RELATED: Practice 1 results | Final practice results | 10-lap averages
Brad Keselowski closed out final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice with the fastest lap Saturday afternoon at Darlington Raceway.
Keselowski registered a best lap of 174.649 mph in the Team Penske No. 2 Ford in the 80-minute final prep for Sunday's Bojangles' Southern 500 (6 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Kurt Busch posted the second-fastest lap with the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Chevrolet at 174.031 mph. The No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson, fastest in opening practice, was third-best in final practice (174.019 mph), followed by teammate Kasey Kahne (173.656 mph) and Richard Childress Racing's Paul Menard (173.454 mph) to complete the top five.
Kyle Larson, last weekend's winner at Michigan International Speedway, added his name to the list of drivers scraping the wall for a "Darlington Stripe." His No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet sustained minor right-side damage early in the session. Brian Scott replicated the mishap in the session's final two minutes, scrubbing the outside wall with the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 44 Ford. He finished the session 13th.
Defending race winner Carl Edwards notched the seventh-fastest lap in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota (172.826 mph). Pole-starter Kevin Harvick, who inherited the first starting spot after Hurricane Hermine's effects scrapped all Friday on-track activity, was 19th-fastest in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Chevrolet.
Two-time winner Greg Biffle was the fastest in the 10-lap average category, driving the Roush Fenway Racing No. 16 Ford. He landed in the sixth spot during final practice (173.234 mph).
Johnson sets pace in first practice
Jimmie Johnson roared to the top of the NASCAR Sprint Cup leaderboard in opening practice Saturday at Darlington Raceway.
Johnson guided the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 to a best lap of 176.025 mph on the 1.366-mile track. He'll start ninth in Sunday's Bojangles' Southern 500 (6 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) after severe weather related to Hurricane Hermine washed away Coors Light Pole Qualifying and all other on-track activity Friday.
Denny Hamlin was second-fastest in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota with a lap of 175.060 mph in the 85-minute session. Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman closed out the top five.
Points leader Kevin Harvick, who will start from the pole position after Friday's qualifying rainout, was 11th-fastest in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Chevrolet.
Jeff Gordon -- making another substitute start for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is sidelined for the rest of the season with concussion-like symptoms -- was 14th-best in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet.
Defending race winner Carl Edwards landed the 22nd-fastest lap in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota.
A handful of drivers scraped the wall in the opening session, earning "Darlington Stripes" with mostly minor right-side damage. Among them were Brad Keselowski, Blaney and defending Sprint Cup champ Kyle Busch. Danica Patrick also overshot pit road late in the practice, looping her No. 10 Chevrolet without damage.