NASCAR Coke 600: Byron spins but leads practice; Reddick penalized

The top four best average lap speeds all came from the first 20-minute session on Saturday with Byron leading the way at 181.317 mph.

Tyler Reddick was second overall (180.114 mph) and Bubba Wallace third (180.060 mph). Ty Gibbs led the second 20-minute session but was fourth-best overall (179.062 mph).

Prior to the start of the practice sessions, NASCAR announced several penalties for Reddick’s No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota following the inspection process.

NASCAR said the team made unapproved adjustments to the underwing of the car after it initially passed inspection. The No. 45 team has had its car chief ejected, will lose pit selection, must start Sunday night’s race from the rear of the field.

In addition, Reddick must serve a pass-through penalty down pit road after taking the green flag in the race and he will be forced to participate in qualifying so that he does not end up with an extra set of fresh tires than everyone else.

Among the drivers who ran at least 10 consecutive laps in practice, Kyle Larson had the fastest average lap speed (177.415 mph). Gibbs and Chris Buescher were second and third fastest, respectively, in that category.

Group A

Among the first cars on the track in the 20-minute session, Byron led the way with an average lap speed of 181.317 mph.

Reddick was second fastest (180.114 mph) and Wallace was third (180.060 mph).

Carson Hocevar was fourth and Ross Chastain wound up fifth.

Just four minutes into the session but after setting his fast lap, Byron got loose in Turn 4 and spun down the frontstretch but did not hit anything.

Group B

Gibbs, who started on the pole and finished ninth in Saturday’s Xfinity race, led the way with an average lap speed of 179.062 mph.

Larson, who is planning to run both the Indy 500 and Coke 600 on Sunday, was second quick (179.027 mph) and Buescher was third (178.973 mph).

Martin Truex Jr. was fourth fastest and Corey LaJoie rounded out the top-five.

Just over seven minutes into the session and after he spotted his fast lap, Buescher appeared to have a left-rear tire go down entering Turn 1. He spun around and hit the wall on the driver’s side.

Buescher will move to a backup car and have to start Sunday night’s race from the rear of the field.