CUP: Almirola Leads Daytona Practice

Sprint Cup

CUP: Almirola Leads Daytona Practice

Speeds roar past 200 mph as Aric Almirola leads Daytona practice...

Mike Hembree | Posted July 05, 2012 Daytona Beach, FL

Aric Almirola paced opening Sprint Cup practice Thursday at Daytona. (Photo: Getty Images)

Aric Almirola was the top gun Thursday as Sprint Cup drivers roared through an 80-minute practice session for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Almirola ran a fast lap of 201.961 miles per hour to lead six drivers who crossed the 200-mph barrier during the practice.

Following Almirola in the top five were Richard Petty Motorsports teammate Marcos Ambrose, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle.

In the second five were Jeff Gordon, AJ Allmendinger, David Gilliland, Casey Mears and Kasey Kahne.

Denny Hamlin skipped Thursday practices because of a sore back. Kyle Busch, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, drove Hamlin’s car in practice to put some laps on the vehicle.

A second practice is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. SPEED will televise the session.

Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.

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