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Title contender Ryan Blaney dominates NASCAR Cup practice at Phoenix

In the final chance to tune their cars before battling it out for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship, all 40 drivers drivers filed onto the track for the combined session. Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, and William Byron are set to battle for the Cup title.

In the early running, it seemed like deja vu from last year as Blaney tried to pass Ross Chastain. Those two drivers famously locked horns in an intense battle for the lead last year with Chastain ultimately taking the win and Blaney taking the title.

However, it didn't take long for trouble as seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson spun at the exit of Turn 2. Thankfully, all drivers avoided him, but it was a close call for Martin Truex Jr., who is running a throwback scheme celebrating his early years in the sport as he prepares to retire from full-time racing.

Truex also topped the charts for a bit until Blaney rocketed to P1 with a 27.174s lap. His closest title rival was Byron fourth. Logano was ninth and Reddick lagged behind them all in 21st.

Blaney also led the way over the course of a run with the fastest five-lap, ten-lap, and 15-lap averages.

In the final moments of practice, there was a sketchy moment as Byron tried to do a mock pit entry. He rapidly closed in on Christopher Bell and two nearly made contact with Byron taking evasive maneuvers at the last second.

Cla Driver # Manufacturer Laps Time Interval Mph
1 R. BlaneyTeam Penske 12 Ford 46

27.174

  132.480
2 M. Truex JrJoe Gibbs Racing 19 Toyota 64

+0.032

27.206

0.032 132.324
3 K. LarsonHendrick Motorsports 5 Chevrolet 50

+0.059

27.233

0.027 132.193
4 W. ByronHendrick Motorsports 24 Chevrolet 50

+0.098

27.272

0.039 132.004
5 A. CindricTeam Penske 2 Ford 68

+0.101

27.275

0.003 131.989
6 C. LajoieRick Ware Racing 51 Ford 26

+0.128

27.302

0.027 131.858
7
T. GibbsJoe Gibbs Racing
54 Toyota 42

+0.130

27.304

0.002 131.849
8 D. HamlinJoe Gibbs Racing 11 Toyota 67

+0.142

27.316

0.012 131.791
9 J. LoganoTeam Penske 22 Ford 61

+0.149

27.323

0.007 131.757
10 C. BriscoeStewart-Haas Racing 14 Ford 53

+0.153

27.327

0.004 131.738
11 B. Wallace23XI Racing 23 Toyota 65

+0.165

27.339

0.012 131.680
12 H. BurtonWood Brothers Racing 21 Ford 61

+0.174

27.348

0.009 131.637
13 A. BowmanHendrick Motorsports 48 Chevrolet 48

+0.187

27.361

0.013 131.574
14
Z. SmithSpire Motorsports
71 Chevrolet 50

+0.189

27.363

0.002 131.565
15 C. BellJoe Gibbs Racing 20 Toyota 50

+0.255

27.429

0.066 131.248
16 C. ElliottHendrick Motorsports 9 Chevrolet 58

+0.265

27.439

0.010 131.200
17
C. HocevarSpire Motorsports
77 Chevrolet 55

+0.275

27.449

0.010 131.152
18 E. JonesLegacy Motor Club 43 Toyota 39

+0.278

27.452

0.003 131.138
19 D. SuarezTrackHouse Racing 99 Chevrolet 55

+0.337

27.511

0.059 130.857
20 B. KeselowskiRFK Racing 6 Ford 39

+0.338

27.512

0.001 130.852
21 T. Reddick23XI Racing 45 Toyota 52

+0.350

27.524

0.012 130.795
22 J. BerryStewart-Haas Racing 4 Ford 48

+0.351

27.525

0.001 130.790
23 K. BuschRichard Childress Racing 8 Chevrolet 45

+0.358

27.532

0.007 130.757
24 C. BuescherRFK Racing 17 Ford 51

+0.359

27.533

0.001 130.752
25 M. McDowellFront Row Motorsports 34 Ford 38

+0.361

27.535

0.002 130.743
26 J. HaleySpire Motorsports 7 Chevrolet 45

+0.379

27.553

0.018 130.657
27 R. Stenhouse JrJTG Daugherty Racing 47 Chevrolet 45

+0.407

27.581

0.028 130.525
28 N. GragsonStewart-Haas Racing 10 Ford 40

+0.408

27.582

0.001 130.520
29 R. ChastainTrackHouse Racing 1 Chevrolet 44

+0.413

27.587

0.005 130.496
30 T. GillilandFront Row Motorsports 38 Ford 42

+0.414

27.588

0.001 130.492
31 D. HemricKaulig Racing 31 Chevrolet 34

+0.476

27.650

0.062 130.199
32 R. PreeceStewart-Haas Racing 41 Ford 65

+0.491

27.665

0.015 130.128
33 A. DillonRichard Childress Racing 3 Chevrolet 36

+0.499

27.673

0.008 130.091
34 J. NemechekLegacy Motor Club 42 Toyota 39

+0.585

27.759

0.086 129.688
35 J. JohnsonLegacy Motor Club 84 Toyota 36

+0.734

27.908

0.149 128.995
36 D. KrausKaulig Racing 16 Chevrolet 38

+0.789

27.963

0.055 128.742
37 K. GralaRick Ware Racing 15 Ford 39

+0.915

28.089

0.126 128.164
38 J. YeleyNY Racing Team 44 Chevrolet 26

+1.313

28.487

0.398 126.373
39 C. FinchumPower Source 66 Ford 29

+1.401

28.575

0.088 125.984
40 J. BurtonTeam AmeriVet 50 Chevrolet 16

+2.917

30.091

1.516 119.637
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