Kurt Busch fastest in final NASCAR practice at Sonoma Raceway

Kurt Busch was the fastest in final practice on Friday for the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Toyota/Save Mart 350, recording a lap time of 76.163 and a speed of 94.061 mph as teams prepared for qualifying today and the race on Sunday.

Busch was around 0.040 of a second faster than Denny Hamlin, who wheeled a lap time of 76.203 at 94.012 mph. Both were two-tenths faster than the third-fastest driver in the session, Martin Truex Jr., and more than fourth-tenths faster than the two drivers behind him, Jamie McMurray and Kevin Harvick.

Tony Stewart Racing teammates dominated the best 10-lap average speeds. Harvick had the best speed at 91.468. Busch had the second-fastest average at 91.452 and Clint Bowyer had the third-best average at 91.443.

The teams will qualify today during a 60-minute elimination session, when drivers will try to earn a spot in a final 10-minute session that will see 12 drivers battle to be ranked in the top 12 spots in the race.

Among the Northern California natives, Kyle Larson was the 14th fastest but experienced a mechanical issue and spilled fluid on the track. There was word from track officials Friday as to what may have gone wrong with his vehicle

A.J. Allmendinger of Los Gatos)recorded the 12th-fastest lap in final practice. Matt DiBenedetto of Grass Valley recorded the 16th-fastest lap.

Teams spent most of the first part of the first practice session working on long race runs before cranking out a qualifying run in the last minutes. Clint Bowyer recorded the fastest lap in that session and was 17th in final practice.