After Thursday evening's Bud Pole qualifying session at the Lowe's Motor Speedway Friday began with the first of two Nextel Cup practice sessions scheduled for the day at the ultra-quick 1.5-mile LMS oval.
With qualifying speeds almost touching 190mph around Charlotte's notoriously abrasive high-banked turns many drivers are once again worrying about a race where tyre wear could be the deciding factor and average practice speeds were some 10mph slower than seen on Thursday evening.
Leading the way in a critical race for the eight Chase for the Championship contenders who currently sit more than 200 markers behind leader Jeff Gordon were two drivers who could kiss their title hopes goodbye with another poor run this weekend, Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr.
318 points and 300 points respectively behind Gordon heading into Saturday's Bank of America 500 Kenseth and Truex Jr led Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray and Carl Edwards with David Stremme, Paul Menard, defending race winner Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick and Bud Pole winner Ryan Newman completing the top ten.
Dale Earnhardt Jr was 11th fastest with Kurt Busch leading the remaining Chase contenders in 12th. Coca Cola 600 winner Casey Mears was 15th quickest, one place ahead of points leader and Talladega winner Jeff Gordon while five-time LMS winner Jimmie Johnson was 30th.
![Matt Kenseth - DeWalt Ford [pic credit: image.net]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/279392.jpg)
