Complete results from Friday's Sprint Cup practice at Atlanta
As expected, NASCAR's new low-downforce package and softer tires saw cars slipping and sliding around Atlanta Motor Speedway during Friday’s practice in advance of the Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500 (FOX 1 p.m. ET).
With less aerodynamic downforce to keep the cars planted at the fast 1.54-mile AMS track, drivers had their hands full keeping their cars under control during the 85-minute session.
When practice concluded, Kyle Larson was fastest of the 39 cars entered. He ran a best lap of 192.902 miles per hour in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi-owned Chevrolet. Second fast at 191.807 mph was Kasey Kahne in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. AJ Allmendinger, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Austin Dillon completed the top five.
Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin nearly looped his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the first 30 minutes of the session. “That was a little bit too much apron,” said Hamlin, who made a great save to keep his car from going up the track and collecting the onrushing traffic.
The new, softer Goodyear racing tires meant speeds slowed dramatically as the tires fell off during green-flag runs. That makes the cars even more difficult to handle. “Twenty laps in is going to separate the men from the boys,” said Clint Bowyer after making a run during practice.
Qualifying for Sunday’s race starts at 5:45 p.m. ET of FS1.
See the full results from Friday's Sprint Cup practice session.
