FONTANA, Calif. — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Jeff Gross/Getty Images for NASCAR photo —
Carl Edwards took his No. 19 Subway Toyota to the top of the speed charts on Saturday at Auto Club Speedway, leading the morning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice and continuing Joe Gibbs Racing’s run of dominance on NASCAR’s Western Swing.
Edwards posted a quick lap of 38.317 seconds (187.906 mph) to lead the 39-car field for Sunday’s Auto Club 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM).
Martin Truex Jr. added a top clip of 38.373 seconds (187.632 mph) to give Toyota a sweep of the top two spots, with the No. 78 Furniture Row Toyota looking for its first win of the year come race day in Fontana.
Ryan Newman went third-fastest (38.577/186.640) for Richard Childress Racing in the No. 31 CATerpillar Chevrolet, with defending Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch slotting in fourth overall (38.578/186.635) in the No. 18 M&Ms 75 Toyota. Busch had the fastest 10-lap average speed during the session, at 182.568 mph.
Newman’s teammate and polesitter Austin Dillon rounded out the ‘Fast Five’ (38.588/186.587) in the No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet.
Notables outside the top five included impressive runs for both Brian Scott (seventh) and Casey Mears (ninth); five-time Fontana winner Jimmie Johnson (13th); rookie Ryan Blaney (20th); defending race winner Brad Keselowski (24th) and Kyle Larson (29th), who won an XFINITY race at the two-mile oval in 2014.
Both Aric Almirola and Kurt Busch slapped the turn two wall during the session, with Busch’s damage being severe enough that the team was forced to unload a backup car. Almirola’s team elected to repair the No. 43 Ford so as to not forfeit their starting spot on Sunday.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice goes green at 2:30 p.m. ET, 11:30 a.m. PT on FOX Sports 1.
RESULTS: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice No. 2; Auto Club Speedway; March 19, 2016
- Carl Edwards
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Ryan Newman
- Kyle Busch
- Austin Dillon
- Paul Menard
- Brian Scott
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Casey Mears
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- A.J. Allmendinger
- Chase Elliott
- Jimmie Johnson
- Regan Smith
- Kurt Busch
- Brian Vickers
- Kevin Harvick
- Matt Kenseth
- Aric Almirola
- Ryan Blaney
- Jamie McMurray
- Clint Bowyer
- Denny Hamlin
- Brad Keselowski
- Trevor Bayne
- Matt DiBenedetto
- Danica Patrick
- Joey Logano
- Kyle Larson
- Kasey Kahne
- Greg Biffle
- Landon Cassill
- Chris Buescher
- Michael McDowell
- David Ragan
- Cole Whitt
- Michael Annett
- Jeffrey Earnhardt
- Josh Wise
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 22-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: speed77radio@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
Email Race Chaser Online: news@racechaseronline.com
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