For the second time today, the No. 78 and No. 2 were 1-2 on the Martinsville leaderboard.
Auto Club winner Martin Truex Jr. propelled his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota at 95.415 mph to notch the top spot, while Brad Keselowski’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford came up second with a 95.280-mph lap during Saturday’s final practice at the “Paperclip.”
FINAL PRACTICE: Full results | Best 10-lap averages
Sophomore Joe Gibbs Racing driver Daniel Suarez was third-fastest (95.242 mph) in his No. 19 Toyota, while fall 2017 Martinsville winner Kyle Busch ranked fourth in his No. 18 JGR Toyota (95.122 mph). After ranking fourth in opening practice, Ryan Newman landed the final spot in the top five during final practice, his No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet notching a fast lap of 94.756 mph.
JTG Daugherty Racing’s AJ Allmendinger ranked sixth in his No. 47 Chevrolet (94.746 mph).
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will go to a backup car for Sunday’s race following heavy damage to his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford after he wheel-hopped and hit the wall midway through the session. He was 27th-fastest in final practice.
Both Chase Elliott (No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) and Paul Menard (No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford) served 15-minute practice holds for inspection violations. Elliott came up 15th-fastest, while Menard ranked 17th.
PRACTICE 1 RECAP: Full results | Best 10-lap averages
Wheeling his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota at 95.752 mph, Martin Truex Jr. flew to the top of the leaderboard at Martinsville Speedway during Saturday’s opening Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice. Truex is coming off his first win of the 2018 season at Auto Club Speedway.
Brad Keselowski’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford was second-fastest, clocking in at 95.646 mph. Martinsville’s most recent winner Kyle Busch ranked third, his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota propelling around the short track at 95.213 mph. The 2012 Martinsville winner Ryan Newman was fourth-quickest (95.199 mph) in his No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, while 2014’s paperclip oval victor Kurt Busch rounded out the top five in his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford with a top speed of 95.094 mph.