Logano, behind the wheel of his No. 22 Team Penske Ford, emerged as the fastest contender, clocking in with an impressive average lap speed of 131.166 mph. Right on his tail was Hamlin, steering his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, with a close speed of 131.080 mph.
Fords have been dominating the pole positions in the early stages of the season, with Logano securing two out of the three, including the prestigious Daytona 500 and the recent triumph at Las Vegas.
Tyler Reddick, piloting a Toyota, showcased strong performance, clinching the third spot with a speed of 131.066 mph. However, his session was cut short as he spun out with about three minutes remaining, resulting in flat-spotted tires.
John Hunter Nemechek secured the fourth position, followed closely by Austin Cindric, rounding up the top five contenders.
Friday’s practice session marked the first on-track experience for most teams with the new aero rules implemented for all road courses and oval tracks measuring 1.058-mile or less in distance this year.
The Cup cars are now equipped with a simplified diffuser, along with 2023 short track/road course splitter stuffers, removal of engine panel strakes, a 3-inch spoiler, and simplified diffuser strakes.
In addition to the frontrunners, Erik Jones, Chase Elliott leading the Chevrolet pack, Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace, and Carson Hocevar rounded out the top ten speeds.
During the session, around the 21-minute mark, Daniel Hemric encountered a spin in Turns 3 and 4, making contact with the wall in his No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. Despite the setback, the damage seemed minimal, allowing Hemric to resume track action following swift repairs.
Approximately 33 minutes into the session, NASCAR had to pause proceedings once again due to debris found on the track.
Among the drivers completing at least 10 consecutive laps, Toyotas showcased dominance, with Bubba Wallace leading the pack with an average speed of 129.374 mph, closely followed by Bell and Nemechek.
