Sports

Gordon fastest in final practice in New Hampshire for 2nd Chase for Sprint Cup race

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Jeff Gordon keeps a lead over Kurt Busch during practice for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Saturday Sept. 20, 2014, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole) (The Associated Press)

Driver Danica Patrick prepares to get into her car during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Cheryl Senter) (The Associated Press)

Jeff Gordon denied Brad Keselowski's shot at a perfect weekend with a late run in the final practice Saturday at New Hampshire that put him at the top of the chart at 135.357 mph.

Keselowski had the fastest practice speed on Friday, won the pole, and topped the first practice chart on Saturday. Keselowski and Gordon finished 1-2 in the last two Sprint Cup races. They reversed the order headed into the second Chase for the Sprint Cup championship race on Sunday.

Keselowski is coming off consecutive victories at Richmond and the Chase for the Sprint Cup opener last week at Chicagoland. He swept the Cup and Nationwide races at New Hampshire in July.

Tony Stewart spun in the final minute of practice, though the No. 14 did not appear to suffer any damage. Stewart was back in the car this weekend for the first time since he learned a grand jury will decide his fate in the fatal sprint car crash in upstate New York.