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Daytona 500: Kyle Busch tops opening practice session

Kyle Busch posted the fastest lap in first practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday.

Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images

Busch established the top speed of 199.743mph while drafting with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates in the closing laps of the 52-minute session. 

Denny Hamlin (199.623), Daniel Suarez (199.610), Erik Jones (199.517) and Austin Dillon (197.278) rounded out the top-five speeds. Jamie McMurray, Ty Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson completed the top 10. 

A familiar car found its way to the top of the chart in the first 10 minutes of the first Daytona 500 practice. Alex Bowman wheeled the No. 88 Chevy to a lap of 193.999mph. Denny Hamlin (193.034), Joey Logano (192.571), Daniel Suarez (192.534), Clint Bowyer (192.410), Kurt Busch (192.263), Kyle Busch (192.119), Aric Almirola (192.094), McMurray (191.812) and William Byron (191.714)rounded out the top 10 speeds. 

Jimmie Johnson vaulted to second (193.403) on the speed chart after four laps while Byron climbed to seventh (192.324) after his second run. Just prior to the 25-minute mark, NASCAR called a caution for fluid on the track.   

The track returned to green at the 36-minute mark. Austin Dillon didn’t waste time shooting to the top of the board with a lap of 197.278mph in the draft. McMurray moved up to second (197.200mph). Ty Dillon and Kyle Larson followed as Bowman dropped to fifth. 

In the final five minutes, the four Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas took to the track. In the draft, Jones took over P1 followed by Suarez, Kyle Busch and Hamlin. 

Cla#DriverManufacturerLapsTimeGapIntervalMph
1 18 united_states Kyle Busch  Toyota 11 45.058     199.743
2 11 united_states Denny Hamlin  Toyota 10 45.085 0.027 0.027 199.623
3 19 mexico Daniel Suarez  Toyota 12 45.088 0.030 0.003 199.610
4 20 united_states Erik Jones  Toyota 12 45.109 0.051 0.021 199.517
5 3 united_states Austin Dillon  Chevrolet 12 45.621 0.563 0.512 197.278
6 1 united_states Jamie McMurray  Chevrolet 13 45.639 0.581 0.018 197.200
7 13 united_states Ty Dillon  Chevrolet 14 45.944 0.886 0.305 195.891
8 17 united_states Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  Ford 12 46.062 1.004 0.118 195.389
9 88 united_states Alex Bowman  Chevrolet 5 46.092 1.034 0.030 195.262
10 42 united_states Kyle Larson  Chevrolet 11 46.241 1.183 0.149 194.632
11 48 united_states Jimmie Johnson  Chevrolet 6 46.327 1.269 0.086 194.271
12 2 united_states Brad Keselowski  Ford 8 46.424 1.366 0.097 193.865
13 78 united_states Martin Truex Jr.  Toyota 5 46.442 1.384 0.018 193.790
14 24 united_states William Byron  Chevrolet 14 46.480 1.422 0.038 193.632
15 21 united_states Paul Menard  Ford 9 46.515 1.457 0.035 193.486
16 9 united_states Chase Elliott  Chevrolet 12 46.540 1.482 0.025 193.382
17 31 united_states Ryan Newman  Chevrolet 9 46.625 1.567 0.085 193.029
18 10 united_states Aric Almirola  Ford 9 46.627 1.569 0.002 193.021
19 12 united_states Ryan Blaney  Ford 7 46.627 1.569 0.000 193.021
20 4 united_states Kevin Harvick  Ford 5 46.645 1.587 0.018 192.947
21 6 united_states Trevor Bayne  Ford 6 46.653 1.595 0.008 192.914
22 14 united_states Clint Bowyer  Ford 9 46.691 1.633 0.038 192.757
23 22 united_states Joey Logano  Ford 12 46.735 1.677 0.044 192.575
24 41 united_states Kurt Busch  Ford 8 46.811 1.753 0.076 192.263
25 95 united_states Kasey Kahne  Chevrolet 6 46.859 1.801 0.048 192.066
26 34 united_states Michael McDowell  Ford 6 46.941 1.883 0.082 191.730
27 43 united_states Darrell Wallace Jr.  Chevrolet 8 46.977 1.919 0.036 191.583
28 62 united_states Brendan Gaughan  Chevrolet 2 46.988 1.930 0.011 191.538
29 38 united_states David Ragan  Ford 6 47.039 1.981 0.051 191.331
30 92 united_states David Gilliland  Ford 9 47.124 2.066 0.085 190.985
31 7 united_states Danica Patrick  Chevrolet 8 47.361 2.303 0.237 190.030
32 47 united_states A.J. Allmendinger  Chevrolet 16 47.403 2.345 0.042 189.861
33 96 canada D.J. Kennington  Toyota 3 47.505 2.447 0.102 189.454
34 37 united_states Chris Buescher  Chevrolet 5 47.541 2.483 0.036 189.310
35 32 united_states Matt DiBenedetto  Ford 4 47.562 2.504 0.021 189.227
36 51 united_states Justin Marks  Chevrolet 9 47.783 2.725 0.221 188.352
37 00 united_states Jeffrey Earnhardt  Chevrolet 7 48.360 3.302 0.577 186.104
38 66 united_states Mark Thompson  Ford 2 48.923 3.865 0.563 183.963
39 72 united_states Corey Lajoie  Chevrolet 1 49.096 4.038 0.173 183.314

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