In the final chance to tune their cars before battling it out for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship, all 40 drivers drivers filed onto the track for the combined session. Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, and William Byron are set to battle for the Cup title.
In the early running, it seemed like deja vu from last year as Blaney tried to pass Ross Chastain. Those two drivers famously locked horns in an intense battle for the lead last year with Chastain ultimately taking the win and Blaney taking the title.
However, it didn’t take long for trouble as seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson spun at the exit of Turn 2. Thankfully, all drivers avoided him, but it was a close call for Martin Truex Jr., who is running a throwback scheme celebrating his early years in the sport as he prepares to retire from full-time racing.
Truex also topped the charts for a bit until Blaney rocketed to P1 with a 27.174s lap. His closest title rival was Byron fourth. Logano was ninth and Reddick lagged behind them all in 21st.
Blaney also led the way over the course of a run with the fastest five-lap, ten-lap, and 15-lap averages.
In the final moments of practice, there was a sketchy moment as Byron tried to do a mock pit entry. He rapidly closed in on Christopher Bell and two nearly made contact with Byron taking evasive maneuvers at the last second.
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