DOVER, Del. – Raphael Lessard and Johnny Sauter led the way during a pair of NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series practice sessions at Dover Int’l Speedway on Thursday.
Sauter posted the fastest speed of the day, turning a lap of 22.936 seconds (156.958 mph) with his No. 13 Tenda Heal Ford F-150 around the one-mile, high-banked concrete oval.
The 2016 Truck Series champion topped the charts during final practice.
In fact, the top five speeds overall were all turned during the second practice round, with defending Truck Series titlist Brett Moffitt following Sauter on the speed charts at 23.002 seconds (156.508 mph) with the No. 24 ISM Connect Chevrolet Silverado.
Canadian Stewart Friesen was third-quick (23.044/156.223), followed by Harrison Burton’s Toyota Tundra and part-timer Jesse Little’s Ford F-150.
Seventeen-year-old Raphael Lessard, making his second of three Truck Series appearances this season in the No. 46 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports, was sixth-fastest overall and topped the speed charts in first practice. He was also sixth in final practice.
Lessard’s best lap of the day was 23.226 seconds (154.999 mph) with the No. 46 Spectra Premium Toyota Tundra.
Sauter has won the last two Truck Series races at the Monster Mile, leading 170 of 410 laps during that span. This will be his first race with ThorSport Racing at Dover since 2015.
Of note, Kyle Busch has been victorious in the last four Truck Series races held this season, but Busch is not entered for Friday evening’s event. NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Brandon Jones will pilot the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
Qualifying for the JEGS 200 is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET on Friday.