Photo Credit: Noel Lanier
NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers focused on single-car practice qualifying runs in final practice, which led to rookie Matt Tifft being fastest.
Tifft topped the charts late in practice in front of two Richard Childress Racing teammates with a fast lap of 52.639. Tifft opened the season driving for JGL Racing at Daytona International Speedway where he finished 20th. He looks to backup a strong run turned sour after a crash at Richmond International Raceway that had him finish 33rd after running inside the top-five all race in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
Ty Dillon was second in practice after running third in the first session. Dillon’s fastest lap of the day was more than three seconds faster than the 52.756 he put down in the final practice where he focused on qualifying runs.
Dillon’s teammate rookie Brandon Jones was third in practice. Jones finished seventh in the first restrictor plate race of the season at Daytona.
Tifft’s JGR teammate Daniel Suarez was fourth fastest in practice. Suarez heads into Talladega coming off a fourth-place finish at Richmond. He currently leads the points, but is still looking for his first career win.
Jeremy Clements and Ray Black, Jr. were among the only drivers to do any drafting in practice which propelled them to fifth and sixth in the session.
Behind Black in practice were Austin Dillon, Erik Jones, Jeb Burton and Elliott Sadler.
Only 33 of 43 drivers opted to make a lap in final practice.
