HAMPTON, Ga. — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images for NASCAR photo —
The top two from last weekend’s Daytona 500 found themselves in the exact same position on the scoring pylon following Saturday’s final practice session for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr., involved in the now-viral photo finish from Daytona International Speedway one Sunday ago, posted the fastest two individual laps during Sprint Cup ‘Happy Hour’ at the 1.54-mile oval, with Hamlin’s clip of 29.419 seconds (188.450 mph) topping the 85-minute session ahead of Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (1 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM).
Truex was close behind, wheeling his No. 78 Furniture Row Toyota to a lap of 29.454 seconds (188.226 mph) to finish runner-up as he looks for his first Sprint Cup win at the Georgia oval.
A trio of Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets followed that duo, as six-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson (29.600/187.297), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (29.632/187.095) and hometown rookie Chase Elliott (29.653/186.963) rounding out the top five in speeds.
Positions six through 10 were filled by Kyle Busch (who starts last after failing post-qualifying technical inspection on Friday), outside polesitter Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, polesitter Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman.
A major notable outside the top half of the field was Team Penske’s Joey Logano, who landed 32nd on the speed charts after qualifying a disappointing 27th on Friday night. He’ll be looking to rebound on Sunday after winning two races on intermediate-style, 1.5-mile race tracks a year ago.
The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 takes the green flag Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, with live coverage on FOX, the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
RESULTS: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series; ‘Happy Hour’ Final Practice; Atlanta Motor Speedway; Feb. 27, 2016
- Denny Hamlin
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Jimmie Johnson
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Chase Elliott
- Kyle Busch
- Jamie McMurray
- Casey Mears
- Kurt Busch
- Ryan Newman
- Matt Kenseth
- Kyle Larson
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Greg Biffle
- Kevin Harvick
- Kasey Kahne
- Brad Keselowski
- Paul Menard
- Ryan Blaney
- Austin Dillon
- Carl Edwards
- Clint Bowyer
- Matt DiBenedetto
- Aric Almirola
- Trevor Bayne
- David Ragan
- A.J. Allmendinger
- Chris Buescher
- Regan Smith
- Brian Scott
- Danica Patrick
- Joey Logano
- Ty Dillon
- Michael McDowell
- Landon Cassill
- Michael Annett
- Cole Whitt
- Josh Wise
- Jeffrey Earnhardt
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
Follow RCO on Twitter: @RaceChaserNews
