Dale Earnhardt Jr., the defending winner of the Martinsville fall race, topped the Sprint Cup Series’ second practice session at the Virginia short track.
Earnhardt put up a top speed of 96.998 mph in his No. 88 Chevrolet while logging 75 laps around the track.
Filling out the top five was Martin Truex Jr. (96.879), Ryan Newman (96.874), pole-sitter Joey Logano (96.874) and Denny Hamlin (96.731).
Tony Stewart will start from the back of the field for Sunday’s Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500. Stewart’s No. 14 Chevrolet made contact with the wall during the second practice and will have to use his backup car. Both he and Kasey Kahne will be in backup cars.
The Sprint Cup cars will be on the track for one more practice session. It starts at noon ET on CNBC.
