By Rod Mullins
Augusta Free Press
BRISTOL, Tenn. Erik Jones outpaced fellow Toyota driver Kyle Busch with a lap of 127.843 mph as he led the rain delayed opening practice on Friday afternoon for Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 race.
Jones wheeled his No. 77 Furniture Row Toyota around the high banks of Bristol for the best lap among other drivers. Jones is in his first year competing for Rookie of the Year honors as presented by Sunoco. The rookie will start 14th on Sunday for the 25th Anniversary running of the Food City 500.
Toyota would lead the top spots in practice with Kyle Busch logging the second best time of the afternoon session with a lap around Bristol high banks of 127.090 mph. Ryan Blaney in the Wood Brothers Ford, placed third with Jones’ teammate, Martin Truex, Jr. placing fourth and Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Matt Kenseth rounding out the top five drivers from the afternoon practice session.
The practice session was not free of incident though. Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott brought out the only caution period in the session as he lost control of his No. 24 Little Caesar’s Pizza/Mountain Dew/NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet in Turn 4 after a long slide on the BMS front straightaway. Making a great save, Elliott managed to avoid contact with the wall and keeping his primary car intact for the weekend.
Elliott was 11th on the practice speed charts with a speed of 126.370 mph. His Hendrick teammate, Kasey Kahne skinned the right side of his No. 5 Chevrolet late in the session against the outside retaining wall and finished practice in 13th with a speed of 126.121 mph.
One other driver, Joey Logano, also brushed the outside retaining wall in his Team Penske No. 22 Autotrader Ford. Logano finished practice in ninth with a speed of 126.445 mph.
Drivers will have one final chance to tune their cars on Saturday prior to NASCAR XFinity Race, weather permitting. The green flag falls on the 25th Anniversary Food City 500 on Sunday afternoon beginning at 2:00 PM from Bristol Motor Speedway.
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