Practice report

NASCAR Cup Michigan

Austin Dillon leads final practice

With a brand new car from the Richard Childress Racing stable, Austin Dillon posted the top time (37.056-seconds) in Happy Hour at Michigan International Speedway.

Lee Spencer

Edited: Jun 11, 2016, 5:32 PM

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Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske Ford

Martin Truex Jr., Furniture Row Racing Toyota

Dillon ran 21 laps with a top speed of 194.301mph as temperatures reached 87-degrees at the two-mile track.

“Thanks guys, really good job, it looks stupid fast,” spotter Andy Houston reported to the team — which was being led by committee with team engineer Seth Chavka and Greg Osbourne calling the shots.

Crew chief Slugger Labbe remained in North Carolina to attend his daughter’s high school graduation but will join the No. 3 team Saturday afternoon. That didn’t seem to slow Dillon.

“We have a real fast hot rod here,” Dillon said. “I can’t wait for tomorrow. We quit practice early. We feel our car is handling really well. There’s nothing left to do at this point…The engineers did a good job filling in for Slugger. He’ll be back tomorrow to call the race.”

CLICK HERE for complete practice results

Brad Keselowski was second quick with a speed of 194.013 mph, followed by Jimmie Johnson (193.851 mph), Trevor Bayne (193.778 mph), Kurt Busch (193.741 mph) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (193.496 mph).
“There at the end it was pretty good,” said Earnhardt who adjusted the track bar to alleviate the tight feeling in the No. 88 Chevy. “I think I’m turning better the longer I run.”

Martin Truex Jr. (193.444 mph), Kyle Larson (193.308 mph), Joey Logano 193.304 mph and AJ Allmendinger (193.304 mph) rounded out the top 10 in single lap speeds.

Twenty-four competitors posted Best 10 Consecutive Lap Averages with Truex leading the charge (191.991 mph). Keselowski was second (191.968 mph), followed by rookie Ryan Blaney (191.746 mph), Carl Edwards (191.626 mph), Johnson (191.610 mph) and Earnhardt (191.478 mph).

Larson, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and polesitter Joey Logano rounded out the top 10 in the category.

Rookie Chase Elliott’s 47 laps were the most completed during the final practice for Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400.

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