	29	28.481	0.278	0.029	189.600
14	24	Chase Elliott	Chevrolet	29	28.491	0.288	0.010	189.534
15	1	Jamie McMurray	Chevrolet	34	28.494	0.291	0.003	189.514
16	2	Brad Keselowski	Ford	51	28.510	0.307	0.016	189.407
17	22	Joey Logano	Ford	34	28.531	0.328	0.021	189.268
18	14	Clint Bowyer	Ford	27	28.555	0.352	0.024	189.109
19	17	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	Ford	34	28.574	0.371	0.019	188.983
20	47	A.J. Allmendinger	Chevrolet	28	28.576	0.373	0.002	188.970
21	3	Austin Dillon	Chevrolet	28	28.587	0.384	0.011	188.897
22	6	Trevor Bayne	Ford	16	28.611	0.408	0.024	188.739
23	31	Ryan Newman	Chevrolet	32	28.687	0.484	0.076	188.239
24	95	Michael McDowell	Chevrolet	30	28.696	0.493	0.009	188.180
25	43	Aric Almirola	Ford	24	28.707	0.504	0.011	188.107
26	34	Landon Cassill	Ford	40	28.728	0.525	0.021	187.970
27	37	Chris Buescher	Chevrolet	32	28.741	0.538	0.013	187.885
28	10	Danica Patrick	Ford	37	28.786	0.583	0.045	187.591
29	38	David Ragan	Ford	27	28.789	0.586	0.003	187.572
30	27	Paul Menard	Chevrolet	34	28.789	0.586	0.000	187.572
31	13	Ty Dillon	Chevrolet	34	29.012	0.809	0.223	186.130
32	72	Cole Whitt	Chevrolet	18	29.075	0.872	0.063	185.727
33	32	Matt DiBenedetto	Ford	38	29.229	1.026	0.154	184.748
34	23	Corey Lajoie	Toyota	19	29.570	1.367	0.341	182.618
35	15	Reed Sorenson	Chevrolet	8	29.638	1.435	0.068	182.199
36	7	Joey Gase	Chevrolet	12	29.645	1.442	0.007	182.156
37	83	Gray Gaulding	Toyota	25	29.654	1.451	0.009	182.100
38	33	Jeffrey Earnhardt	Chevrolet	19	29.966	1.763	0.312	180.204
39	66	David Starr	Chevrolet	12	29.967	1.764	0.001	180.198