Photo Credit: Noel Lanier
“Win and you’re in.”
It’s a phrase Daniel Hemric is all too familiar with. Hemric finished 28th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last weekend after suffering from brake issues, and he knows a win will put him in round two of the Chase.
After being fastest in the first practice session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Hemric’s in a good position to compete for a win on Saturday night. Hemric posted the fastest lap with a 30.512 second lap.
Thorsport Racing teammates Matt Crafton and Ben Rhodes were second and third in practice, followed by last year’s winner at Las Vegas, John Wes Townley.
The New Hampshire winner, William Byron, was fifth quickest in practice. Byron dominated in the northeast, and picked up his sixth checkered flag of the season.
Rounding out the top-10 were Ben Kennedy, Tyler Reddick, Johnny Sauter, Rico Abreu and Grant Enfinger.
Three Chase drivers wound up outside the top-10 in practice. Timothy Peters and Christopher Bell were 13th and 14th, while John Hunter Nemechek was 19th.
