AVONDALE, Ariz. — Report by Race Chaser Online West Correspondent Ryan O’Hara — Chris Trotman/Getty Images North America photo —
The speed from Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet at Texas stayed with him Friday at the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway oval.
The four-time Phoenix winner and six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion was quickest in Friday’s practice for Sunday’s Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500. Johnson topped the charts with a lap of 25.383 seconds (141.827 mph).
Second was the No. 42 Target Chevrolet of Kyle Larson, who is still searching for his first Cup Series victory. He turned a lap of 25.391 seconds (141.783 mph) at the one-mile oval, just eight one-thousandths of a second slower than Johnson.
Kurt Busch ran the third fastest speed in his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet at 141.571 mph and had the best five-lap average among the field, while two-time Phoenix winner Carl Edwards (141.448 mph) and Jamie McMurray (25.475/141.315) rounded out the top five.
Defending Cup champion Kevin Harvick was sixth-quickest and third-fastest of the Chase drivers, with Chasers Martin Truex Jr. (eighth), Kyle Busch, (10th), Joey Logano (11th), and Brad Keselowski (17th) further down the leaderboard. Logano and Keselowski, both from Team Penske, are in must-win situations in order to advance to the Championship Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup next weekend in Homestead.
Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon, whose spot at Homestead as one of the ‘Final Four’ is already assured, was 25th-quick — but had the best 10-and-15-lap averages of the session.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is on-track next for Coors Light Pole Qualifying (6:45 p.m. ET, NBCSN/Live Extra, MRN, SiriusXM), which will set the grid for Sunday’s Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500.
RESULTS: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice; Phoenix International Raceway; Nov. 13, 2015
- Jimmie Johnson
- Kyle Larson
- Kurt Busch
- Carl Edwards
- Jamie McMurray
- Kevin Harvick
- Kasey Kahne
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Kyle Busch
- Joey Logano
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Austin Dillon
- Danica Patrick
- A.J. Allmendinger
- Denny Hamlin
- Brad Keselowski
- Justin Allgaier
- Erik Jones
- Greg Biffle
- Paul Menard
- Ryan Newman
- Tony Stewart
- Casey Mears
- Jeff Gordon
- Aric Almirola
- Clint Bowyer
- David Ragan
- Sam Hornish Jr.
- Matt DiBenedetto
- Landon Cassill
- Brett Moffitt
- Alex Bowman
- Trevor Bayne
- David Gilliland
- J.J. Yeley
- Cole Whitt
- Michael Annett
- Jeb Burton
- Ryan Preece
- Ryan Ellis
- Joey Gase
- Timmy Hill
About the Writer
Ryan O’Hara is the West Coast Correspondent for Race Chaser Online. He is also an established boxing writer, serving as the Executive Editor for ThaBoxingVoice.com.
NASCAR came to O’Hara at an early age through a myriad of family and friends, with the Prescott, Ariz. native meeting Dale Earnhardt Sr. at the very first race he attended on November 5, 2000 at Phoenix International Raceway.
The 22-year-old is a soon to be early graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a degree in Global Security and Intelligence Studies.
Email Ryan at: RaceChaserRyan@gmail.com
Follow Ryan on Twitter: @OHaraSports
Email Race Chaser Online at: news@racechaseronline.com
Follow RCO on Twitter: @RaceChaserNews