James Davison will make just his third NASCAR XFINITY Series start on Sunday at Road America. He’s proven to be a quick learner, as he posted the fastest time in final practice Saturday afternoon.
The Australian driver clocked a best lap of 108.691 mph in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota. Davison finished fourth in a Gibbs car at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course just two weeks ago. He also has three Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 16th in 2014.
Justin Marks, who led the opening round practice, was fast again in the second session. His lap of 108.614 mph was good enough for second on the charts. Marks, who won at Mid Ohio last year, is making just his second start of 2017 Sunday in the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet.
As he did in the first round, Austin Cindric posted the third-fastest time once again in happy hour. The 18-year-old is making his XFINITY debut in the Team Penske No. 22 Ford. Cole Custer and Brennan Poole rounded out the top five in final practice.
A handful of drivers spent time off course Saturday afternoon. Custer, Poole, and Dexter Bean all left the pavement at one point or another. Then the session was ended three minutes early to retrieve Nicolas Hammann’s car from the the Turn 3 sand trap. Additionally, Spencer Gallagher coasted to a halt on track when his Chevrolet ran out of fuel.
William Byron ran 12 laps, the most of the 40 drivers who posted a time. No drivers made a run of 10 consecutive laps.
Sunday’s Johnsonville 180 will air live on NBC at 3 pm ET with qualifying getting underway at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Click here for final practice results from Road America
About the author
Frank Velat has been an avid follower of NASCAR and other motorsports for over 20 years. He brings a blend of passionate fan and objective author to his work. Frank offers unique perspectives that everyone can relate to, remembering the sport's past all the while embracing its future. Follow along with @FrankVelat on Twitter.
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