CUP: Keselowski Tops In Happy Hour

Sprint Cup

CUP: Keselowski Tops In Happy Hour

Brad Keselowski led both practices on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway…

Tom Jensen | Posted November 03, 2012 Fort Worth, TX

Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge is two points behind Jimmie Johnson for the lead in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. (Photo: Getty Images)

NASCAR Sprint Cup championship contenders Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski again squared off during the final Happy Hour practice for tomorrow’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

As he did in the first session earlier Saturday afternoon, Keselowski went to the top of the speed charts on his first lap, running 184.300 mph to 184.055 for Johnson’s first lap, which was fourth. Keselowski’s speed stood up as fastest in the one-hour session.

Johnson, on the other hand, was faster than Keselowski in 10-lap averages. And like the first practice, all of the top cars in Happy Hour ran their fastest laps on their respective first laps on track.

In between the two points leaders on the speed chart were second-place Clint Bowyer, who ran 184.193 mph in the No. 15 MWR Toyota and Matt Kenseth, 184.197 mph in the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. Kenseth’s teammate Carl Edwards was fifth.

The second five consisted of Denny Hamlin, Sam Hornish Jr., Kyle Busch, AJ Allmendinger and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

With three races left in the season, Johnson leads Keselowski by just 2 points. In tomorrow’s race, Johnson will start from the pole, while Keselowski will be on the outside of Row 4.

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Jensen

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR

CUP: 2014 NASCAR Hall Of Fame Class A Family Affair
Dale Jarrett will join his father Ned in the NASCAR Hall of Fame...…
CUP: Tim Flock, Maurice Petty Lead 2014 Hall Class
Tim Flock and Maurice Petty were two of five legends voted into the…
CUP: Voting Day At NASCAR Hall Of Fame
The next five members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be voted in…