Six of eight Chase drivers in top 15
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Sprint Cup Series Practice 3 | (RESULTS)
Jamie McMurray kept Kevin Harvick from a three-practice sweep, running the fastest lap in the third and final session ahead of Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500. McMurray's No. 1 Chevrolet turned a lap of 137.106 mph in 26.257 seconds. Harvick, who was fastest in the first two sessions at Phoenix International Raceway, fell just .008 seconds off of the leader's pace, putting him in the second position on the leaderboard. Matt Kenseth was .017 seconds off the leader's pace in third, running a lap of 137.007 mph.
Harvick, currently last in the Chase standings, is in need of a win to advance to the Championship Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He'll have fierce competition from other drivers trying to make the cut this week, however, with six Chase drivers in the top 15 in the last practice. Joey Logano, currently leading the standings, was fourth-fastest, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was eliminated from the Chase following the Talladega race.
Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and pole-sitter Denny Hamlin rounded out the top 10.
After placing in the top 10 in both earlier sessions, Kyle Larson fell to 13th-fastest in the final session.
The rest of the Chase field finished as follows: Brad Keselowski, 12th; Ryan Newman, 19th; Carl Edwards, 21st.
The Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, with coverage on ESPN.
Sprint Cup Series Practice 2 | (RESULTS)
Kevin Harvick topped Sprint Cup Series practice for the second time this weekend despite having a slightly slower speed. Harvick's No. 4 Chevrolet took a fastest lap of 138.403 mph, with his best lap on his sixth of 31 turns around the track. His best lap in the opening session was 141.521 mph. Harvick is currently eighth in the Chase standings, and needs a win to guarantee advancement into next week's Championship Round.
Brad Keselowski, one point ahead of Harvick in the Chase standings, was second-fastest with a lap at 138.387 mph. Keselowski is five points behind Jeff Gordon in fourth, the final transfer spot to Homestead. Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart completed the top-five fastest; Gordon finished sixth-fastest.
Kyle Larson was the fastest rookie in the session, with a lap of 137.295 mph. He finished second-fastest in the opening practice. Pole-sitter Denny Hamlin didn't bring the same speed to practice, finishing in the final position of the top 20. Casey Mears ran the most laps in the session with 46, an effort that put him in ninth on the leaderboard.
The other Chase contenders finished as follows: Matt Kenseth, 10th; Joey Logano, 12th; Denny Hamlin, 20th; Ryan Newman, 25th; Carl Edwards, 29th.
The final practice session for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET, with coverage one FOX Sports 2.
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