Johnson Runs Qualifying-Trim Exclusively as Fastest In Pocono's First Practice

by Micah Roberts

Jimmie Johnson laid down the fastest lap of 168.944 mph during the first practice session at Pocono in preparation for Friday’s Pennsylvania 500 qualifying session. Johnson ran exclusively in qualifying trim throughout the afternoon while other teams spent the first half of the session tinkering with a race set-up. In June’s Pocono race, Johnson started 25th and finished fifth, but it was an uphill climb all day for the No. 48 making qualifying well this week set at a premium.

Four-time Pocono winner Denny Hamlin was second quickest, followed by Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart. Newman and Stewart are each past winners at Pocono, while Busch had a career best start and finish at Pocono’s June race by starting from the pole and finishing second.

A.J. Allmendinger was sixth fastest on the session followed by Jeff Gordon. Juan Pablo Montoya and Clint Bowyer brought the same chassis’ they used in the June race, and ironically, had their final practice times finish in the same position they finished the June race -- eighth and ninth, respectively.

Greg Biffle closed out the top-10 practice times running only three laps on the day, the least amount of laps run by the non-start and park drivers. The No. 16 teams should be beaming with confidence as they have the same car this week that led 38 laps and finished third last week at the Brickyard.

David Ragan ran the most laps of the session with 21, but could only manage 30th on the charts.      

Pocono - Practice 1 Results