Larson Fastest in Final Coca-Cola 600 Practice

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer

CONCORD, N.C. – In the final practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 2017 Coca-Cola 600 one of the two drivers who failed to make a qualifying time topped the charts. In addition to that, seven of the Top 10 qualifiers were once again outside the Top 10 on the speed charts when the practice session came to an end.

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates driver Kyle Larson placed his No. 42 Target Chervolet SS on top of the speed charts with a lap of 186.400 mph, 28.970 seconds. Larson starts 39th, after failing to clear pre-qualifying tech, in Sunday’s race. He ran this lap on his first lap on the track in the final practice.

Ryan Blaney, who was fastest in the second practice session, was second fastest in the final session, 0.084 seconds behind Larson. Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, and Sunoco Rookie of the Year (ROTY) contender Erik Jones rounded out the top five.

Pole sitter Kevin Harvick’s Stewart Haas Racing No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Fusion was 20th on the speed charts.

Jamie McMurray, Larson’s teammate, had the best 10-consecutive lap average, averaging 180.914 mph in his No. 1 GearWrench Chevrolet SS.

Seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson ran the most laps in the session with 47 laps completed in his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, while Corey LaJoie ran the fewest laps with just 10 laps completed in his No. 83 Hope For The Warriors Toyota Camry.

Brad Keselowski tagged the outside wall early in the session, ending up with minor damage to the right rear of his No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion.

Derrike Cope, Timmy Hill, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Reed Sorenson, and ROTY contender Gray Gaulding did not participate in the final practice session.

J.J Yeley was the slowest of the 35 drivers, 1.680 seconds slower than Larson’s fastest lap.