By Micah Roberts
Posted 05/11/2012 at 03:58 PM

AJ Allmendinger was the only driver to top 175 mph in Friday’s final practice session at Darlington Raceway. The fast lap at 175.022 mph was captured on the final of his 19 laps run. This is good news for Allmendinger because Darlington hasn’t exactly been kind to him with a 27.4 average finish in five starts. ---- A driver who knows his way around Darlington very well with two wins on the track already is Greg Biffle. For the second practice today, Biffle finished with the second fastest lap (174.730). Biffle only ran 16 laps in the session, but his average speeds (169.437) among all drivers with at least 15 laps run were right up there with Martin Truex Jr and Dale Earnhardt Jr. ---- Truex Jr only had the 12th fastest lap, but he averaged 170.144 mph while running 20 laps which was the best among all the drivers that ran 15 laps or more. Carl Edwards had the third fastest single lap (174.099), but ran only eight laps that yielded a very high average. ---- Jimmie Johnson was fourth fastest in the session at 174.087 mph and had the third best 10 consecutive lap average. Johnson has been one of the steadier drivers at Darlington with a 9.8 average finish that includes two wins, but has finished 36th and 15th in his last two starts. ---- Drivers who struggled in the final session was Joey Logano with the 41st fastest lap, along with Matt Kenseth (39th), Juan Pablo Montoya (38th) and Ryan Newman (37th). ---- The driver who probably learned the most during the two practice sessions was Danica Patrick. After finishing with the slowest laps in the first session -- along with a receiving a Darlington Stripe, Patrick came out a little more aggressive and was 25th fastest. ---- 18 drivers ran 10 consecutive laps with Denny Hamlin being the fastest followed by Earnhardt Jr, Johnson, Kurt Busch and last years winner, Regan Smith. ---- After watching both of the practices today, the drivers that made the best overall impressions were Biffle, Hamlin, Truex Jr, Earnhardt Jr and Johnson. Truex Jr is the one that I may be most impressed with as he continues to be fast every where when horsepower is required. His 12.3 average finish suggests he has a good understanding of how to deal with the Lady in Black, now he's got a great car too.