Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch round out top three in final session
RELATED: Practice 2 results
Kyle Busch topped the leaderboard at Sonoma Raceway for the Sprint Cup Series final practice session on Friday evening. The No. 18 Joe Gibsb Racing Toyota recorded a high speed of 96.175 mph around the road course.
Last year’s Sonoma winner, Carl Edwards, took the second position in the final practice with a high speed of 96.030 mph on the road course. Edwards’ 2014 first-place finish at Sonoma earned him his first Sprint Cup Series road-victory of his career.
Kurt Busch rounded out the top three with a fastest speed of 95.992 mph.
The winner of today’s first practice, Clint Bowyer took the fourth position (95.942 mph) while Pocono winner, Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top five with a 95.839 mph fastest lap around the California road course.
The undisputed King of Sonoma, Jeff Gordon, finished the final practice session in the sixth spot (95.750 mph) as he gets ready for one last race here as a full time Sprint Cup Series driver.
Some notable names outside the leaders were Dale Jr., who finished third last year, in the 21st position and AJ Allmendinger who took the 23rd spot in tonight’s race. Allmendinger is NASCAR’s second most succesful road course driver, falling only behind the No.24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
With 10 minutes left Michael Annett stalled on the track, bringing out the caution.
The Sprint Cup Series is back on track at 6:30 p.m. ET for the final practice of the day at Sonoma Raceway (FOX Sports 2).
Practice 1 recap
RELATED: Practice 1 results
Having shown speed early in practice, Clint Bowyer topped the leaderboard late in Friday’s opening Sprint Cup Series session at Sonoma Raceway. The 2012 winner at Sonoma, Bowyer recorded a high speed of 95.547 mph in his No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota.
AJ Allemendinger improved his position on the leaderboard in the final minutes as well, posting a high speed of 95.318 mph in his No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet. Allmendinger is the reigning winner at Watkins Glen, the other road course on the Sprint Cup circuit.
Richard Petty Racing’s Sam Hornish Jr. recorded the third-fastest speed (95.091 mph), while Danica Patrick‘s final run in her No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet awarded her the fourth spot on the charts (95.012 mph). Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates’ Jamie McMurray rounded out the top five, whirling around tight turns of the California road course at 95.012 mph.
After topping the charts, reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick settled for eighth-fastest, maneuvering his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing machine around the road course at 94.713 mph.
Last year’s Sonoma winner Carl Edwards found momentum early in practice, propelling his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at 94.497 mph for the 10th-fastest speed.
Jeff Gordon, the all-time winner at Sonoma with five wins, posted the 15th-fastest time in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
With less than 30 minutes remaining in the opening practice, Germain Racing‘s Casey Mears stalled on track, bringing out the caution.
The twists and turns synonymous with road course racing briefly disrupted the runs of a few cars today, including Aric Almirola, Casey Mears and Alex Kennedy.
The Sprint Cup Series is back on track at 6:30 p.m. ET for the final practice of the day at Sonoma Raceway (FOX Sports 2).