Dillon fastest in extended Cup Series practice at Richmond

Austin Dillon paced an extended NASCAR Cup Series practice at Richmond Raceway as teams worked through the addition of the option (soft) tire to their allotment. Dillon paced the way at 118.965mph (22.698s). Bubba Wallace was second fastest at …

Austin Dillon paced an extended NASCAR Cup Series practice at Richmond Raceway as teams worked through the addition of the option (soft) tire to their allotment.

Dillon paced the way at 118.965mph (22.698s). Bubba Wallace was second fastest at 118.859mph.

Christopher Bell was third fastest (118.760mph), Martin Truex Jr., fourth (118.707mph), Zane Smith, fifth (118.702mph), Carson Hocevar, sixth (118.530mph), Chris Buescher, seventh (118.457mph), Michael McDowell, eighth (118.229mph) and Daniel Suarez, ninth (118.203mph). Ty Gibbs completed the top 10 at 118.043mph.

The fastest lap by the drivers in the top 10 all came within their first three laps on the track.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who was 24th fastest, ran the most laps — 91.

Cup Series championship point leader Kyle Larson was just 32nd. There are 37 drivers entered in the Cook Out 400.

There were no incidents in the 45-minute session. NASCAR did not dictate when teams, who had one set of option tires for practice, had to use their sets. Cup Series teams will have two sets of option tires to use during Sunday’s race.

Ross Chastain was fastest in the best 10 consecutive lap average. Chastain paced Buescher, Suarez, Dillon, and Truex Jr.