AVONDALE, Ariz: John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 54 Mobil 1 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing set the top speed in the final NASCAR Xfinity Series practice of the season ahead of Saturday afternoon’s season finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.
Nemechek who hopes to steer JGR to the owner’s championship in the 200-lap race circled the 1.0-mile oval in 27.610 seconds at 130.387 miles per hour.
Championship 4 Xfinity Series drivers Austin Cindric, Daniel Hemric and Noah Gragson were second through fourth respectively.
It was a nail-biting day for Hemric and his JGR team as their race hauler carrying the No. 18 Poppy Bank Toyota Supra allegedly hit a deer carcass enroute to Phoenix and suffered mechanical issues shortly thereafter.
Jeb Burton in his final race for Kaulig Racing rounded out the top-five. He bested his teammates Justin Hayley and Championship 4 driver AJ Allmendinger for sixth and seventh while Harrison Burton, Justin Allgaier and Ryan Sieg comprised the top-10.
Michael Annett in his final race as a full-time Xfinity Series driver timed in 13th for JR Motorsports, with solid practice showings from Tommy Joe Martins (15th), Alex Labbe (16th), Jeremy Clements (17th), Josh Williams (19th) and Dylan Lupton (21st).
Truck Series champion Sheldon Creed is getting a jumpstart on his impending rookie season in Xfinity with a start for B.J. McLeod Motorsports. Creed turned the 20th quickest lap.
Kyle Sieg the younger brother of Ryan Sieg was 37th fastest in practice but is expected to make his Xfinity Series debut with a provisional available from the owner points of the No. 39 usually driven by the elder Sieg.
The only incident of the session occurred when JJ Yeley lost his brakes on his No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro for SS GreenLight Racing and tagged the Turn 2 wall. Yeley told CATCHFENCE.com he will go to a backup car.
42 cars are entered for 36 spots, six cars will go home following qualifying on Saturday afternoon.
The green flag for the 200-lap race is set for 8:30 p.m. ET | 5:30 MT, on NBC Sports Network, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel 90.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.[table=3768](i) Ineligible for Driver Points in This Series
# Denotes Rookie
(P) Playoff Driver
