With new crew chief, RCR’s No. 3 shows way on leaderboard
RELATED: Practice 1 results | Final practice results
Ty Dillon topped the leaderboard Friday afternoon in a lightly participated NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice at Daytona International Speedway.
Dillon wheeled the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet to a best lap of 179.978 mph on the 2.5-mile track. He’ll enter Saturday night’s Subway Firecracker 250 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM) second in the series standings, but readying for his first race with new crew chief Nick Harrison.
Mark Thompson and Derek White formed a two-car tandem draft late in the 55-minute session to take the second and third spots on the leaderboard in a pair of Dodges owned by White. The teammates posted identical speeds, each turning a lap at 179.579 mph.
Joey Logano, driving the Team Penske No. 22 Ford, was fourth-fastest with Timmy Hill completing the top five. Defending race winner Kasey Kahne was seventh-fastest in the JR Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet.
Only 23 of the 44 drivers entered turned laps in final practice, with most making single-car runs. Many teams opted to sit out practice rather than risk a possible crash in a large aerodynamic pack. Only Thompson and White turned more than 10 laps.
Coors Light Pole Qualifying to set the 40-car XFINITY Series field is scheduled Saturday at 2:35 p.m. ET (NBC Sports Network).
Ragan shows speed in opening XFINITY practice
David Ragan scooted to the top of the NASCAR XFINITY Series leaderboard in opening practice Friday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway.
Ragan rode an aerodynamic draft early in the 55-minute session, pushing the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota to a best lap of 190.573 mph on the 2.5-mile track. Ragan is scheduled to make his first XFINITY Series start of the season in Saturday night’s Subway Firecracker 250 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM).
XFINITY rookie Darrell Wallace Jr. was second-fastest with a lap of 190.388 mph in the Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 Ford. He was followed by Roush teammate Ryan Reed, the Daytona winner in February who drove the No. 16 to a best lap of 190.351 mph.
Daniel Suarez and Brian Scott completed the top five
Series points leader Chris Buescher was sixth-fastest in another Jack Roush-owned Ford. Defending XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott was 19th-fastest in the JR Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet. Defending race winner Kasey Kahne, a Sprint Cup regular in JRM’s No. 88 Chevy, was ninth-fastest.
A second 55-minute practice session is scheduled at 4 p.m. ET, to be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.