Ross Chastain spins but is still fastest in Pocono Cup practice

Earlier in the Group B session, Chastain posted the fastest overall average lap speed in practice at 167.719 mph.

However, with just over a minute remaining in Group B, Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet spun off Turn 3 and down the frontstretch but did not appear to suffer any damage other than a flat tire.

Last week’s race winner, Christopher Bell, ended up second-fastest overall (167.635 mph) and Daniel Suarez was third (167.345 mph).

Kurt Busch was fourth and Kyle Larson completed the top-five. The top four fastest average speeds came from Group B.

Among those drivers who ran at least 10 consecutive laps, Chase Elliott had the fastest average speed at 166.509 mph. Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch were second and third, respectively, in that category.

Group B

The second 20-minute session ended up faster than the first as Chastain led the way with an average lap speed of 167.719 mph.

Bell was second (167.635 mph) and Suarez – Chastain’s teammate at Trackhouse Racing – was third (167.345 mph).

Kurt Busch was fourth and Tyler Reddick completed the top-five.

About eight minutes into the session, Reddick tagged the wall with the right-rear of his No. Chevrolet. There did not appear to be any serious damage.

Group A

Larson went out late in the 20-minute session and posted the fastest average speed of 167.183 mph.

Erik Jones ended up second-fastest (167.003 mph) and Kyle Busch was third (166.920 mph). William Byron and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top-five.

“I was hoping we would fire off good and we did. We were very happy with the car,” Jones said. “Hopefully, we’ll have that speed for qualifying.”

With just over one minute remaining, Byron spun off Turn 3 and down the frontstretch to bring out a caution and an early end to the practice.

Busch ran the most laps in the session (13).

Cla	#	Driver		Manufacturer	Laps	Time	Gap	Interval	Mph
1	1	Ross Chastain		Chevrolet	14	53.661			167.720
2	20	Christopher Bell		Toyota	12	53.688	0.027	0.027	167.635
3	99	Daniel Suarez		Chevrolet	9	53.781	0.120	0.093	167.345
4	45	Kurt Busch		Toyota	12	53.808	0.147	0.027	167.261
5	5	Kyle Larson		Chevrolet	6	53.833	0.172	0.025	167.184
6	43	Erik Jones		Chevrolet	12	53.891	0.230	0.058	167.004
7	18	Kyle Busch		Toyota	13	53.918	0.257	0.027	166.920
8	8	Tyler Reddick		Chevrolet	11	53.920	0.259	0.002	166.914
9	48	Alex Bowman		Chevrolet	9	53.921	0.260	0.001	166.911
10	9	Chase Elliott		Chevrolet	19	53.948	0.287	0.027	166.827
11	11	Denny Hamlin		Toyota	8	54.092	0.431	0.144	166.383
12	23	Bubba Wallace		Toyota	7	54.125	0.464	0.033	166.282
13	24	William Byron		Chevrolet	9	54.173	0.512	0.048	166.134
14	19	Martin Truex Jr.		Toyota	12	54.176	0.515	0.003	166.125
15	2	Austin Cindric		Ford	8	54.181	0.520	0.005	166.110
16	22	Joey Logano		Ford	14	54.266	0.605	0.085	165.850
17	17	Chris Buescher		Ford	12	54.284	0.623	0.018	165.795
18	3	Austin Dillon		Chevrolet	12	54.303	0.642	0.019	165.737
19	47	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.		Chevrolet	11	54.362	0.701	0.059	165.557
20	14	Chase Briscoe		Ford	11	54.410	0.749	0.048	165.411
21	34	Michael McDowell		Ford	6	54.454	0.793	0.044	165.277
22	6	Brad Keselowski		Ford	13	54.499	0.838	0.045	165.141
23	21	Harrison Burton		Ford	11	54.521	0.860	0.022	165.074
24	51	Cody Ware		Ford	7	54.553	0.892	0.032	164.977
25	7	Corey Lajoie		Chevrolet	8	54.559	0.898	0.006	164.959
26	42	Ty Dillon		Chevrolet	12	54.562	0.901	0.003	164.950
27	10	Aric Almirola		Ford	14	54.603	0.942	0.041	164.826
28	12	Ryan Blaney		Ford	7	54.607	0.946	0.004	164.814
29	38	Todd Gilliland		Ford	9	54.700	1.039	0.093	164.534
30	4	Kevin Harvick		Ford	9	54.707	1.046	0.007	164.513
31	16	Noah Gragson		Chevrolet	11	54.752	1.091	0.045	164.378
32	31	Justin Haley		Chevrolet	8	54.785	1.124	0.033	164.279
33	41	Cole Custer		Ford	8	54.991	1.330	0.206	163.663
34	15	J.J. Yeley		Ford	7	55.228	1.567	0.237	162.961
35	77	Josh Bilicki		Chevrolet	11	55.299	1.638	0.071	162.752
36	78	B.J. McLeod		Ford	4	55.623	1.962	0.324	161.804