BROOKLYN, Mich — official series release — Josh Hedges/Getty Images North America photo —
Austin Dillon locked down the fastest lap in final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.
Dillon guided the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet to a session-topping run of 194.301 mph around the 2-mile track. He will start eighth in Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 (1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the 15th of 36 races this year for NASCAR’s top division.
Home-state driver Brad Keselowski flew to the second-fastest lap in the 55-minute final tune-up, ringing up a 194.013-mph run in the Team Penske No. 2 Ford.Jimmie Johnson (193.851 mph), Trevor Bayne (193.778 mph) and defending race winner Kurt Busch (193.741 mph) rounded out the top five on the speed charts.
The session marked the final prep for new aerodynamic rules that further reduce the downforce and sideforce effects of the 2016 aero package. Speeds decreased Saturday on the warmest day of the weekend in the Irish Hills region, significantly down from the 201.630 mph lap that rookie Chase Elliott posted in Friday’s first practice.
Elliott had a slight brush with the right-rear fender of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet in the latter moments of the final session. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate, scheduled to start 10th in Sunday’s 400-miler, was 21st-fastest in final practice.
Coors Light Pole Award winner Joey Logano clinched the ninth spot on the leaderboard with a 193.304 mph lap in the Team Penske No. 22 Ford.
RESULTS: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series; Final Practice; Michigan International Speedway; June 11, 2016
- Austin Dillon
- Brad Keselowski
- Jimmie Johnson
- Trevor Bayne
- Kurt Busch
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Kyle Larson
- Joey Logano
- A.J. Allmendinger
- Denny Hamlin
- Ryan Newman
- Greg Biffle
- Ryan Blaney
- Matt Kenseth
- Kevin Harvick
- Carl Edwards
- Kyle Busch
- Tony Stewart
- Chris Buescher
- Chase Elliott
- Aric Almirola
- Casey Mears
- Kasey Kahne
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Ty Dillon
- Jamie McMurray
- Danica Patrick
- Clint Bowyer
- Paul Menard
- Brian Scott
- Regan Smith
- Matt DiBenedetto
- Landon Cassill
- Josh Wise
- Jeffrey Earnhardt
- David Ragan
- Michael Annett
CREDIT: NASCAR