Kyle Larson’s No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing soared to the top of the leaderboard in Friday’s second practice at Richmond Raceway, notching a top speed of 120.315 mph.
Rookie Darrell Wallace Jr. came up second-fastest, his No. 43 Richard Petty Racing Chevrolet notching a top speed of 119.952 mph.
Larson’s CGR teammate Jamie McMurray was third-quickest in the field in his No. 1 Chevrolet (119.904 mph), while Martinsville winner Clint Bowyer was fourth on the speed charts (119.904 mph) in his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the top five in his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford with a fast lap of 119.893 mph.
RELATED: Final practice results
Making his first Monster Energy Series start this weekend, Daniel Hemric was sixth-fastest in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
Three-time Richmond winner Denny Hamlin. who ranked eighth in final practice, experienced “catastrophic” issue during final practice.
“Whatever it is, it’s a major, major issue that’s not showing up in simulation,” he told FS1. “The problem is with these two practices so close to each other, I don’t think we can fix it because we’re trying to put all the parts and pieces from our teammates in the car, we just don’t have time to put it all, so we’re trying to guess on what it might be. But I think it’s a box we might be in for the rest of the day. We have to be in tech line 50 minutes after practice, so I just don’t think we can get our car fixed today.
“I think it will just have to be a shot in the dark tomorrow.”
The Monster Energy Series is back on track at 5:30 p.m. ET for Busch Pole Qualifying (FS1).
Practice 1
Chase Elliott led opening Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice Friday at Richmond Raceway with a top speed of 121.327 mph in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolets were second- and fourth-fastest with Kyle Larson hitting 121.076 mph in the No. 42 and Jamie McMurray 120.703 mph in the No. 1, respectively.
RELATED: Practice 1 results | Full weekend schedule
Martin Truex Jr. ranked third with a fastest lap of 120.757 mph in the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota. Joey Logano was fifth and the quickest Ford at 120.660 mph in the No. 22 Team Penske entry.
Series points leader Kyle Busch ranked seventh at 120.471 mph. He is going for a third consecutive win in Saturday night’s Toyota Owners 400 (6:30 ET, FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).
Daniel Hemric, turning laps in the historically rich No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, posted a lap at 119.121 mph, ranking 23rd on the speed chart.