Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Tops Coca-Cola 600 Practice With 29.069s Lap as Qualifying Is Canceled
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · May 23
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Tops Coca-Cola 600 Practice With 29.069s Lap as Qualifying Is Canceled
5 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · May 23
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. set the fastest lap at 29.069 seconds in Saturday’s only live session after NASCAR scrapped Coca-Cola 600 qualifying and gave teams 45 minutes of practice.
Heavy mist interrupted the run about 15 minutes in with a brief red flag, then lingered through the session as Austin Dillon also triggered a stoppage after a flat left-rear tire.
Carson Hocevar, Michael McDowell, Ryan Blaney and Coke 600 debutant Corey Heim rounded out the top five; Heim later brushed the wall but returned to the pits.
McDowell led the 10-lap averages, ahead of Erik Jones and Austin Cindric, while defending race winner Ross Chastain ranked 17th and Austin Hill was 28th in the No. 33.
The session unfolded in a subdued atmosphere, with drivers and teams reflecting on Kyle Busch as Hill took over his renumbered car and several competitors embraced Dillon before practice.
Can Austin Hill handle the pressure of replacing a legend in NASCAR's longest race?
How will collective grief affect driver aggression during the grueling 600-mile race?