Toyota drivers skip last Daytona 500 practice

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — Threetime Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and his six fellow Toyota drivers skipped the final practice for “The Great American Race.”

Even action sports star Travis Pastrana, who has little experience at Daytona International Speedway, sat out the 50-minute session on Saturday. He is driving a third car for 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan.

“I feel like I have the best Toyota here,” Pastrana said confidently. “I’m just so proud, stoked, for this team and for them giving me this amazing hot rod.”

Sixteen of 40 cars did get in a final practice, but not pole-sitter Alex Bowman or his fellow Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and William Byron.

Brad Keselowski topped the speed chart in his No. 6 Ford, reaching 191.201 mph during his 14-lap stint. Joey Logano was second, followed by Ryan Blaney, Ryan Preece and Harrison Burton. Ford drivers claimed the top six spots.

AJ Allmendinger was the quickest Chevrolet in seventh. Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, fastest in practice Friday, turned just three laps and was 15th.

Balancing risk versus reward, the majority of the garage played it safe.

Thirty-nine-year-old Pastrana felt like he got enough educational seat time during the rainshortened truck race on Friday night. Pastrana finished 13th in his first race at Daytona in a decade.

He said his heart rate reached 182 beats per minute.

“Just under heart-attack level. It’s great,” he quipped.

“I got to figure out a little bit on how to dip, dodge and dive [during wrecks]. We’ll need a little bit of luck, but this car, this 67, it is locked in.”

Pastrana will start next to Johnson on the last row. “Hopefully we won’t be a danger out there and people can start trusting me,” Pastrana said.