Kyle Busch, Bowman lead Nationwide sessions
RELATED: Follow your picks in the Chase Battle Grid Presented by Toyota
Sprint Cup Series practice 1 | (RESULTS)
Four of the eight drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finished the opening Sprint Cup Series practice in the top 10 in preparation for the final race of the Eliminator Round. Only four drivers will go on to compete for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway next week.
Kevin Harvick took the top spot with a fastest lap of 25.438 seconds, with a best speed of 141.521 mph. Harvick has won the most recent two races at Phoenix International Raceway, and currently sits in eighth in the standings, 18 points behind first-place Joey Logano. Kyle Larson once again looks to take a much-needed win from one of the Chase drivers, coming in second with the only other speed above 141 mph and a lap in 25.447 seconds.
Brad Keselowski, second-to-last in the Chase points standings, finished third-fastest with a lap of 140.851 mph.
A trio of Chevrolets, driven by Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. placed third through sixth on the leaderboard, respectively. Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin represented Toyota in the top 10 with the seventh- and eighth-fastest laps, with Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart rounding out the top 10.
Justin Allgaier ran the most practice laps, with 37, and finished 22nd.
The rest of the remaining Chase contenders finished as follows: Jeff Gordon, 12th; Matt Kenseth, 13th; Carl Edwards, 25th; Ryan Newman, 27th.
Qualifying for the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 will take place Friday at 6:45 p.m. ET with coverage on ESPN, with two more practices on Saturday’s schedule. The race will begin at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday with coverage on ESPN.
Nationwide Series practice 2 | (RESULTS)
Alex Bowman was fastest in final practice as he prepares for his third Nationwide Series start of the season in, surging to the top of the leaderboard as the clock approached zero with a lap of 26.944 seconds. Bowman was the only driver to top 133 mph.
Joe Gibbs Racing nabbed the next two positions, with Cup regular Kyle Busch running a lap of 132.115 mph in 27.249 seconds and Erik Jones .082 seconds off of his Truck Series boss. Busch, the defending race-winner at Phoenix, was the only driver in the 132 mph-mark. Brendan Gaughan finished fourth, with John Wes Townley rounding out the top five.
Brennan Newberry, in preparation for his fourth career Nationwide Series start, finished sixth his the No. 77 Chevrolet Camero with a lap of 131.277 mph.
Ty Dillon also kept his ride toward the top of the leaderboard, following up his second place run in the early session with a seventh-best lap of 27.426 seconds, followed by his compeition for Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year, Kyle Larson.
The rest of the title contenders, Chase Elliott, Regan Smith, Brian Scott and Elliott Sadler, finished ninth through twelfth, respectively.
Ford continued to struggle on the track, as Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher and Trevor Bayne, in 13th through 15th, respectively, had the best efforts for the manufacturer. Dylan Kwasniewski finished 18th-fastest after going to a backup car in the earlier session.
Qualifying for the Coors Light Pole Award will take place Saturday at 12:45 p.m. ET, with coverage on FOX Sports 2.
Nationwide Series practice 1 | (RESULTS)
Kyle Busch topped the opening Nationwide Series practice at Phoenix International Raceway, turning a lap around the 1-mile tri-oval in 27.096 seconds. Busch has won the past three NNS races at the track.
Ty Dillon was second-fastest with a lap of 27.186 seconds, followed by Erik Jones‘ lap of 27.233 seconds. Jones announced earlier this week that he would drive in the Truck Series full time in 2015 for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
Regan Smith and Alex Bowman rounded out the top five.
Brad Keselowski, driving the owner’s championship contender No. 22 Penske entry, was the first Ford on the leaderboard in sixth.
Chase Elliott, the series points leader with 48 points on second-place Smith, eighth-fastest. Elliott Sadler and Brian Scott, fourth and third in the standings, respectively, finished seventh and ninth. Chris Buescher took the final spot in the top 10.
Dylan Kwasniewski hit the wall in practice, bringing out a caution flag and doing enough damage to put the driver in a backup car. He was 10th-fastest before heading to the garage, but finished with the 11th-fastest position.
The Nationwide Series DAV 200 is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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