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 The 2012 NASCAR season has begun with this week's Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway. Sprint Cup drivers and teams arrived Thursday with a list of changes for the three day test designed to eliminate the two-car tandem racing seen at Daytona and Talladega last season.
In addition to introducing a smaller engine cooling system, NASCAR is not allowing drivers and spotters to communicate with other drivers in an effort to make it difficult for them to race in pairs. One important item that has been overshadowed is the smooth transition to electronic fuel injection for 2012.
After testing the EFI systems last fall, NASCAR and EFI supplier McLaren worked with teams to make their final tweaks before the Daytona 500 in February.
Jeff Gordon led Thursday morning's opening session and the concluding session Saturday afternoon. Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Jr., Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne were fastest in the others. Kurt Busch had the best lap of all three days at 206.058 mph.
Thursday Morning
1. Jeff Gordon 192.773 mph
2. Paul Menard 192.369 mph
3. Kurt Busch 192.361 mph
4. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 191.959 mph
5. Juan Montoya 191.853 mph
Thursday Afternoon
1. Kyle Busch 202.402 mph
2. Joey Logano 202.388 mph
3. Brad Keselowski 202.224 mph
4. A.J. Allmendinger 202.220 mph
5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 200.920 mph
Friday Morning
1. Martin Truex, Jr. 204.722 mph
2. Clint Bowyer 204.722 mph
3. Marcos Ambrose 203.142 mph
4. Aric Almirola 203.142 mph
5. Mark Martin 201.748 mph
Friday Afternoon
1. Kurt Busch 206.058 mph
2. Regan Smith 206.053 mph
3. Kyle Busch 205.813 mph
4. Jeff Gordon 205.747 mph
5. Kasey Kahne 205.747 mph
Saturday Morning
1. Kasey Kahne 201.545 mph
2. Jeff Gordon 201.545 mph
3. Kurt Busch 199.464 mph
4. Mark Martin 199.459 mph
5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 199.406 mph
Saturday Afternoon
1. Jeff Gordon 200.562 mph
2. Brad Keselowski 200.548 mph
3. A. J. Allmendinger 200.548 mph
4. Kasey Kahne 200.481 mph
5. Denny Hamlin 199.973 mph
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