Mark Martin sets pace in final Cup practice at Auto Club Speedway
FONTANA, Calif. – Mark Martin wrapped up Saturday’s practice sessions for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the fastest lap at Auto Club Speedway as teams put the final touches on their cars heading into Sunday’s race.
Martin, second-fastest in the day’s earlier session, posted a fast lap of 181.726 mph during the 65-minute shakedown in his Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet.
Fellow Chevrolet driver Clint Bowyer (Richard Childress Racing) was No. 2 on the board at 180.895 mph.
Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports), Jamie McMurray (Earnhardt Ganassi Racing) and Jeff Gordon (Hendrick) completed the top five.
McMurray, coming off a win in last week’s Daytona 500, captured the pole a day earlier for Sunday’s Auto Club 500.
Rounding out the top 10 were the cars of Jeff Burton, Brian Vickers, Juan Pablo Montoya, Denny Hamlin and Scott Speed.
The Auto Club 500, the second stop for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series, is scheduled for a 3 p.m EST start.
