Danica Patrick had a fast car during Sprint Cup testing at Daytona International Speedway last month.
Patrick led much of the first practice session Saturday morning and then finished the day at the top of the speed chart in the final practice before Daytona 500 qualifying, making her the favorite to win the pole on Sunday.
Patrick's speed of 196.220 mph was the fastest of the day.
Tony Stewart, Patrick's car owner and teammate, was second in the final session followed by Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Patrick quickly jumped to the top of the speed chart as practice got under way Saturday with teams preparing for Daytona 500 qualifying. She led most of the first practice session before winding up third, and then rocketed back to the top of the speed chart during the afternoon session.
About 30 minutes into the first two-hour practice session Saturday morning, Patrick was fastest at 195.359 mph.
"That was a good pole run that we feel good about," said Patrick, who ran just two laps while other ran eight to 11. "We're not there yet, but so far so good."
Patrick led most of the session until Joey Logano and Austin Dillon sped past her in the final minutes of practice. Logano wound up fastest at 195.410 mph in his Penske Racing Ford. Austin Dillion, a Nationwide Series star who is running only a partial Cup schedule for Richard Childress Racing, was second at 195.380.
Patrick didn't hit the track until an hour into the afternoon practice session, but she immediately sped to the top of the chart with a lap of 196.220 and stayed there.
Rounding out the top 10 in the second session were: Jamie McMurray, Trevor Bayne, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman, Joey Logano and Jeff Burton.
Rounding out the top 10 in the first session were: Menard, Burton, Kasey Kahne, Bayne, Juan Pablo Montoya, Earnhardt and Kyle Busch.
Among those struggling were Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski, who was 31st in the first session and 22nd in the second. The Roush Fenway Racing drivers also struggled. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Patrick's boyfriend, was 15th in the first session but teammate Carl Edwards was 22nd and Greg Biffle 30th. Biffle and Edwards both improved slightly in the second session.
Daytona 500 qualifying is set for 1 p.m. ET Sunday.
Patrick led much of the first practice session Saturday morning and then finished the day at the top of the speed chart in the final practice before Daytona 500 qualifying, making her the favorite to win the pole on Sunday.
Patrick's speed of 196.220 mph was the fastest of the day.
Tony Stewart, Patrick's car owner and teammate, was second in the final session followed by Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Patrick quickly jumped to the top of the speed chart as practice got under way Saturday with teams preparing for Daytona 500 qualifying. She led most of the first practice session before winding up third, and then rocketed back to the top of the speed chart during the afternoon session.
About 30 minutes into the first two-hour practice session Saturday morning, Patrick was fastest at 195.359 mph.
"That was a good pole run that we feel good about," said Patrick, who ran just two laps while other ran eight to 11. "We're not there yet, but so far so good."
Patrick led most of the session until Joey Logano and Austin Dillon sped past her in the final minutes of practice. Logano wound up fastest at 195.410 mph in his Penske Racing Ford. Austin Dillion, a Nationwide Series star who is running only a partial Cup schedule for Richard Childress Racing, was second at 195.380.
Patrick didn't hit the track until an hour into the afternoon practice session, but she immediately sped to the top of the chart with a lap of 196.220 and stayed there.
Rounding out the top 10 in the second session were: Jamie McMurray, Trevor Bayne, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman, Joey Logano and Jeff Burton.
Rounding out the top 10 in the first session were: Menard, Burton, Kasey Kahne, Bayne, Juan Pablo Montoya, Earnhardt and Kyle Busch.
Among those struggling were Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski, who was 31st in the first session and 22nd in the second. The Roush Fenway Racing drivers also struggled. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Patrick's boyfriend, was 15th in the first session but teammate Carl Edwards was 22nd and Greg Biffle 30th. Biffle and Edwards both improved slightly in the second session.
Daytona 500 qualifying is set for 1 p.m. ET Sunday.
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