Kyle Busch Fastest in Daytona Testing

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - RIS - Two Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas were the fastest in Day 1 of NASCAR Sprint Cup testing at Daytona International Speedway.  Both Busch and teammate Joey Logano ran speeds in excess of 202 mph while drafting in the afternoon session.  Brad Keselowski, A.J. Allmendinger, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. were second through fifth fastest. 

The morning session told a diferent story.  Jeff Gordon was fastest with Paul Menard, Kurt Busch, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Juan Pablo Montoya rounding out the top five.  In the morning session, no drafting was allowed.  Speeds in this session were typically 10 mph slower.

In the afternoon session, NASCAR allowed teams to draft, but only a few did so.  Looking at the speed chart tells the tale of who was drafting and who was not.  The speeds were dramatically faster.

The Sprint Cup teams will resume tomorrow morning at the speedway starting at 9:00 AM.

Only incident of the day involved Michael Waltrip Racing teammates Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin.  Martin got into Bowyer and spun him out.  Bowyer was able to save the car, but had some sheet metal damage.  Notably absent from the test was Chad Knaus, who is on vacation.

Thursday Speed Charts:

NSCS Day 1 AM Practice Session

Daytona Intl Speedway - 2.500

1/12/2012

1 24 Jeff Gordon Chv 46.687 192.773

2 27 Paul Menard Chv 46.785 192.369

3 51 Kurt Busch Chv 46.787 192.361

4 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Frd 46.885 191.959

5 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chv 46.911 191.853

6 48 Jimmie Johnson Chv 46.933 191.763

7 16 Greg Biffle Frd 46.987 191.542

8 10 Danica Patrick Chv 47.004 191.473

9 31 Jeff Burton Chv 47.019 191.412

10 21 Trevor Bayne Frd 47.022 191.400

11 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chv 47.025 191.388

12 14 Tony Stewart Chv 47.032 191.359

13 18 Kyle Busch Tyt 47.037 191.339

14 20 Joey Logano Tyt 47.059 191.249

15 39 Ryan Newman Chv 47.110 191.042

16 11 Denny Hamlin Tyt 47.122 190.994

17 17 Matt Kenseth Frd 47.134 190.945

18 5 Kasey Kahne Chv 47.160 190.840

19 29 Kevin Harvick Chv 47.176 190.775

20 15 Clint Bowyer Tyt 47.199 190.682

21 55 Mark Martin Tyt 47.225 190.577

22 9 Marcos Ambrose Frd 47.238 190.525

23 43 Aric Almirola Frd 47.255 190.456

24 1 Jamie McMurray Chv 47.269 190.400

25 78 Regan Smith Chv 47.374 189.978

26 22 AJ Allmendinger Dge 47.419 189.797

27 99 Carl Edwards Frd 47.435 189.733

28 2 Brad Keselowski Dge 47.504 189.458

29 13 Casey Mears Frd 47.508 189.442

30 56 Martin Truex Jr Tyt 47.633 188.945

31 87 Joe Nemechek Tyt 48.304 186.320

NSCS Day 1 PM Practice Session

Daytona Intl Speedway - 2.500

1/12/2012

1 18 Kyle Busch Tyt 44.466 202.402

2 20 Joey Logano Tyt 44.469 202.388

3 2 Brad Keselowski Dge 44.505 202.224

4 22 AJ Allmendinger Dge 44.506 202.220

5 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chv 44.794 200.920

6 48 Jimmie Johnson Chv 44.795 200.915

7 11 Denny Hamlin Tyt 44.965 200.156

8 5 Kasey Kahne Chv 45.047 199.791

9 55 Mark Martin Tyt 45.782 196.584

10 15 Clint Bowyer Tyt 45.782 196.584

11 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Frd 46.164 194.957

12 24 Jeff Gordon Chv 46.482 193.623

13 27 Paul Menard Chv 46.726 192.612

14 51 Kurt Busch Chv 46.835 192.164

15 14 Tony Stewart Chv 46.887 191.951

16 10 Danica Patrick Chv 46.893 191.926

17 16 Greg Biffle Frd 46.941 191.730

18 31 Jeff Burton Chv 46.945 191.714

19 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chv 46.969 191.616

20 17 Matt Kenseth Frd 46.997 191.502

21 9 Marcos Ambrose Frd 47.007 191.461

22 39 Ryan Newman Chv 47.010 191.449

23 29 Kevin Harvick Chv 47.052 191.278

24 21 Trevor Bayne Frd 47.061 191.241

25 56 Martin Truex Jr Tyt 47.095 191.103

26 1 Jamie McMurray Chv 47.102 191.075

27 78 Regan Smith Chv 47.266 190.412

28 99 Carl Edwards Frd 47.285 190.335

29 43 Aric Almirola Frd 47.296 190.291

30 36 Dave Blaney Chv 47.453 189.661

31 13 Casey Mears Frd 47.671 188.794

32 87 Joe Nemechek Tyt 48.038 187.352