Practice report
NASCAR Cup Daytona 500
Daytona 500: Hamlin, Toyotas dominate Friday practice
Denny Hamlin ended up fastest in Friday’s NASCAR Cup practice session at Daytona International Speedway – which could be the final warmup prior to the Daytona 500.
Jim Utter
Edited: Feb 17, 2024, 12:29 AM
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With rain expected all day Saturday, Friday’s 50-minute session was likely the only opportunity for teams to get on track prior to Sunday’s 500, which could also see a weather delay until Monday.
Toyotas, which won both of Thursday night’s 150-mile qualifying races, dominated Friday’s practice with Hamlin topping the speed chart at 197.476 mph.
He was followed by Erik Jones (197.468 mph) and Christopher Bell (197.429 mph) as Toyotas claimed the top eight speeds.
Ty Gibbs was fourth quick and John Hunter Nemechek rounded out the top five.
Completing the top 10 in average single car lap speeds were Tyler Reddick, Jimmie Johnson, Bubba Wallace, Michael McDowell and Austin Cindric.
McDowell was the top Ford driver while Austin Dillon had the fastest Chevrolet and was 15th quick.
RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher did not participate in Friday’s practice as he returned to North Carolina to be with his wife, Emma, who was expecting the couple’s second child.
David Ragan, who is driving a third entry for RFK, ran some laps in Buescher’s No. 17 Ford in addition to his own No. 60 Ford. Buescher is expected to be back at the track on Sunday morning.
Anthony Alfredo, who is driving the No. 62 for Beard Motorsports, was the only car not to take a lap in practice.
Among those drivers who ran at least 10 consecutive laps, Ryan Blaney had the fastest average lap speed (192.030 mph) followed by Cindric and Harrison Burton.
Cla Driver # Manufacturer Laps Time Interval Mph 1 
D. HAMLINJoe Gibbs Racing 11 Toyota 22
45.575
197.477 2 E. JONESLegacy Motor Club 43 Toyota 19
+0.002
45.577
0.002 197.468 3 C. BELLJoe Gibbs Racing 20 Toyota 17
+0.011
45.586
0.009 197.429 4
T. GIBBSJoe Gibbs Racing
54 Toyota 20
+0.019
45.594
0.008 197.394 5 J. NEMECHEKLegacy Motor Club 42 Toyota 18
+0.023
45.598
0.004 197.377 6 T. REDDICK23XI Racing 45 Toyota 18
+0.026
45.601
0.003 197.364 7 J. JOHNSONLegacy Motor Club 84 Toyota 18
+0.045
45.620
0.019 197.282 8 B. WALLACE23XI Racing 23 Toyota 19
+0.081
45.656
0.036 197.126 9 M. MCDOWELLFront Row Motorsports 34 Ford 17
+0.681
46.256
0.600 194.569 10 A. CINDRICTeam Penske 2 Ford 19
+0.692
46.267
0.011 194.523 11 T. GILLILANDFront Row Motorsports 38 Ford 16
+0.699
46.274
0.007 194.494 12 H. BURTONWood Brothers Racing 21 Ford 18
+0.708
46.283
0.009 194.456 13 R. BLANEYTeam Penske 12 Ford 22
+0.732
46.307
0.024 194.355 14 J. LOGANOTeam Penske 22 Ford 31
+0.800
46.375
0.068 194.070 15 A. DILLONRichard Childress Racing 3 Chevrolet 21
+0.836
46.411
0.036 193.920 16 K. BUSCHRichard Childress Racing 8 Chevrolet 30
+1.132
46.707
0.296 192.691 17 W. BYRONHendrick Motorsports 24 Chevrolet 25
+1.153
46.728
0.021 192.604 18 C. ELLIOTTHendrick Motorsports 9 Chevrolet 25
+1.158
46.733
0.005 192.583 19 K. LARSONHendrick Motorsports 5 Chevrolet 27
+1.171
46.746
0.013 192.530 20 R. STENHOUSE JRJTG Daugherty Racing 47 Chevrolet 16
+1.178
46.753
0.007 192.501 21 J. HALEYRick Ware Racing 51 Ford 15
+1.196
46.771
0.018 192.427 22 C. BRISCOEStewart-Haas Racing 14 Ford 26
+1.212
46.787
0.016 192.361 23 A. BOWMANHendrick Motorsports 48 Chevrolet 27
+1.213
46.788
0.001 192.357 24 J. BERRYStewart-Haas Racing 4 Ford 21
+1.243
46.818
0.030 192.234 25 N. GRAGSONStewart-Haas Racing 10 Ford 16
+1.250
46.825
0.007 192.205 26 D. RAGANRFK Racing 60 Ford 21
+1.251
46.826
0.001 192.201 27 B. KESELOWSKIRFK Racing 6 Ford 22
+1.256
46.831
0.005 192.180 28 R. HERBSTRick Ware Racing 15 Ford 18
+1.801
47.376
0.545 189.970 29
Z. SMITHSpire Motorsports
71 Chevrolet 11
+2.366
47.941
0.565 187.731 30 A. ALLMENDINGERKaulig Racing 16 Chevrolet 11
+2.384
47.959
0.018 187.660 31 C. LAJOIESpire Motorsports 7 Chevrolet 5
+2.932
48.507
0.548 185.540 32 D. HEMRICKaulig Racing 31 Chevrolet 19
+2.953
48.528
0.021 185.460 33
C. HOCEVARSpire Motorsports
77 Chevrolet 9
+3.141
48.716
0.188 184.744 34 R. CHASTAINTrackHouse Racing 1 Chevrolet 14
+3.495
49.070
0.354 183.411 35 
D. SUAREZTrackHouse Racing 99 Chevrolet 20
+3.759
49.334
0.264 182.430 36 R. PREECEStewart-Haas Racing 41 Ford 4
+3.814
49.389
0.055 182.227 37 K. GRALAFront Row Motorsports 36 Ford 3
+3.852
49.427
0.038 182.087 38 M. TRUEX JRJoe Gibbs Racing 19 Toyota 4
+4.092
49.667
0.240 181.207
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