Brad Keselowski soared to the top of the leaderboard in Saturday’s final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Michigan International Speedway with a fast lap of 197.401 mph in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford. A Michigan native, Keselowski is still searching for his first win at his home track.
For the second time today, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch came up second in the field, his No. 18 Toyota clocking in at 197.195 mph.
Polesitter Kyle Larson was third-fastest (197.061 mph) in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Team Penske’s Joey Logano (196.969 mph) and Furniture Row Racing rookie Erik Jones (196.953 mph) rounded out the top-five performers, respectively.
Jimmie Johnson, who had to go a backup car after a spin and slide through the grass in morning practice, was ninth-fastest in his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. A one-time Michigan winner (2014), Johnson will start Sunday’s race at Michigan from the rear.
AJ Allmendinger’s No. 47 JTG Daughterty Racing spun in the waning seconds of final practice. It is yet to be determined if the team will go to a backup car.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series returns to the track at Michigan on Sunday for the FireKeepers Casino 400 (FS1).
Propelling his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota at 198.385 mph around Michigan International Speedway, Martin Truex Jr. topped Saturday’s opening Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice. Truex, who will start Sunday’s race second, missed earning the pole position Friday by 0.007 seconds to Kyle Larson.
Kyle Busch notched the second-fastest speed, his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota clocking in at 197.938 mph. Hendrick Motorsports’ Jimmie Johnson was third on the leaderboard (197.341 mph), while Pocono winner Ryan Blaney was fourth-fastest (197.320 mph) in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five with a top speed of 197.287 mph in his No. 4 Ford.
Having notching the second-fastest speed at the time a few minutes prior, Johnson brought out the red flag a little over the halfway point of the 55-minute session, as his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet became loose and spun across the track and into the grass. Johnson didn’t make contact with any car or the wall. After trying to repair the damage left by the slide in the grass, Johnson will go to his backup car and start at the rear of Sunday’s field.
“I got loose into Turn 3 and fought it for a long time and unfortunately came around,” Johnson said. “Did a nice job of keeping it off the outside wall, but came back down the hill and into the grass and the front end dug in pretty good … So, we are out for the rest of this practice and we will get back on-track for the second one. Not the way we wanted to start the day, but it is what it is.”
Four teams were docked 15 minutes of practice time in the early session. The No. 13 of Ty Dillon, No. 31 of Ryan Newman and No. 32 of Matt DiBenedetto were held as a penalty for failing pre-qualifying inspection multiple times. The No. 1 of Jamie McMurray was held 15 minutes for arriving late to pre-qualifying inspection.
Polesitter Larson clocked the seventh-fastest speed in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is back on track at noon ET for final practice (FS2).