Daytona: Kahne and Gordon top Saturday AM speeds

Kasey Kahne

With a smaller restrictor plate, drivers saw their speeds decrease Saturday morning during testing at Daytona International Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports drivers Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon turned laps of 201.545 mph using a two-car draft, more than five miles per hour slower than the top speeds Friday afternoon.

NASCAR decreased the holes in the restrictor plate by 1/32nd of an inch for the Saturday morning session. The restrictor plate with holes 29/32nds of an inch in diameter was the same as used at the start of the three-day test session Thursday.

NASCAR dictated the change because engine builders were worried that the engines could not handle the higher RPMs generated by the restrictor plates used Friday.

None of the 30 drivers that tested Saturday morning drafted in a big pack, which NASCAR officials want to see after implementing new rules designed to break up the two-car tandems. All but three were staying for the afternoon session, where NASCAR has asked for drivers to test in a big pack for several laps.

Results

Pos. No. Driver Make Time Speed
1 5 Kasey Kahne Chevy 44.655 201.545
2 24 Jeff Gordon Chevy 44.655 201.545
3 51 Kurt Busch Chevy 45.121 199.464
4 55 Mark Martin Toyota 45.122 199.459
5 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevy 45.134 199.406
6 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevy 45.136 199.397
7 31 Jeff Burton Chevy 45.215 199.049
8 78 Regan Smith Chevy 45.216 199.045
9 1 Jamie McMurray Chevy 46.283 194.456
10 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chevy 46.644 192.951
11 27 Paul Menard Chevy 46.721 192.633
12 10 Danica Patrick Chevy 46.868 192.029
13 14 Tony Stewart Chevy 46.904 191.881
14 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 46.955 191.673
15 21 Trevor Bayne Ford 46.967 191.624
16 29 Kevin Harvick Chevy 47.010 191.449
17 22 AJ Allmendinger Dodge 47.013 191.436
18 43 Aric Almirola Ford 47.056 191.261
19 20 Joey Logano Toyota 47.102 191.075
20 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Ford 47.176 190.775
21 16 Greg Biffle Ford 47.188 190.726
22 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 47.195 190.698
23 15 Clint Bowyer Toyota 47.217 190.609
24 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 47.260 190.436
25 56 Martin Truex Jr Toyota 47.276 190.371
26 99 Carl Edwards Ford 47.317 190.206
27 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 47.408 189.841
28 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 47.534 189.338
29 36 Dave Blaney Chevy 47.739 188.525
30 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 47.855 188.068

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