(Updated) Second Sprint Cup practice in Daytona cancelled due to rain; McMurray, Larson fastest in first practice - MotorSportsTalk

Having previously won the Daytona 500 in 2010 and the Coke Zero 400 in 2007, Jamie McMurray knows his way around Daytona International Speedway pretty well.

That’s why it’s no surprise McMurray was the fastest in the first of two practice sessions Thursday in preparation for Friday’s qualifying and then Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup main event.

(Updated) The second practice session was cancelled due to rain and thunderstorms in the DIS area.

And oh, did McMurray fly around the 2.5-mile, high-banked track, recording a field-best speed of 201.952 mph, followed by Sprint Cup rookie and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kyle Larson, who was second-fastest at 201.889 mph.

Third- through fifth-fastest were Clint Bowyer (201.839), Kentucky winner Brad Keselowski (201.771) and Jeff Gordon (201.712).

Sixth through 10th were Joey Logano (201.654), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (201.590), Greg Biffle (201.261), Landon Cassill (200.714) and Martin Truex Jr. (200.696).

All told, 18 drivers exceed the 200 mph mark.

Among more notable performances:

* Danica Patrick was 15th fastest (200.405 mph), followed by Kyle Busch (200.356).

* Kurt Busch was 23rd fastest (199.238 mph), followed closely by 2014 winless drivers Matt Kenseth (199.137), Tony Stewart (199.089) and Kasey Kahne (198.965).

* Dale Earnhardt Jr. struggled to a 32nd fastest speed of 198.247 mph, while teammate Jimmie Johnson was the third-slowest in the entire field, unable to turn a lap faster than 191.274 mph, more than 10 mph slower than McMurray’s pace-setting lap.

* Michael Waltrip was 43rd fastest of 44 (191.010 mph), while two-time Cup champion Terry Labonte recorded the slowest speed at 190.678 mph.

With the second practice session cancelled, qualifying will take place at 5:10 pm ET on Friday afternoon — weather permitting, of course.

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Three riders remain locked in a tight battle with 17 points separating the leader Cooper Webb from third-place Chase Sexton and these are only a few Supercross numbers to consider entering Seattle.

Seattle Supercross numbers — *Chase Sexton made a statement in Detroit with his second win of 2023. – Feld Motor Sports*

For the fifth time in 10 rounds. Sexton, Webb, and Eli Tomac shared the podium in Detroit. Between them, the trio has taken 23 podiums, leaving only seven for the remainder of the field. Jason Anderson, Ken Roczen and Justin Barcia have two each with Aaron Plessinger scoring the other.

Webb and Tomac won the last four championships with two apiece in alternating years, but they were not one another’s primary rival for most of those seasons. On the average, however, the past four years show an incredible similarity with average points earned of 21.0 for Webb and 21.3 for Tomac. With five wins so far this season, Tomac (23 wins) leads Webb (19) in victories but Webb (43) edges Tomac (41) in podium finishes during this span.

Tomac has won two of the last three Seattle races and those two wins in this stadium are topped only by James Stewart. Fittingly, if Tomac gets a third win this week, he will tie Stewart for second on the all-time wins’ list. Tomac tied Ricky Carmichael for third with 48 wins at Oakland and took sole possession of that spot with his Daytona win.

Sexton still has a lot to say and after winning last week in Detroit, he is speaking up. The Supercross numbers are against him entering Seattle, however, because a points’ deficit this large after Round 10 has been erased only once. In 1983 David Bailey was 47 points behind Bob Hannah, and like Sexton he was also in third place. Bailey took the points’ lead with one race remaining.

The seven points Sexton was penalized last week for jumping in a red cross flag section in Detroit could prove extremely costly.

In fact, it has been a series of mistakes that has cost Sexton the most. In the last two weeks, he lost 10 points with a 10th-place finish to go with his penalty. Erase those, and all three riders hold their fate in their hands.

Plessinger’s heartbreak in Detroit is still fresh, but the upside of his run is that was his best of the season and could turn his fortunes around. Prior to that race, he led only seven laps in three mains. He was up front for 20 laps in Detroit with five of those being the fastest on the track.

Last week’s win by Hunter Lawrence tied him with his brother Jett Lawrence for 17th on the all-time wins’ list. With the focus shifting to 250 West for the next two rounds, Jett has a great opportunity to pull back ahead. The real test will be at the first East / West Showdown in East Rutherford, New Jersey on April 22.

Last Five Seattle Winners

450s
2022: Eli Tomac
2019: Marvin Musquin
2018: Eli Tomac
2017: Marvin Musquin
2014: Ryan Villopoto

250s
2022: Hunter Lawrence
2019: Dylan Ferrandis
2018: Aaron Plessinger
2017: Aaron Plessinger
2014: Cole Seely

By the Numbers

Detroit
Indianapolis
Daytona
Arlington
Oakland
Tampa
Houston
Anaheim 2
San Diego

More SuperMotocross coverage

How to Watch Seattle Supercross
Dylan Ferrandis may return before SX finale
SMX develops “Leader Lights”
Power Rankings after Detroit
Hunter Lawrence defends Haiden Deegan
Results and points after Detroit
Chase Sexton wins in Detroit, penalized seven points

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