CUP: Hendrick Cars Start Strong

Sprint Cup

CUP: Hendrick Cars Start Strong

Jeff Gordon was fastest in single-car practice at Daytona...

Tom Jensen | Posted January 12, 2012 Daytona Beach, FL

Jeff Gordon paced the opening test session at Daytona International Speedway. (Photo: Getty Images)

Thursday morning’s opening single-car session at Daytona International Speedway was a big one for Hendrick Motorsports, with six of the 11 fastest cars carrying Hendrick engines.

Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon led the way at 192.773 mph in his familiar No. 24 Hendrick Chevrolet, with Paul Menard second at 192.369 mph in a Richard Childress Racing Chevy.

Kurt Busch, in his new Hendrick-powered Phoenix Racing Chevy, was third at 169.361 mph, with Ricky Stenhouse fourth, first of the Roush Fenway Racing Fords. Juan Pablo Montoya completed the top five in his Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet.

Then came Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle.

Danica Patrick (eighth) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (11th) were also fast in their Hendrick-powered rides.

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.

DAYTONA PRESEASON THUNDER TESTING: During the Jan. 12-14 test sessions at Daytona International Speedway, fans can submit questions and comments through Twitter @SPEED (http://www.twitter.com/speed) using the #daytonatesting hashtag.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Jensen

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