Toyota’s Practice Dominance
The NASCAR Cup Series rolled into Chicagoland Speedway for a crucial practice session ahead of the eero 400, and the timing sheets told a clear story: Toyota was in command.
Riley Herbst set the fastest lap of the session with a blistering 30.326 seconds, edging out Bubba Wallace by just 0.023 seconds. Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota carried a special livery that added visual flair to the on‑track battle.
Corey Heim posted a 30.385‑second lap to climb to third on the overall chart, while Tyler Reddick topped the 10‑lap average speed chart at 176.130 mph, underscoring the aerodynamic strength of the Toyota entries.
Championship Contenders in the Mix
Championship leader Denny Hamlin finished fourth overall, but it was the broader Toyota contingent that dominated the top eight, with Kyle Larson and Austin Cindric breaking the streak by securing third and seventh positions respectively.
Cindric also led the 10‑lap average speed rankings with 175.604 mph, while Larson’s 10‑lap average placed him tenth at 174.791 mph. William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher and Chase Briscoe all featured in the top ten of the long‑run metrics, illustrating a tightly packed midfield.
Trackhouse Racing teammates Connor Zilisch and Ross Chastain lingered further down the order, finishing 25th and 29th overall, while Joey Logano and Erik Jones, both on the Chase bubble, were classified 34th and 35th.
The Road to Sunday’s Finale
Qualifying for the eero 400 is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, to be streamed on TruTV, HBO Max and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90, with the race itself scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.