NASCAR Cup Series

Sprint Cup Practice 1 results from Martinsville Speedway

Published Nov. 15, 2016 3:18 p.m. ET

Tom Jensen

Kyle Larson found the fast way around tiny Martinsville Speedway, setting the fast time during Friday’s lone round of practice for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500.

Larson wheeled his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet to a best lap of 98.170 miles per hour in the 85-minute session.

Second fast was five-time Martinsville winner Denny Hamlin, who ran 98.058 mph in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Third was Joey Logano’s Team Penske Ford, followed by the Chevrolets of Chase Elliott and Danica Patrick.

Sunday’s race is the first in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Round of 8. If a Chase driver wins the Goody’s Fast Relief 500, he will be automatically locked into the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where in three weeks, four drivers will race head’s up for the title.

That guaranteed spot puts a huge premium on winning here.

“It’s been a long year and to be able to punch your ticket early, charge the batteries, just focus solely on Homestead moving forward I would think for most teams that would be a pretty good advantage for them,” said six-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson.

“Winning here at Martinsville might be the biggest win of the year,” said Logano, who like Johnson is one of the remaining championship hopefuls. “It might be what wins you a championship if you think about it.

“Being in this Round of 8 if you win, you’re obviously going to Homestead,” said Logano. “You know you’re not finishing worse than fourth in points and it gives you the ability to think about nothing but Homestead for two weeks while other teams have to think about the next two races to get themselves in.”

Qualifying for Sunday’s race is scheduled for 4:40 p.m. ET today.

Check out the full Practice 1 results below.