Nationwide speeds approach 200mph

Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer paced the field during the final NASCAR Nationwide Series practice Thursday at Talladega Superspeedway. The session saw average speeds approach 200 mph.

Harvick and Bowyer — the winners of the last two Cup races at Talladega — locked up together in a two-car tandem and reached 198.044 mph to post the fastest time in either session. Joey Logano and Kyle Busch weren't far behind at 196.875 and 196.863 mph respectively. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and drafting partner Aric Almirola were well back at 17th and 18th nearly 6 mph slower than Harvick and Bowyer.

It's not just Cup cars that will be paired off in two-car tandems. The Nationwide race on Saturday should see plenty of that as well. Some teams were even practicing pushing off center of the rear bumper in order to get some air on the nose of the pushing car. That would allow a tandem to push longer without having to switch places because the car doing the pushing wouldn't overheat.