TALLADEGA, Ala. – Seeking a sweep of the superspeedway races on the 2019 calendar, Austin Hill was fastest in NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series practice on Friday at Talladega Superspeedway.
Hill, who only turned laps during the first of two 50-minute sessions at the 2.66-mile oval, posted a top time of 49.587 seconds (193.115 mph) with his Hattori Racing Enterprises-prepared No. 16 United Rentals Toyota Tundra to lead a field of 32 trucks ahead of the Sugarlands Shine 250.
The Winston, Ga., driver won the season opener at Daytona Int’l Speedway in February and has three Truck Series victories in total this year.
Second on the overall speed charts was independent Clay Greenfield, piloting the No. 68 Rackley Roofing Toyota to a time of 49.611 seconds (193.022 mph) in the draft. Greenfield is always a threat on the superspeedways and is seeking his first Truck Series victory this weekend.
Timothy Peters timed in third-fastest (49.630/192.948) for NEMCO Motorsports in the No. 87 Chevrolet Silverado, followed by defending series champion Brett Moffitt and Moffitt’s GMS Racing teammate Sheldon Creed.
Austin Wayne Self, Stewart Friesen, John Hunter Nemechek, Tyler Dippel and Gus Dean completed the top 10 on the Friday speed charts. All 10 drivers posted their best speeds in first practice.
Harrison Burton led a group of four Toyota drivers atop the speed charts in Truck Series happy hour, but his lap was only good enough for 11th overall at 50.646 seconds (189.077 mph) with the No. 18 Safelite Auto Glass Toyota Tundra.
Todd Gilliland, Tyler Ankrum and Riley Herbst were second through fourth, respectively, in final practice.
Qualifying for the Sugarlands Shine 250 is slated for 9:35 a.m. CT on Saturday morning.