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For the first time in the 2014 season, the Camping World Truck Series hit the highbanks of the Daytona International Speedway for practice. At the end of the first session, it was a rookie topping the charts.
Ben Kennedy put his No. 31 Florida Lottery – Whelen Chevrolet Silverado on the top of the speed charts with a lap of 46.676 seconds. Kennedy will be running the full 2014 schedule for Turner-Scott Motorsports as he steps into the truck previously piloted by James Buescher. Kennedy ran the K&N Pro East Series last year, having a solid season.
Ron Hornaday Jr. was second quickest as he once again teams up with TSM. He ran for the team in last year’s season finale at Homestead-Miami. The plan for Hornaday in 2014 is a part-time truck series schedule with TSM.
“I’m ecstatic to be down here,” Hornaday commented. “It’s going to have fun simply being down here driving.”
Defending series champion Matt Crafton was third, followed by Joey Coulter and John Wes Townley.
Johnny Sauter was sixth, followed by Ryan Sieg, Joe Nemechek, Parker Kligerman and Jeb Burton.
For Michel Disdier, the practice didn’t go as planned as he blew a motor early in practice. Brennan Newberry also ran into problems as his hood flew up, resulting in damage to the roof of his Silverado. He will be going to a back-up truck.
The Nextra Energy Resources 250 will take place on Friday night as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series opens their 2014 season.
