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Brad Keselowski leads the way in final practice at Chicagoland

Saturday’s final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice session at Chicagoland Speedway featured a role reversal for two manufacturers.

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Stars, Stripes, and Lites

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Stars, Stripes, and Lites

Barry Cantrell / NKP / Motorsport Images

Chevrolet teams dominated the Top 10 speeds in Saturday’s first practice but Brad Keselowski (180.826 mph) topped the final session as his fellow Ford drivers took five of the top six positions.

“Thank you,” Keselowski told his team over the radio as the session wrapped up.

Only one Chevy driver – Jamie McMurray (seventh) – cracked the Top 10.

“I thought it turned better ... but at the end you’re sliding the back,” McMurray told his team over his radio. “I can’t make the top (groove) work. I get loose around that top seam on entry, I feel like I’m going to wreck.”

Martin Truex Jr. – the top Toyota – ended up second (180.656 mph) and Keselowski’s Team Penske teammate, Joey Logano was third-fastest (180.288 mph).

Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola and Kevin Harvick took the next three positions. Toyota drivers Kyle Busch and Erik Jones and SHR driver Clint Bowyer completed the Top 10.

Truex had the fastest average speed (170.887 mph) among the drivers who completed at least 10 consecutive laps in practice. Chase Elliott and Harvick were second and third, respectively, in that category.

Hendrick Motorsports drivers were fairly strong in the first session, but in final practice, rookie William Byron was 17th-fastest in single laps. Elliott was 23rd.

Cla#DriverManufacturerLapsTimeGapIntervalMph
1 2 united_states Brad Keselowski  Ford 30 29.863     180.826
2 78 united_states Martin Truex Jr.  Toyota 25 29.891 0.028 0.028 180.656
3 22 united_states Joey Logano  Ford 37 29.952 0.089 0.061 180.288
4 41 united_states Kurt Busch  Ford 29 30.055 0.192 0.103 179.671
5 10 united_states Aric Almirola  Ford 32 30.196 0.333 0.141 178.832
6 4 united_states Kevin Harvick  Ford 28 30.374 0.511 0.178 177.784
7 1 united_states Jamie McMurray  Chevrolet 47 30.469 0.606 0.095 177.229
8 18 united_states Kyle Busch  Toyota 33 30.478 0.615 0.009 177.177
9 20 united_states Erik Jones  Toyota 31 30.608 0.745 0.130 176.424
10 14 united_states Clint Bowyer  Ford 26 30.626 0.763 0.018 176.321
11 37 united_states Chris Buescher  Chevrolet 33 30.830 0.967 0.204 175.154
12 11 united_states Denny Hamlin  Toyota 46 30.848 0.985 0.018 175.052
13 13 united_states Ty Dillon  Chevrolet 31 30.884 1.021 0.036 174.848
14 12 united_states Ryan Blaney  Ford 29 30.893 1.030 0.009 174.797
15 43 united_states Darrell Wallace Jr.  Chevrolet 46 30.895 1.032 0.002 174.786
16 42 united_states Kyle Larson  Chevrolet 42 30.987 1.124 0.092 174.267
17 24 united_states William Byron  Chevrolet 38 31.025 1.162 0.038 174.053
18 19 mexico Daniel Suarez  Toyota 34 31.030 1.167 0.005 174.025
19 95 united_states Kasey Kahne  Chevrolet 20 31.057 1.194 0.027 173.874
20 3 united_states Austin Dillon  Chevrolet 30 31.077 1.214 0.020 173.762
21 88 united_states Alex Bowman  Chevrolet 31 31.125 1.262 0.048 173.494
22 17 united_states Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  Ford 24 31.132 1.269 0.007 173.455
23 9 united_states Chase Elliott  Chevrolet 15 31.164 1.301 0.032 173.277
24 21 united_states Paul Menard  Ford 24 31.169 1.306 0.005 173.249
25 31 united_states Ryan Newman  Chevrolet 22 31.234 1.371 0.065 172.889
26 6 united_states Trevor Bayne  Ford 17 31.274 1.411 0.040 172.667
27 34 united_states Michael McDowell  Ford 32 31.343 1.480 0.069 172.287
28 38 united_states David Ragan  Ford 24 31.444 1.581 0.101 171.734
29 32 united_states Matt DiBenedetto  Ford 21 31.550 1.687 0.106 171.157
30 48 united_states Jimmie Johnson  Chevrolet 14 31.591 1.728 0.041 170.935
31 47 united_states A.J. Allmendinger  Chevrolet 18 31.604 1.741 0.013 170.864
32 72 united_states Corey Lajoie  Chevrolet 15 32.103 2.240 0.499 168.209
33 00 united_states Landon Cassill  Chevrolet 22 32.123 2.260 0.020 168.104
34 99 united_states Kyle Weatherman  Chevrolet 12 32.343 2.480 0.220 166.960
35 23 united_states Gray Gaulding  Toyota 4 32.382 2.519 0.039 166.759
36 51 united_states B.J. McLeod  Ford 7 32.569 2.706 0.187 165.802
37 66 united_states Timmy Hill  Toyota 13 32.771 2.908 0.202 164.780

 

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