Ryan Preece secured the fastest lap during the final NASCAR Cup Series practice, known as Happy Hour, held on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. Driving the No. 60 RKF Racing Ford, Preece recorded a top speed of 192.818 mph in the 50-minute session concluding at 3:50 p.m. ET, outpacing 17 other competitors as they prepared for Sunday’s Daytona 500. This performance came as part of the final efforts before the 68th edition of the Great American Race, which has been moved up to a 1:30 p.m. start due to weather forecasts.
Top Contenders in Practice Reveal Team Strength
Following closely behind Preece was his RFK Racing teammate Chris Buescher, who reached 192.785 mph in the No. 17 Ford, running on a backup car after his primary vehicle was damaged in Thursday’s Duel race. Brad Keselowski, driver and owner at RFK, took the No. 6 Ford to the fifth-fastest lap, while Team Penske drivers Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano secured spots among the five fastest, highlighting the competitive presence of Ford teams in the session. Throughout the practice, drafting strategies were actively employed as no cautions interrupted the flow due to accidents.
Ryan Preece Discusses Efforts to Improve Performance
Starting 19th on the Daytona 500 grid, Preece completed 27 laps during the session, focusing on fine-tuning his Ford Mustang’s speed. He acknowledged the team’s preparations based on data collected earlier in the week.
“We’re going to do everything we possibly can, for sure, to make this Ford Mustang faster,”
Ryan Preece said. “We were really fast on Thursday, so we have notes to work from. I know these guys will do everything they can to make sure we’re fast on Sunday.”
He also noted the conditions during the practice and the work ahead:
“We have a little bit of work to do. It’s hot out here now, but the Fords are fast and we’re going to try and be one of them out front tomorrow.”
Chris Buescher Confident Despite Switching to Backup Car
Buescher adapted quickly to running his backup vehicle after wrecking his primary car in the Duel race, taking part in practice sessions on both Friday and Saturday in the No. 17 Ford. His positive outlook reflected the team’s resilience and strong preparation.
“I have a tremendous amount of confidence in this team and they’ve buckled down and hustled to clean this backup and we’re rocking and rolling,”
Buescher remarked. “It’s nice to take these Ford Mustangs and put them in a line and be able to put some speed up on the board.”
Looking ahead to the main event, he added:
“We know what we were able to in the Duels, and I think we’ve got a good handle on it. We’ve got plenty of laps, so I’m ready for the 500 now.”
Joey Logano Focuses on Hard Work for Another Victory
Joey Logano, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion, recorded a fast lap of 192.472 mph after completing the session’s most laps at 32. Unlike some teams that limited on-track time, Logano embraced the chance to maximize practice in the build-up to the race.
He dismissed older approaches of minimizing practice time:
“That’s the old way of doing it, so I’m excited about that. I’d hate to get beat by somebody working harder than me.”
Front Row Qualifiers Opt Out of Final Practice
Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe secured the front row positions during Wednesday’s qualifying session with the fastest laps among 45 entrants. Busch, in the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, will start from pole, followed by Briscoe in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Both drivers chose not to participate in Saturday’s final practice, having already tested their setups during Friday’s session.
The pre-race broadcast on FOX-TV begins at 11:30 a.m., ahead of the green flag at 2:13 p.m. Fans can watch the entire 200-lap, 500-mile race unfold, featuring the high-speed, multi-row pack racing that defines the Daytona 500, with coverage available through FOX, MRN Radio, and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
Practice Session Highlights Potential Race Impact
The strong showing by Ryan Preece and other Ford drivers demonstrates their potential to be frontrunners in Sunday’s Daytona 500, especially given the smooth, incident-free practice session that allowed teams to optimize drafting techniques. Buescher’s smooth transition to a backup car and Logano’s commitment to thorough preparation add layers of competitiveness to the field. With the starting time moved up due to weather, teams will have less time to adjust, making the insights gained during this final practice even more crucial for race strategy and success.
