Mark Green fastest in first Nationwide practice at Memphis
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Mark Green, driving for the part-time ML Motorsports team, led the first NASCAR Nationwide Series practice Friday at Memphis Motorsports Park.
Green turned a lap of 116.944 mph in the No. 70 Chevrolet, edging Rusty Wallace Racing’s David Stremme, who went 116.929. Cale Gale was third at 116.475 in Kevin Harvick Inc.’s Chevrolet.
Landon Cassill (JR Motorsports) was fourth, with Bobby Hamilton Jr. (Team Rensi Motorsports) fifth.
Sixth through 10th was Jason Leffler (Braun Racing), Scott Wimmer (Richard Childress Racing), Steve Wallace (RWR), Josh Wise (driving Michael Waltrip Racing’s Toyota for David Reutimann) and Mike Bliss (Phoenix Racing).
The others filling in for drivers at the Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway were Robert Pressley (in JTG Daugherty’s Ford for Marcos Ambrose) 13th, Auggie Vidovich (in Roush Fenway Racing’s Ford for David Ragan) 14th, Bobby East (for Roush Fenway’s Carl Edwards) 19th, Casey Atwood (in Joe Gibbs Racing’s Toyota) 20th and Stephen Leicht (in RCR’s Chevrolet) 28th.
The session was extended 15 minutes because of numerous stoppages, including one for weepers coming out of the track. The Memphis area had rain all day Thursday, and there were some areas on the track that needed drying when water seeped up through the surface.
The practice was stopped six times for spins and other problems, mirroring last year’s race that saw a record 25 cautions in 250 laps. None of the problems were severe enough to warrant any teams bringing out backup cars.
Two entries, for Robert Richardson Jr. and Mike Harmon, withdrew from the race, leaving 49 teams entered.
The Nationwide Series has one more practice Friday, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EDT. Qualifying is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. Saturday, with the 250-lap race set for shortly after 3:30 p.m.
