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Jim Utter

Tyler Reddick leads NASCAR Cup practice at COTA, Button 28th on debut

In the final 15 minutes of the 50-minute session, Reddick posted the top average speed (92.988 mph) in a group of cars that went out on new tires.

Kyle Larson ended up second-fastest (92.618 mph) and Ross Chastain – who won this race a year ago – was third (92.519 mph).

Kyle Busch was fourth and Chastain’s Trackhouse Racing teammate, Daniel Suarez, rounded out the top-five.

Completing the top-10 were Austin Cindric, Michael McDowell, Bubba Wallace, Jordan Taylor (substituting for Chase Elliott) and Ty Gibbs.

Reddick and Gibbs were the only drivers to run at least 10 consecutive laps, with Reddick coming away with the faster average speed (90.267 mph).

Friday’s practice was the first time Cup cars have been on a road course since NASCAR debuted its new aero rules this season for road courses and a majority of tracks measuring 1.058-mile or less in distance.

The package, which was tested in the offseason at Phoenix, consists of a 2-inch spoiler and the removal of three diffuser strakes and engine panel strakes. The changes are to lead to a 30-percent reduction in downforce.

Outside of Taylor, most of the non-Cup Series regulars participating this weekend did not fare so well in practice.

Former Formula 1 champion Jenson Button was 28th-fastest, former F1 champ Kimi Raikkonen was 32nd, Jimmie Johnson was 36th and IndyCar driver Conor Daly was last, in 39th.

About 24 minutes into the session, a caution was displayed for debris in the area of Turn 6.

Chastain went off course briefly in the final minutes in Turn 19 but was able to continue without any issues.

Cla # Driver Manufacturer Laps Time Gap Interval Mph
1 45 United States Tyler Reddick Toyota 18 2'12.016     92.989
2 5 United States Kyle Larson Chevrolet 15 2'12.544 0.528 0.528 92.618
3 1 United States Ross Chastain Chevrolet 15 2'12.685 0.669 0.141 92.520
4 8 United States Kyle Busch Chevrolet 17 2'12.717 0.701 0.032 92.498
5 99 Mexico Daniel Suarez Chevrolet 14 2'12.770 0.754 0.053 92.461
6 34 United States Michael McDowell Ford 18 2'12.774 0.758 0.004 92.458
7 2 United States Austin Cindric Ford 10 2'12.798 0.782 0.024 92.441
8 23 United States Bubba Wallace Toyota 17 2'12.809 0.793 0.011 92.433
9 22 United States Joey Logano Ford 12 2'12.847 0.831 0.038 92.407
10 9 United States Jordan Taylor Chevrolet 15 2'12.851 0.835 0.004 92.404
11 54 Ty Gibbs Toyota 16 2'12.852 0.836 0.001 92.404
12 12 United States Ryan Blaney Ford 11 2'12.924 0.908 0.072 92.354
13 47 United States Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Chevrolet 15 2'12.962 0.946 0.038 92.327
14 43 United States Erik Jones Chevrolet 12 2'12.995 0.979 0.033 92.304
15 21 United States Harrison Burton Ford 16 2'13.021 1.005 0.026 92.286
16 24 United States William Byron Chevrolet 16 2'13.029 1.013 0.008 92.281
17 20 United States Christopher Bell Toyota 13 2'13.079 1.063 0.050 92.246
18 16 United States A.J. Allmendinger Chevrolet 11 2'13.102 1.086 0.023 92.230
19 11 United States Denny Hamlin Toyota 16 2'13.131 1.115 0.029 92.210
20 48 United States Alex Bowman Chevrolet 13 2'13.265 1.249 0.134 92.117
21 19 United States Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 13 2'13.312 1.296 0.047 92.085
22 4 United States Kevin Harvick Ford 14 2'13.377 1.361 0.065 92.040
23 41 United States Ryan Preece Ford 12 2'13.449 1.433 0.072 91.990
24 6 United States Brad Keselowski Ford 15 2'13.584 1.568 0.135 91.897
25 42 United States Noah Gragson Chevrolet 15 2'13.636 1.620 0.052 91.861
26 14 United States Chase Briscoe Ford 9 2'13.684 1.668 0.048 91.828
27 38 United States Todd Gilliland Ford 15 2'13.694 1.678 0.010 91.822
28 15 United Kingdom Jenson Button Ford 13 2'13.786 1.770 0.092 91.758
29 77 United States Ty Dillon Chevrolet 15 2'13.795 1.779 0.009 91.752
30 3 United States Austin Dillon Chevrolet 15 2'14.045 2.029 0.250 91.581
31 17 United States Chris Buescher Ford 13 2'14.168 2.152 0.123 91.497
32 91 Finland Kimi Raikkonen Chevrolet 14 2'14.291 2.275 0.123 91.413
33 7 United States Corey Lajoie Chevrolet 11 2'14.328 2.312 0.037 91.388
34 31 United States Justin Haley Chevrolet 11 2'14.365 2.349 0.037 91.363
35 10 United States Aric Almirola Ford 13 2'14.512 2.496 0.147 91.263
36 84 United States Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 13 2'14.794 2.778 0.282 91.072
37 78 United States Josh Bilicki Chevrolet 14 2'15.473 3.457 0.679 90.616
38 51 United States Cody Ware Ford 13 2'16.253 4.237 0.780 90.097
39 50 United States Conor Daly Chevrolet 11 2'16.257 4.241 0.004 90.094
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