Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Practice Report - Daytona 500

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series hit the high banks at Daytona for the first time in 2018 on Saturday. Two practices highlighted "the first day of school" for NASCAR and an unusual predicament faces drivers this speedweek. The cars will be impounded following tomorrows qualifying session until Thursday's Can-Am Duel.

The two drivers who were fastest in first and final practices were drivers that stood out at Homestead just three months ago. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship runner-up Kyle Busch was fastest in first practice while 2017 XFINITY Series champion William Byron was fastest in final practice.

After the first practice, NASCAR sent out a memo to teams to change gears on the cars to slow them down a bit. It was a mandatory change but some drivers, including Kyle Busch, already made the change in first practice.

In second practice things got real racy as drivers formed a pack in the final minutes of the session. Things were getting real sketchy but everyone survived with their Daytona 500 car in-tact.

As noted above, the cars will be impounded following qualifying meaning these cars will not see the track until Thursday Night for the Can-Am Duels. This is unusual as the last few seasons have featured mid-week practices on Wednesday and Thursday before the duels.

First Practice Results

  1. Kyle Busch
  2. Denny Hamlin
  3. Daniel Suarez
  4. Erik Jones
  5. Austin Dillon
  6. Jamie McMurray
  7. Ty Dillon
  8. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 
  9. Alex Bowman
  10. Kyle Larson
  11. Jimmie Johnson
  12. Brad Keselowski
  13. Martin Truex Jr.
  14. William Byron
  15. Paul Menard
  16. Chase Elliott
  17. Ryan Newman
  18. Aric Almirola
  19. Ryan Blaney
  20. Kevin Harvick
  21. Trevor Bayne
  22. Clint Bowyer
  23. Joey Logano
  24. Kurt Busch
  25. Kasey Kahne
  26. Michael McDowell
  27. Darrell Wallace Jr. 
  28. Brendan Gaughan
  29. David Ragan
  30. David Gilliland
  31. Danica Patrick
  32. A.J. Allmendinger
  33. D.J. Kennington
  34. Chris Buescher
  35. Matt DiBenedetto
  36. Justin Marks
  37. Jeffrey Earnhardt
  38. Mark Thompson
  39. Corey Lajoie

Final Practice Results

  1. William Byron
  2. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  3. Joey Logano
  4. Denny Hamlin
  5. David Ragan
  6. Paul Menard
  7. Trevor Bayne
  8. Daniel Suarez
  9. Ryan Blaney
  10. Michael McDowell
  11. Brad Keselowski
  12. Aric Almirola
  13. Kevin Harvick
  14. Clint Bowyer
  15. Justin Marks
  16. Danica Patrick
  17. Ty Dillon
  18. Matt DiBenedetto
  19. Brendan Gaughan
  20. D.J. Kennington 
  21. Jeffrey Earnhardt
  22. Darrell Wallace Jr.
  23. Kasey Kahne
  24. Chase Elliott
  25. Alex Bowman
  26. Kurt Busch
  27. Austin Dillon
  28. Ryan Newman
  29. Jimmie Johnson
  30. Kyle Busch
  31. Kyle Larson
  32. Erik Jones
  33. Jamie McMurray
  34. Martin Truex Jr. 
  35. Chris Buescher
  36. A.J. Allmendinger
  37. David Gilliland
  38. Corey Lajoie
  39. Mark Thompson
  40. Gray Gaulding
Photo Credit - Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images/NASCAR

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