Brad Keselowski tops final Cup practice at Watkins Glen

Keselowski posted a lap of 125.880mph (70.067-seconds) after four runs of 16 total laps.

Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray, Chase Elliott, Michael McDowell and Kyle Busch rounded out the top 10 single-lap speeds.

After 25 cars posted first laps, Jamie McMurray held the top speed of 125.233mph. Keselowski was second (125.055mph) followed by Kurt Busch (124.511mph), Denny Hamlin (124.185mph) and Chase Elliott (124.035mph). AJ Allmendinger, Kahne, Kenseth, Harvick and Bowyer rounded out the top 10.

Just after five minutes, Truex popped up to third (124.641mph). Moments later, Boris Said destroyed the nose on the No. 33 Chevy in the bus stop and forced the red flag. Maintenance trucks cleared the grass and dirt from the circuit in the inner loop. Before cars could return to the track, a light sprinkle blew over the track.

The Nos. 13, 31, 48 and 72 were released from a 15-minute practice hold for failing qualifying/pre-race practice inspection twice at Pocono.

One minute later, the shower passed through and 25 cars returned to the track. McMurray was still fastest in single-lap speed. Just before the 22-minute mark, Keselowksi moved to the top (125.880mph) on his third lap. Kurt Busch took over P2 (125.862mph). McMurray, Truex, Bowyer, Hamlin,

“It felt slower, like I was tighter on each apex,” Kurt Busch said. His crew chief Tony Gibson replied, “That was a .70-flat. Your best lap.”

NASCAR released Kyle Larson from time out at the 30-minute mark. Larson executed a burn out on pit road following lug nut inspection at Pocono. Danica Patrick, Kyle Busch, Chris Buescher and Erik Jones were also released from 30-minute holds due to failing inspection three times at Pocono.

Keselowski remained atop the leader board followed by Kurt Busch, McMurray, Truex, Stenhouse (124.464mph), Bowyer, Hamlin, Harvick, Elliott and Allmendinger. Six minutes later, Kyle Busch jumped up to fifth with a lap of 124.504mph. At the 40-minute mark, Busch moved to fourth on his eight lap — 124.906mph.

Ryan Blaney climbed up to seventh with just over 10 minutes remaining. Blaney’s eighth lap was 124.786mph. Daniel Suarez was bumped to 11th followed by Jones, Elliott, Allmendinger, Kahne, Kenseth, Logano, Buescher, Larson and Ty Dillon.

With seven minutes to go, Hamlin (125.281mph) bounced up to third in qualifying trim followed by Larson (125.268mph), McMurray, McDowell, Kyle Busch, Harvick and Blaney.

Cla	#	Driver	Manufacturer	Laps	Time	Gap	Interval	Mph
1	2	Brad Keselowski	Ford	16	70.067			125.880
2	41	Kurt Busch	Ford	12	70.077	0.010	0.010	125.862
3	78	Martin Truex Jr.	Toyota	13	70.224	0.157	0.147	125.598
4	14	Clint Bowyer	Ford	12	70.342	0.275	0.118	125.387
5	11	Denny Hamlin	Toyota	15	70.402	0.335	0.060	125.281
6	42	Kyle Larson	Chevrolet	7	70.409	0.342	0.007	125.268
7	1	Jamie McMurray	Chevrolet	16	70.429	0.362	0.020	125.233
8	24	Chase Elliott	Chevrolet	14	70.478	0.411	0.049	125.145
9	95	Michael McDowell	Chevrolet	12	70.515	0.448	0.037	125.080
10	18	Kyle Busch	Toyota	11	70.613	0.546	0.098	124.906
11	4	Kevin Harvick	Ford	9	70.620	0.553	0.007	124.894
12	21	Ryan Blaney	Ford	10	70.681	0.614	0.061	124.786
13	27	Paul Menard	Chevrolet	10	70.863	0.796	0.182	124.466
14	17	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	Ford	11	70.864	0.797	0.001	124.464
15	22	Joey Logano	Ford	15	70.873	0.806	0.009	124.448
16	19	Daniel Suarez	Toyota	14	71.049	0.982	0.176	124.140
17	77	Erik Jones	Toyota	10	71.087	1.020	0.038	124.073
18	47	A.J. Allmendinger	Chevrolet	11	71.112	1.045	0.025	124.030
19	5	Kasey Kahne	Chevrolet	17	71.113	1.046	0.001	124.028
20	20	Matt Kenseth	Toyota	14	71.162	1.095	0.049	123.943
21	37	Chris Buescher	Chevrolet	3	71.227	1.160	0.065	123.829
22	13	Ty Dillon	Chevrolet	11	71.334	1.267	0.107	123.644
23	10	Danica Patrick	Ford	8	71.392	1.325	0.058	123.543
24	6	Trevor Bayne	Ford	12	71.408	1.341	0.016	123.516
25	43	Aric Almirola	Ford	12	71.513	1.446	0.105	123.334
26	48	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet	14	71.638	1.571	0.125	123.119
27	31	Ryan Newman	Chevrolet	8	71.684	1.617	0.046	123.040
28	3	Austin Dillon	Chevrolet	13	71.783	1.716	0.099	122.870
29	72	Cole Whitt	Chevrolet	9	71.835	1.768	0.052	122.781
30	38	David Ragan	Ford	12	72.278	2.211	0.443	122.029
31	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet	9	72.316	2.249	0.038	121.965
32	34	Landon Cassill	Ford	9	72.433	2.366	0.117	121.768
33	32	Matt DiBenedetto	Ford	12	72.531	2.464	0.098	121.603
34	15	Gary Klutt	Chevrolet	12	73.154	3.087	0.623	120.568
35	83	Brett Moffitt	Toyota	10	73.213	3.146	0.059	120.470
36	33	Boris Said	Chevrolet	2	73.660	3.593	0.447	119.739