Ryan Blaney leads practice for the Clash at Daytona
Fords swept the top-four positions in the one-and-only practice for the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday.
Ryan Blaney posted the fast lap of 199.601mph of the 80-minute session followed by his Penske teammate Joey Logano, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson.
Kasey Kahne ran sixth in his on-track debut with Leavine Family Racing. Defending Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch was seventh-quick with Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones rounding out the top 10.
After the first 20 minutes, Ryan Newman topped the speed chart with a lap of 192.534mph (46.745-seconds). He had completed two laps on his first run then ran six additional laps. Chase Elliott was second followed by Austin Dillon, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Erik Jones, Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray.
Kyle Larson bumped Newman with a lap of 192.980mph with a little less than an hour remaining in practice. Johnson climbed up to third after 14 laps (192.312mph).
With 45 minutes remaining in the first session, Larson remaining on top of the board followed by Newman, Johnson, Austin Dillon, McMurray, Kurt Busch, Jones, Kyle Busch and Harvick.
The Toyotas lined up on pit road for a drafting session with 40 minutes to go. Denny Hamlin led the line followed by Busch and Jones. Truex asked to run two laps before joining the draft. The Toyotas rolled off of pit road with 35 minutes remaining.
Kyle Busch vaulted over Larson with a lap of 197.907mph. Truex then took the top spot—197.985mph. Hamlin, who posted the fastest lap of 198.421mph, dropped off of the point and turned the lead to Busch. Busch swapped the point with Jones entering Turn 1. Truex ran second followed by Hamlin and Busch. Larson attempted to follow the Toyota pack but was unable to latch on for long.
The Fords joined the drafting game with just under 30 minutes to go. Harvick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Logano, Blaney, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch joined the line. In the draft, Logano moved up to fifth-quick with a speed of 197.876mph. Kasey Kahne and Larson joined the Fords as Blaney bumped the Toyotas with a lap of 199.601mph. Logano moved to second (199.543mph), Stenhouse (199.508mph), Keselowski (199.490mph) and Kahne (199.468mph).
After six laps in the draft, Larson moved up to fifth (199.468), Kahne dropped to sixth followed by Kurt Busch.
With 15 minutes to go, the top seven remained the same followed by Kyle Busch, Hamlin and Jones.
Newman was blacked flag with two minutes to go for speeding on pit road.
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