NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
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CUP: Kyle Busch Has Mixed Happy Hour
Kyle Busch hit the wall after setting fast time...
Tom Jensen  |  Posted November 17, 2012   Homestead, FL
Kyle Busch drives through the garage at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (Photo: Getty Images)
Kyle Busch topped the speed charts during the last NASCAR Sprint Cup practice of the year, the Happy Hour session for Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

But after running a top lap of 168.476 miles per hour early in the session, Busch bounced the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota off the wall in Turn 4, necessitating repairs. Unlike JGR teammates Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano, who crashed together in the first practice, Busch will not have to go to a backup for the final race of the season.

Martin Truex Jr. was second in the session, running 168.182 mph in his No. 56 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota, ahead of Matt Kenseth, who ran 168.167 mph in his final practice with Roush Fenway Racing.

And as he has been for most of the weekend, Sprint Cup points leader Brad Keselowski was again faster than his title challenger Jimmie Johnson. In Happy Hour, Keselowski posted the fourth-fastest speed, while Johnson was just 17th. The No. 2 Penske racing Dodge was also faster than the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in 10-lap average speed.

Keselowski qualified third, but will start from the pole Sunday because top qualifier Logano will have to go to a backup and will move to the back of the field. That means the entire inside row moves up, putting Keselowski on the pole.

Heading into tomorrow’s final race, Keselowski leads Johnson by 20 points and can win his first championship by finishing 15th or better without leading a lap, 16th and leading at least one lap or 17th and leading the most laps.

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.
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