Reddick leads the way in COTA NASCAR Cup practice

Nigel Kinrade/Motorsport Images
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emailBy Kelly Crandall | March 24, 2023 4:03 PM ET

Tyler Reddick was fastest in the lone NASCAR Cup Series practice session held Friday at Circuit of The Americas with a lap of 92.989mph (2m12.016s).

Reddick won on two road courses last season at Road America and Indianapolis.


Kyle Larson, another road course winner, was second fastest in COTA practice, clocking in at 92.618 mph.

Ross Chastain was third fastest in practice at 92.52 mph. Chastain started the weekend off by tossing a watermelon off the COTA Tower as the defending race winner. It was Chastain’s first career win in the Cup Series.


Kyle Busch was fourth fastest at 92.498 mph and Daniel Suarez was fifth fastest at 92.461 mph.

Michael McDowell was sixth fastest at 92.458 mph, Austin Cindric was seventh fastest at 92.441 mph, and Bubba Wallace was eighth fastest at 92.433 mph. Joey Logano was ninth fastest at 92.407 mph and Jordan Taylor was 10th fastest at 92.404 mph. Taylor is driving the No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports this weekend as Chase Elliott continues to recover from a snowboarding accident.


It was something of a slow start for the other road racing guest stars, though. Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button was 28th fastest in practice. Button, driving the No. 15 for Rick Ware Racing, ran a fast lap of 91.758 mph. Fellow F1 champ Kimi Raikkonen, making his second start with Trackhouse Racing, was 32nd fastest at 91.388 mph.

Back in the No. 84 for Legacy Motor Club, Jimmie Johnson was 34th fastest in practice. Johnson clocked in at 91.072 mph.

There were no major incidents in practice.

The extended practice was allotted as teams work with the new aero package being used on select short tracks and road courses this season, and COTA is the first road course race of the season.