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Practice report

Keselowski leads final Michigan practice, Allmendinger crashes

Brad Keselowski was fastest in Happy Hour at his hometown track on Saturday.

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske Ford

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske Ford

Logan Whitton / NKP / Motorsport Images

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske Ford
Brad Keselowski, Team Penske Ford
Brad Keselowski, Team Penske Ford
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Just past half-way in final practice, Keselowski set shot to the top of the board with a lap of 197.401mph at Michigan International Speedway. The driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Ford completed 30 laps after five different runs. Keselowski rolls off 12th on Sunday.

Kyle Busch was second followed by polesitter Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin.

Kyle Busch set the quick pace early with a lap of 197.174mph. Larson was second (196.266mph) followed by Hamlin (196.244mph), Harvick (196.094mph), Jones (196.020mph), Ryan Blaney (19.945mph), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (195.929mph), Keselowski (195.689mph) and Clint Bowyer (195.397mph).

Truex climbed up to second (196.609mph) just before the 15-minute mark but was quickly passed by Logano (196.969mph) and Daniel Suarez (196.694mph).

Eighteen minutes into the session, Johnson took his first laps in his back up car. The No. 48 team elected to park the primary after sustaining damage to the front end of the car after Johnson spun in the morning practice. He was sixth-quick (196.260mph) in his initial laps.

"The backup Kobalt Chevy is pretty good,” Johnson said. “We need to work a little more on it to make it more comfortable for me, but all things considered we will be ok tomorrow. Just need to pass some cars again.”

At halfway in the 50-minute session, Busch continued to lead single-lap runs followed by Logano, Suarez, Truex, Bowyer, Larson, Johnson, Hamlin, Blaney and Jones.

Keselowski shot up to P1 at the 30-minute mark with a lap of 197.401mph. Jones’ vaulted to fourth. With 15-minutes remaining, Keselowski remained atop the leader board followed by Kyle Busch, Larson, Logano, Jones, Suarez, Truex, Bowyer, Johnson and Hamlin.

In the final moment, AJ Allmendinger wrecked coming off of Turn 4 on his 18th lap. He was 28th on the speed chart. He had no indication of his tire going down. “No, the left rear tire blew and I crashed,” Dinger said.

Larson led the Best 10 Consecutive Average category with a speed of 195.416mph. Hamlin (195.391mph) was second followed by Harvick (195.188mph), Keselowski (195.110mph) and Blaney (195.047mph). Suarez, McMurray, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Bowyer rounded out the top 10. Kahne’s 41 laps were the most completed during final practice.

Cla#DriverManufacturerTimeGapMph
1 42 united_states Kyle Larson  Chevrolet 35.616   202.156
2 78 united_states Martin Truex Jr.  Toyota 35.623 0.007 202.117
3 14 united_states Clint Bowyer  Ford 35.703 0.087 201.664
4 18 united_states Kyle Busch  Toyota 35.728 0.112 201.523
5 11 united_states Denny Hamlin  Toyota 35.761 0.145 201.337
6 21 united_states Ryan Blaney  Ford 35.847 0.231 200.854
7 22 united_states Joey Logano  Ford 35.862 0.246 200.770
8 1 united_states Jamie McMurray  Chevrolet 35.867 0.251 200.742
9 20 united_states Matt Kenseth  Toyota 35.869 0.253 200.730
10 24 united_states Chase Elliott  Chevrolet 35.932 0.316 200.378
11 4 united_states Kevin Harvick  Ford 35.963 0.347 200.206
12 2 united_states Brad Keselowski  Ford 35.991 0.375 200.050
13 48 united_states Jimmie Johnson  Chevrolet 35.945 0.329 200.306
14 77 united_states Erik Jones  Toyota 35.968 0.352 200.178
15 41 united_states Kurt Busch  Ford 36.052 0.436 199.712
16 5 united_states Kasey Kahne  Chevrolet 36.114 0.498 199.369
17 88 united_states Dale Earnhardt Jr.  Chevrolet 36.140 0.524 199.225
18 3 united_states Austin Dillon  Chevrolet 36.188 0.572 198.961
19 31 united_states Ryan Newman  Chevrolet 36.234 0.618 198.708
20 19 mexico Daniel Suarez  Toyota 36.266 0.650 198.533
21 17 united_states Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  Ford 36.268 0.652 16.019
22 95 united_states Michael McDowell  Chevrolet 36.325 0.709 198.211
23 10 united_states Danica Patrick  Ford 36.405 0.789 197.775
24 13 united_states Ty Dillon  Chevrolet 36.492 0.876 197.304
25 37 united_states Chris Buescher  Chevrolet 36.451 0.835 197.525
26 47 united_states A.J. Allmendinger  Chevrolet 36.459 0.843 22.871
27 43 united_states Darrell Wallace Jr.  Ford 36.474 0.858 197.401
28 6 united_states Trevor Bayne  Ford 36.519 0.903 197.158
29 32 united_states Matt DiBenedetto  Ford 36.693 1.077 196.046
30 38 united_states David Ragan  Ford 36.776 1.160 15.698
31 27 united_states Paul Menard  Chevrolet 36.807 1.191 195.615
32 23 united_states Ryan Sieg  Toyota 37.177 1.561 193.668
33 83 united_states Corey Lajoie  Toyota 37.408 1.792 192.472
34 72 united_states Cole Whitt  Chevrolet 37.594 1.978 191.520
35 15 united_states Reed Sorenson  Chevrolet 37.834 2.218 190.305
36 33 united_states Jeffrey Earnhardt  Chevrolet 37.895 2.279 189.999
37 34 united_states Landon Cassill  Ford 0.000   0.000

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