Jimmie Johnson tops first practice session at Pocono Raceway
LONG POND, Pa. – Jimmie Johnson led Friday’s lone Sprint Cup Series practice session at Pocono Raceway in preparation for Sunday’s Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver turned a fast lap of 168.944 mph around the 2.5-mile oval. Denny Hamlin was second at 168.602 mph in his Joe Gibbs Racing entry.
Hamlin spun in Turn 4 but didn’t damage his car. Regan Smith (Furniture Row Racing) and PJ Jones (Robby Gordon Motorsports) brushed the wall. Smith’s car was not damaged, but Jones will move to a backup for qualifying.
Rounding out the top 10 in the 90-minute session were Ryan Newman (Stewart-Haas Racing), Kyle Busch (JGR), Tony Stewart (Stewart-Haas), AJ Allmendinger (Richard Petty Motorsports), Jeff Gordon (Hendrick), Juan Pablo Montoya (Earnhardt Ganassi Racing), Clint Bowyer (Richard Childress Racing) and Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing).
Points leader Kevin Harvick (RCR) ended the session 11th and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick) was 28th.
Qualifying for the race will take place at 3:40 p.m. today, and practice will resume on Saturday with two sessions (9-9:50 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.).
