CUP: Stewart Has Top Practice Speed

Sprint Cup

CUP: Stewart Has Top Practice Speed

Tony Stewart paced the first practice session for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway...

Mike Hembree | Posted October 22, 2010 Martinsville, VA

Tony Stewart was the fastest in the first practice session for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Two-time Martinsville Speedway winner Tony Stewart led the opening practice Friday for Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 with a speed of 97.548 miles per hour.

Stewart posted his speed in the final minute of Friday afternoon’s practice session.

Following Stewart in the top five were Denny Hamlin, Juan Pablo Montoya, Greg Biffle and David Reutimann.

Hamlin, second in points, was easily the fastest of the three main Chase contenders in the practice. Point leader Jimmie Johnson was 13th fastest, and Kevin Harvick, who is third in points, was 28th.

Kasey Kahne, making his debut run for Red Bull Racing, was 29th on the speed list.

Qualifying for Sunday’s race is scheduled at 3 p.m. today.

Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 28 years. He has written several books on NASCAR, including "NASCAR: The Definitive History of America's Sport" and "Then Tony Said To Junior: The Best NASCAR Stories Ever Told". He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.

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Mike Hembree

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