NXS: Austin Dillon Leads O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 First Practice at Texas Motor Speedway

When Austin Dillon has ran the intermediate tracks this year in the NASCAR XFINIY Series, he’s been quick. That stayed true on Thursday evening as he led the first practice for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. Dillon topped the charts with a lap of 29.527 seconds behind the wheel of his No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet. Dillon won a race earlier this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but fell out of the event at Fontana due to an engine failure.

Sam Hornish Jr. was second quickest as he makes his third XFINITY start of the season. He finished 15th at Atlanta, before also suffering an engine failure at Fontana. Elliott Sadler was third, followed by Ty Dillon and Erik Jones. Dillon enters the weekend with the points lead.

Denny Hamlin was sixth quickest, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brian Scott, Chase Elliott and Regan Smith.