Pair of non-Chasers lead the way; Kurt Busch damages No. 41 Chevy
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Kyle Larson was again fast in the final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, on Saturday.
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver topped the leaderboard in the last practice session of the weekend after placing fourth and third in the first two, respectively. Larson’s best speed of 190.295 mph was enough to top pole-winner and defending race-winner Kevin Harvick‘s lap of 189.607 mph.
Harvick was trailed by a trio of fellow Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers in Kasey Kahne (189.215 mph), Ryan Newman (189.102 mph) and Kyle Busch (189.069 mph). Jeff Gordon (188.818 mph) and Joey Logano (188.805 mph) were the only other Chase drivers in the top 10, at eighth and ninth, respectively.
Jimmie Johnson (188.081 mph), who will start Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 (2 p.m. ET, ESPN) 32nd after spinning during qualifying, and Matt Kenseth (187.806 mph) were the lowest-running Chase drivers at 21st and 25th, respectively.
With just less than 40 minutes remaining in practice, the session was red-flagged when Kurt Busch spun off Turn 1 and ended up in the infield grass. He placed 31st in the session with a best speed of 186.419 mph in five laps and will go to a backup car for the race.
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Marcos Ambrose topped Saturday’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice at Kansas Speedway.
Ambrose, the Richard Petty Motorsports driver who recently announced plans to return to his native Australia following the conclusion of the season, led the way in the early session with a best speed of 191.652. The driver of he No. 9 was followed by a pair of Chip Ganassi Racing drivers in Jamie McMurray (191.584) and Kyle Larson (191.096), both of whom have enjoyed a successful start to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, despite both of them not having qualified for it.
Carl Edwards was the first Chase driver on the board at fourth overall, with a best speed of 191.076 mph. His Roush Fenway Racing teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. followed in fifth with a speed of 190.914 mph. The only Chase driver other than Edwards in the top 10 was Ryan Newman (190.235 mph), at eighth overall.
Spots 11 through 17 saw six Chasers, in Kyle Busch (190.007, 11th), Joey Logano (189.980, 12th), pole-winner Kevin Harvick (189.947), Kasey Kahne (189.840, 14th), the most recent winner in Jeff Gordon (189.667, 16th) and defending series champion Jimmie Johnson (189.500, 17th).
Johnson’s Kansas weekend struggles continued slightly, as he piloted the No. 48 Chevrolet to an uncharacteristic 17th-place on the speed charts after spending most of the penultimate practice in the lower third of the charts. He spun during qualifying on Friday and will start 32nd on Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 (2 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Denny Hamlin was the Chase driver with the slowest practice speed, clocking in at 188.653 mph, 28th overall.
Final Kansas practice begins Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET, with coverage on FOX Sports 2.
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