Austin Dillon posted the fastest time during Friday’s Cup Series practice as teams prepared for Sunday’s Daytona 500 at the World Center of Racing. Driving the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Dillon reached a top speed of 195.627 mph during the 50-minute session, showcasing strong performance among Chevrolet drivers.
Chevrolet Dominates Top Speeds in Practice
The Chevrolet cars swept the top 10 fastest times, with Alex Bowman clocking 195.452 mph, followed closely by Justin Allgaier, Chase Elliott, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Shane van Gisbergen, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, and Connor Zilisch completed the Chevrolet-led top ten, emphasizing the manufacturer’s competitive pace heading into the Great American Race.
Performance of Other Manufacturers in Practice
Fords were the next fastest group, highlighted by Josh Berry who finished 11th with a speed of 194.355 mph. Zane Smith, Todd Gilliland, and Brad Keselowski also ranked within the top 15 times, while Christopher Bell led the Toyota drivers in 21st position with a lap of 193.569 mph.
Looking Ahead to Final Practice and Race Day
Teams will have one last practice session on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, offering another opportunity to fine-tune setups before the Daytona 500 race kicks off Sunday afternoon. As the Chevrolets lead the speed charts, anticipation builds around how this strength will translate when the race gets underway.
