Ty Gibbs was the fastest driver in Friday’s 50-minute practice session for the NASCAR All-Star Weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway, with a speed of 124.001 mph.
Ryan Blaney (123.790 mph), Christopher Bell (123.558 mph), Chase Elliott (123.301 mph) and Bubba Wallace (123.261 mph) rounded out the top five.
RELATED: Practice results | Weekend schedule
Denny Hamlin (123.146 mph), Kyle Busch (123.119 mph), Josh Berry (123.065 mph), Corey LaJoie (123.045 mph) and Daniel Suárez (123.038 mph) completed the top 10.
For this year’s All-Star Race, Goodyear brought a special, softer compound dubbed the “option tire” to North Wilkesboro, which received positive reviews from the drivers. Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, enjoyed the practice session.
WATCH: Hamlin reacts to option tire compound
“They (Goodyear) nailed it with this one,” Hamlin said. “It’s a great tire, great lap time variation between the two tires. And also just the ability to pass with it, the difference of speed between the cars. So, as you’re seeing now, guys are searching for new pavement to try to get grip because they don’t want to be in the rubber. Because it is kind of slick. Really, really fun right now. This is like back to the old short track days.”