CUP: RCR Duo Fastest In Happy Hour

Sprint Cup

CUP: RCR Duo Fastest In Happy Hour

Jeff Burton topped the speed charts in the final Daytona 500 practice...

Tom Jensen | Posted February 13, 2010 Daytona Beach, FL

Jeff Burton was the leader for the final practice prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500. (Photo: Lat Photographic)

As a team, Richard Childress Racing has always been stout at Daytona International Speedway, and Saturday was no exception.

RCR drivers Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick topped the speed charts Saturday morning during the Daytona 500 “Happy Hour” practice session at the 2.5-mile speedway. Jeff Burton was fastest at 195.194 miles per hour, with RCR teammate Kevin Harvick coming in second at 194.641 mph.

Close behind the RCR drivers were a pair of quasi-teammates, Marcos Ambrose and David Reutimann. Ambrose had a best lap of 194.376 mph in his JTG-Daugherty Racing Toyota Camry, which is run out of the same shop as Reutimann's Michael Waltrip Racing entry.

Matt Kenseth was the first of the 13 Fords in the field, running 194.322 mph in his Roush Fenway Racing Fusion, good for fifth place overall.

The second five consisted of Kyle Busch, Sam Hornish Jr., Regan Smith, Juan Pablo Montoya and Denny Hamlin. Daytona 500 pole-winner Mark Martin was 13th, while his teammate and second-qualifier Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 21st.

The 85-minute practice session was the last prior to Sunday's Daytona 500. As a result, several drivers opted to put only a few laps on their cars under cold, gray skies.

“We've been real happy with this backup car,” said four-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, who parked his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after just 15 laps. “It's been great for us. … The car drives well, so life is good.”

Scott Speed got loose coming out of Turn 2 and his No. 82 Toyota Camry came down the track and his Bobby Labonte's Chevrolet, sending the No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet within literally inches of the backstretch wall.

Carl Edwards got out of his car early, with Mike Wallace filling in for him behind the wheel of the No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. “The plan is for me to run the Daytona 500,” said Edwards, whose wife Kate is due to deliver the couple's first baby on Wednesday. “This is just a backup in case something happens.”

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of "Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED," and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the past President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to

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