Hamlin tops XFINITY Series practice at Richmond

Hamlin’s fast lap of 124.850 mph led the way in the two-hour, 10-minute session at the 0.75-mile track in Virginia.

Seeing Hamlin at the top of the leaderboard was a welcome sight after he did not return after a roughly four-hour delay in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes and Stand Up to Cancer at Bristol last weekend due to neck spasms. He had competed in the XFINITY Series Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 the day before.

Hamlin had said earlier in the week that he was “feeling close to 100 percent” and felt that he’d “be good to go this weekend in Richmond.”

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has two XFINITY Series win at Richmond in 13 career starts.

Joey Logano (124.441 mph) placed second in practice, followed by Austin Dillon (124.372 mph), Aric Almirola (124.298 mph) and Erik Jones (124.201 mph)

The highest placing XFINITY Series regular was Regan Smith (123.762 mph) in sixth. Defending series champion Chase Elliott was 12th on the board.

Chris Buescher and Ty Dillon enter the season’s eighth race tied atop the point standings. Buescher, who holds the tiebreaker, placed 15th in the session, while Dillon was 10th.

There was a brief caution in the practice session for debris.

XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying is set for today at 3:45 p.m. ET with TV coverage on FOX Sports 1.

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