Larson, who ran in the first 20-minute session, ended up with the fastest average lap speed (121.835 mph) in Saturday’s practice at the ¾-mile short track.
“It’s a tough place for me, so I don’t ever really come here with the highest of expectations, more so just because of me,” said Larson, who drives Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 5 Chevrolet.
“Talking to my team and stuff – we won the spring race, but we were really bad in the fall race. So, I think we’ve come here with a much different approach for car set-up.”
Joey Logano (121.490 mph) and Chris Buescher (121.462 mph) – also both from the first group – joined Larson in the top three overall speeds.
Michael McDowell ended up fastest (119.553 mph) in the second group.
Among those drivers who ran at least 10 consecutive laps, reigning series champion Ryan Blaney had the fastest average lap speed (119.867 mph), followed by Alex Bowman and Logano.
Group B
McDowell paced the second 20-minute session with an average lap speed of 119.553 mph but speeds in general were much slower than the first group.
Brad Keselowski was second fastest (118.963 mph) while Erik Jones (118.702 mph) was third.
Last weekend’s race winner, William Byron, was fourth and Christopher Bell completed the top five.
Group A
Larson, who won this race a year ago, led the way in the first session with an average lap speed of 121.835 mph that he set in his first laps on the track.
Logano was second quick (121.490 mph) while Buescher was third (121.462 mph).
John Hunter Nemechek and Bowman rounded out the top five.
| CLA | DRIVER | # | MANUFACTURER | LAPS | TIME | INTERVAL | MPH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. LarsonHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 5 | Chevrolet | 45 |
22.161 |
121.836 | ||
| 2 | J. LoganoTEAM PENSKE | 22 | Ford | 49 |
+0.063 22.224 |
0.063 | 121.490 | |
| 3 | C. BuescherRFK RACING | 17 | Ford | 47 |
+0.068 22.229 |
0.005 | 121.463 | |
| 4 | J. NemechekLEGACY MOTOR CLUB | 42 | Toyota | 47 |
+0.079 22.240 |
0.011 | 121.403 | |
| 5 | A. BowmanHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 48 | Chevrolet | 42 |
+0.088 22.249 |
0.009 | 121.354 | |
| 6 |
T. GibbsJOE GIBBS RACING
|
54 | Toyota | 46 |
+0.102 22.263 |
0.014 | 121.277 | |
| 7 | R. BlaneyTEAM PENSKE | 12 | Ford | 49 |
+0.115 22.276 |
0.013 | 121.207 | |
| 8 | J. BerrySTEWART-HAAS RACING | 4 | Ford | 40 |
+0.181 22.342 |
0.066 | 120.849 | |
| 9 | R. Stenhouse JrJTG DAUGHERTY RACING | 47 | Chevrolet | 43 |
+0.240 22.401 |
0.059 | 120.530 | |
| 10 | J. HaleyRICK WARE RACING | 51 | Ford | 46 |
+0.261 22.422 |
0.021 | 120.417 | |
| 11 | H. BurtonWOOD BROTHERS RACING | 21 | Ford | 37 |
+0.283 22.444 |
0.022 | 120.299 | |
| 12 | A. DillonRICHARD CHILDRESS RACING | 3 | Chevrolet | 40 |
+0.358 22.519 |
0.075 | 119.899 | |
| 13 | R. PreeceSTEWART-HAAS RACING | 41 | Ford | 38 |
+0.418 22.579 |
0.060 | 119.580 | |
| 14 | M. McDowellFRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS | 34 | Ford | 48 |
+0.423 22.584 |
0.005 | 119.554 | |
| 15 | D. HemricKAULIG RACING | 31 | Chevrolet | 33 |
+0.495 22.656 |
0.072 | 119.174 | |
| 16 | B. KeselowskiRFK RACING | 6 | Ford | 47 |
+0.535 22.696 |
0.040 | 118.964 | |
| 17 |
Z. SmithSPIRE MOTORSPORTS
|
71 | Chevrolet | 36 |
+0.549 22.710 |
0.014 | 118.890 | |
| 18 | E. JonesLEGACY MOTOR CLUB | 43 | Toyota | 39 |
+0.585 22.746 |
0.036 | 118.702 | |
| 19 | W. ByronHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 24 | Chevrolet | 43 |
+0.595 22.756 |
0.010 | 118.650 | |
| 20 | C. BellJOE GIBBS RACING | 20 | Toyota | 49 |
+0.618 22.779 |
0.023 | 118.530 | |
| 21 | M. Truex JrJOE GIBBS RACING | 19 | Toyota | 47 |
+0.624 22.785 |
0.006 | 118.499 | |
| 22 | B. Wallace23XI RACING | 23 | Toyota | 47 |
+0.625 22.786 |
0.001 | 118.494 | |
| 23 | D. HamlinJOE GIBBS RACING | 11 | Toyota | 48 |
+0.663 22.824 |
0.038 | 118.297 | |
| 24 | D. SuarezTRACKHOUSE RACING | 99 | Chevrolet | 36 |
+0.668 22.829 |
0.005 | 118.271 | |
| 25 | C. BriscoeSTEWART-HAAS RACING | 14 | Ford | 41 |
+0.685 22.846 |
0.017 | 118.183 | |
| 26 | A. CindricTEAM PENSKE | 2 | Ford | 44 |
+0.699 22.860 |
0.014 | 118.110 | |
| 27 | N. GragsonSTEWART-HAAS RACING | 10 | Ford | 44 |
+0.700 22.861 |
0.001 | 118.105 | |
| 28 | T. GillilandFRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS | 38 | Ford | 48 |
+0.709 22.870 |
0.009 | 118.059 | |
| 29 | C. ElliottHENDRICK MOTORSPORTS | 9 | Chevrolet | 42 |
+0.722 22.883 |
0.013 | 117.992 | |
| 30 |
C. HocevarSPIRE MOTORSPORTS
|
77 | Chevrolet | 36 |
+0.729 22.890 |
0.007 | 117.955 | |
| 31 | T. Reddick23XI RACING | 45 | Toyota | 46 |
+0.734 22.895 |
0.005 | 117.930 | |
| 32 | K. GralaRICK WARE RACING | 15 | Ford | 46 |
+0.741 22.902 |
0.007 | 117.894 | |
| 33 | C. LajoieSPIRE MOTORSPORTS | 7 | Chevrolet | 46 |
+0.746 22.907 |
0.005 | 117.868 | |
| 34 | K. BuschRICHARD CHILDRESS RACING | 8 | Chevrolet | 47 |
+0.774 22.935 |
0.028 | 117.724 | |
| 35 | T. DillonKAULIG RACING | 16 | Chevrolet | 31 |
+0.782 22.943 |
0.008 | 117.683 | |
| 36 | R. ChastainTRACKHOUSE RACING | 1 | Chevrolet | 40 |
+0.986 23.147 |
0.204 | 116.646 |
