The sole NASCAR Cup Series practice session during championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway wrapped up Friday night, with Chase Briscoe leading the timesheets after posting a lap of 32.680 seconds (165.238 mph). He edged out Austin Cindric by 0.073 seconds, while championship contenders Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell settled in third and fourth positions, respectively. Ryan Blaney completed the top five.
Kyle Larson, who currently leads the championship, ranked tenth in single-lap speed but had multiple brushes with the wall as he ran the upper groove on the 1.5-mile track, resulting in minor right-side damage to his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Others, including Joey Logano, also flirted with the wall during the session.
Cindric topped the charts in five-lap average speeds, while his Penske teammate Blaney dominated longer runs spanning 10 to 30 laps. Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, and Ty Gibbs showed consistent pace over extended runs, and among the three title hopefuls, Bell appeared best during longer stints.
Reflecting on his practice, Larson admitted, “That’s probably pretty excessive,” regarding his wall contact. He explained feeling uneasy early on and not having enough grip to attack the wall properly. Larson plans to analyze his performance and lean on teammate feedback to improve, though he acknowledged the session did not go well.
Towards the session’s end, Tyler Reddick was involved in a rare pit road mishap while simulating a pit stop. He collided with the back of a slowing Zane Smith near the pit entry, causing his No. 45 car’s nose to be damaged. Team co-owner Michael Jordan watched on with visible disappointment, and Reddick expressed his frustration after exiting the vehicle.
Reddick elaborated on the incident, attributing it to both drivers approaching pit road at high speed and the congestion near the garage entrance: “Me and Zane were both coming pit road hot, kind of almost at the point of no return. He checked up, and cars were turning into the garage—it’s just unfortunate.” The garage opening lies adjacent to the pit road entrance, separated by a pit wall gap.
Fan Take: This practice session showcased how intense championship weekend is, with contenders pushing limits and facing challenges even before race day. Reddick’s pit road accident reminds us how fine the line is between speed and control in NASCAR, and these moments can decisively impact the battle for the title, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
Source: www.motorsport.com
