Defending race winner Joey Logano again tops Kentucky Nationwide practice
SPARTA, Ky. – Joe Gibbs Racing’s Joey Logano led both NASCAR Nationwide Series practices Friday at Kentucky Speedway and was the only driver to top 174 mph in the final 75-minute session on the 1.5-mile oval.
Logano, who won the Kentucky race a year ago, turned a lap of 174.842 mph, while Roush Fenway Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. posted a lap of 173.645.
“We spent most of the day fine-tuning it,” said Logano, who missed about 25 minutes of the first practice because he had to fly in from the Sprint Cup event at Michigan International Speedway. “I remember everyone working their tails off here last year, and today was a complete opposite.
“It’s nice to have a day like that when you are flying back and forth from a Cup race to a Nationwide race.”
Third through fifth were CJM Racing’s Scott Lagasse Jr., Michael Waltrip Racing’s Trevor Bayne and Germain Racing’s Michael Annett.
Annett was followed by Roush Fenway’s Carl Edwards, Braun Racing’s Jason Leffler, Phoenix Racing’s Mike Bliss, Rusty Wallace Racing’s Steve Wallace and Roush Fenway’s Erik Darnell.
K Automotive Motorsports' Brian Keselowski crashed and heavily damaged his primary car. Keselowski, who was uninjured, didn't have a backup car, but his team was preparing a backup MacDonald Motorsports' Dodge to be used in the Meijer 300.
Qualifying is scheduled for 5:10 p.m. EDT Saturday with the race set to begin shortly after 8:30 p.m.
