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Pure Michigan 400 Betting News and Notes

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Odds & Ends - Michigan

Michigan International Speedway Data

Race #: 23 of 36 (8-21-11)
Track Size: 2 miles
Race Length: 400 miles
Banking/Corners: 18 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 12 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees

Driver Rating at Michigan

Carl Edwards 110.8
Greg Biffle 106.1
Jimmie Johnson 105.3
Matt Kenseth 103.5
Denny Hamlin 99.1
Tony Stewart 97.5
Kurt Busch 96.5
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 94.5
Jeff Gordon 94.4
Brian Vickers 93.9

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2010 races (13 total) at Michigan.

Qualifying/Race Data

2010 pole winner: Kasey Kahne, 187.183 mph, 38.465 seconds
2010 race winner: Kevin Harvick, 144.029 mph, 8-15-10)
Track qualifying record: Ryan Newman (194.232 mph, 37.069 seconds, (6-18-05)
Track race record: Dale Jarrett (173.997 mph, 6-13-99)

 
Posted : August 15, 2011 8:10 pm
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Driver Highlights - Michigan

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Pure Michigan Ford)

Two wins, seven top fives, 10 top 10s
Average finish of 12.4
Average Running Position of 8.7, second-best
Driver Rating of 106.1, second-best
185 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
920 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 174.055 mph, third-fastest
2,119 Laps in the Top 15 (83.6%), second-most
623 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most

Kurt Busch (No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge)

Two wins, three top fives, eight top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 20.0
Average Running Position of 13.5, ninth-best
Driver Rating of 96.5, seventh-best
131 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 173.627 mph, seventh-fastest
1,764 Laps in the Top 15 (69.6%), seventh-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota)

Two top fives, four top 10s
Average finish of 16.6
Average Running Position of 13.8, 10th-best
Driver Rating of 93.3, 11th-best
91 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
871 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 173.446 mph, 10th-fastest
1,769 Laps in the Top 15 (69.8%), sixth-most
485 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet)

One win, four top fives, eight top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 15.9
Average Running Position of 12.9, eighth-best
Driver Rating of 94.5, eighth-best
116 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
1,041 Green Flag Passes, second-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 173.526 mph, ninth-fastest
1,610 Laps in the Top 15 (63.5%), ninth-most
546 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Carl Edwards (No. 99 AFLAC Ford)

Two wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s
Average finish of 6.2
Series-best Average Running Position of 8.0
Series-best Driver Rating of 110.8
171 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
961 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 174.152 mph
Series-high 2,276 Laps in the Top 15 (89.8%)
Series-high 691 Quality Passes

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)

Two wins, 18 top fives, 23 top 10s; five poles
Average finish of 11.6
Average Running Position of 12.7, seventh-best
Driver Rating of 94.4, ninth-best
132 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 173.553 mph, eighth-fastest
1,684 Laps in the Top 15 (66.4%), eighth-most
482 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota)

Two wins, five top fives, seven top 10s
Average finish of 10.0
Average Running Position of 11.0, fourth-best
Driver Rating of 99.1, fifth-best
92 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 173.658 mph, sixth-fastest
1,602 Laps in the Top 15 (75.0%), 10th-most
519 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)

Two top fives, seven top 10s
Average finish of 15.8
Average Running Position of 10.1, third-best
Driver Rating of 105.3, third-best
Series-high 259 Fastest Laps Run
Average Green Flag Speed of 174.132 mph, second-fastest
1,979 Laps in the Top 15 (78.1%), fourth-most
489 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 4 Red Bull Toyota)

One win, six top fives, six top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 16.0
Driver Rating of 86.7, 12th-best
110 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
986 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 173.291 mph, 12th-fastest
1,366 Laps in the Top 15 (53.9%), 12th-most
458 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Kroger Ford)

Two wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s
Average finish of 9.5
Average Running Position of 11.2, fifth-best
Driver Rating of 103.5, fourth-best
130 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
949 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 173.882 mph, fourth-fastest
1,983 Laps in the Top 15 (78.2%), third-most
597 Quality Passes, third-most

Mark Martin (No. 5 CARQUEST/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet)

Five wins, 17 top fives, 30 top 10s
Average finish of 13.5
Average Running Position of 15.9, 13th-best
Driver Rating of 84.2, 13th-best
70 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-most
1,477 Laps in the Top 15 (58.3%), 11th-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet)

One win, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s
Average finish of 11.6
Average Running Position of 12.4, sixth-best
Driver Rating of 97.5, sixth-best
80 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
902 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 173.673 mph, fifth-fastest
1,884 Laps in the Top 15 (74.3%), fifth-most
520 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Brian Vickers (No. 83 Red Bull Toyota)

One win, two top fives, eight top 10s; three poles
Average finish of 14.8
Average Running Position of 15.1, 11th-best
Driver Rating of 93.9, 10th-best
94 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

 
Posted : August 15, 2011 8:11 pm
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Driver Notes & Quotes for the Pure Michigan 400
By Nascar.com

JIMMIE JOHNSON ON MICHIGAN BEING ONE OF FIVE TRACKS HE HASN'T WON AT: “I don’t know what it is about that track. We have been close several times. I think we ran out of gas leading a few times and fuel mileage has gotten us a few times too. It’s not for lack of trying though. It’s just one of those tracks where we haven’t capitalized. It’s certainly an important track for us to win at with it being Chevy’s back yard. It also would be great to get a win and give us a little more cushion going into the Chase with just a few races left.”

JOHNSON CHASSIS CHOICE: Johnson will pilot chassis No. 669 in Sunday’s event. He last drove that car to a third-place finish at Kansas Speedway in July. Johnson finished 16th in backup chassis No. 623 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.

KEVIN HARVICK ON RACING AT MICHIGAN: “Michigan has been a great race track for us in the past. From the driver’s standpoint it’s a lot of fun to race on because the car slides around and you have the option to move all over the race track. I believe this will be the last race on that particular pavement, and while that’s never exciting to hear, we’re excited about that race and have got a lot of things that we are working on going into that particular race as a team. It should be a good weekend.”

“There are a lot of things just because the tires fall off a lot. You still have to carry a lot of speed, so you’ve got to have a good handling package along with a good engine package. It’s just kind of like everywhere else, you’ve got to have the whole package but Michigan gives you a lot of options as a driver because it is so wide and you can move around and make your car work in different spots.”

HARVICK CHASSIS CHOICE: Kevin Harvick will race chassis No. 373 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a brand new race car that will see its first on-track action at Michigan this weekend.

JEFF GORDON ON IMPORTANCE OF QUALIFYING: “Qualifying better is something this team – including me – has to do better. It’s possible to not qualify well and still win like we did in Phoenix, but it’s much easier to have a strong finish after starting at or near the front. There are so many advantages gained by doing so like a better pit stall pick, less traffic to work through and ‘cleaner’ air. I think the likelihood of getting collected in someone else’s wreck drops, as well. Improving our qualifying is definitely something we are focused on right now.”

ON RACING AT MICHIGAN: “I love racing here because of the wide corners where you can run from the bottom to the top,” said Gordon, who is seventh in the point standings with two wins in 2011. This is a really fast track with a high average speed, and you are in the corners for a really long time each lap. Ideally, you want to be right on the edge of tight and loose in the corners. But even with all that room to run side-by-side down the straightaways and through the corners, qualifying well on Friday can make the race easier to manage on Sunday. This race is 400 miles, but it seems to go by quick.”

RYAN NEWMAN ON WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE A GOOD RUN AT MICHIGAN? “To have a good run at Michigan, there are definitely a couple of key things that you have to have. The first thing is speed. You have to have horsepower to get around this ultra-fast racetrack. I’m confident in that area because we have such strong horsepower from Hendrick under the hood of our No. 39 Chevrolet. The second key is handling. The handling of the racecar is crucial, especially in turns two and three. The car can’t get too tight off two or be too loose off three.”

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT MICHIGAN? “It’s a fun racetrack to drive and a fun racetrack to race because it’s a relatively easy track to get around. For a driver, it’s just a great racetrack. In fact, I normally tell people that anyone can drive Michigan. It is so wide that cars can race three- and four-wide there every lap. The track has long sweeping corners, which helps to promote some really good racing. From a driver’s standpoint, you get to draft and bump-draft on the straightaways. I just think it’s a track that is conducive to good racing. You know, you get to a place like Michigan, it’s so wide open that it’s like racing the racetrack is only 10% of it, racing the competition is 60% of it, and managing your tires is another 30% of it.”

NEWMAN CHASSIS CHOICE: Chassis No. 39-677 - This chassis was brand new for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway just three races ago. Newman qualified a disappointing 23rd in that race and fought being mired in traffic and dirty air for much of the afternoon. Track position proved to be incredibly vital. And while Newman’s car was fast and handling well, he found it difficult to pass other cars. A strategy call with less than 30 laps to go helped Newman score a top-15 finish. Newman opted to pit for three seconds of fuel while many teams opted to gamble. While those cars either ran out or were forced to drastically slow down to conserve fuel, Newman was able to run at full power, which led to the 12th-place finish. The Pure Michigan 400 will mark the second start this season for Chassis 39-677.

DALE EARNHARDT JR. ON HIS STRATEGY FOR NEXT FOUR RACES: “I feel like I run good at the next four tracks we go to. I think I can go to those tracks and get the job done. You’ve got to race hard and race smart like you always do. I try to get to the end of the race with my race car intact, no matter what the situation is. I let Steve (Letarte, crew chief) handle the strategy.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR. ON MICHIGAN: “I am expecting another strong run at Michigan after how well we ran there in the spring. We ran quite a different setup last time compared to last year and really improved. Since then, we’ve learned a lot about our car and have made improvements to our 1.5- to two-mile program to apply this time. I don’t see why we cannot run better. We just need to run a clean race and get the result to show for it. What I like about Michigan is we can run anywhere from the apron to the fence. I love having several options like that. I look forward to seeing what all we can get accomplished this weekend.”

TONY STEWART ON WHERE MICHIGAN RANKS IN TERMS OF ALL THE 1.5- TO 2-MILE, D-SHAPED OVALS THAT ARE ON THE SPRINT CUP CIRCUIT? “It’s so wide and there are so many lines that you can run – that’s what makes Michigan fun for drivers. The drivers can really help themselves out if they don’t have a car that’s working right. You can literally race from the white line on the apron all the way to the wall. That’s the groove. You can move around on the racetrack and find a spot that helps your car do what you need it to do. You have to figure out how to gauge your momentum and know where you want to be on that racetrack when you enter those corners. Depending on how your car is driving, you can move around on the racetrack and help yourself. Michigan’s layout gives the drivers the flexibility to really make a difference in their car’s handling, and that’s what makes Michigan such a fun racetrack.”

DENNY HAMLIN ON TEAM OUTLOOK WITH FOUR RACES UNTIL THE CHASE: “We’ve got four races to get back to trying to be competitive and consistent during a full course of a race. Obviously, we have shown a lot of speed over the last few weeks, but just not the ability to finish as well as what we have run so we’ve got to continue to work on that to first of all be a part of the Chase, and then if we are, to be competitive in there.”

CLINT BOWYER ON HOW BIG OF A DEAL IS IT FROM A MANUFACTURER’S STANDPOINT TO WIN AT MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY? “It’s a huge deal. Anytime you can win close to any sponsor’s headquarters, it’s big. Its huge bragging rights for them and you know it means a great deal to everyone involved. It should mean a great deal to us as a race team too.”

“Well, fuel mileage is a big part of it, but first and foremost, you have to get there and get a handling on your race car. Once you do that, you can make long runs and figure out your fuel mileage. There are plenty of opportunities for green-flag pit stops so you know where you’re at fuel mileage-wise. Michigan is such a big race track. You go very fast there, but the corners are also so wide. The outside lines have opened up a little bit more. That’s just from the track wearing out and being able to carry that all momentum around the corner. There’s so much room that it doesn’t give you that sensation of speed that a Texas Motor Speedway would. It’s very easy to get into the corners. You just don’t realize how fast you’re going until you hit something. We’ve really struggled on the bigger race tracks since the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. We have to get better, but I’m learning. I feel like we’re going to have a lot better package when we go back to these tracks a second time.”

BOWYER CHASSIS CHOICE: Clint Bowyer will pilot chassis No. 368 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Chevrolet Impala, built new for 2011, saw action last month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when Bowyer brought home a 13th-place finish after starting 26th.

PAUL MENARD ON LEARNING SOME THINGS IN JUNE THAT WILL CARRY OVER TO THIS TIME? “I feel great about going back to Michigan. We had a good run there in June. I really think we can try and better that this time. Like any time we return to a track for a second race in a season, the track is inevitably going to be different. The weather is going to be different, too. We’ll have a good baseline, but we won’t know what we really have until we unload. We’ll have to figure out then what we have to adjust in order to accommodate the track and weather conditions.”

“We’re definitely looking forward to going back to Michigan. The (NASCAR Sprint Cup) series is so competitive that you can unload on Friday and think that you’re going to be really fast and not be. It’s very humbling.”

MENARD CHASSIS CHOICE: Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 326 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet Impala was a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season and was last seen in competition on track at Michigan International Speedway in June where Menard brought home a fourth-place result after starting from ninth. This car was also raced this year at Bristol Motor Speedway where the Eau Claire, Wis., native started fourth and finished fifth and during the non-points Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway where he started third and finished 11th.

CARL EDWARDS ON MICHIGAN: “MIS drives like a big dirt track. It’s a big, slick, wide race track. You slide the car all the way around the corners. I really like Michigan. It is fun, and our cars have been very good there. I feel like every time we go there we’ve got a chance to win. The last race I think we were leading when the caution came out at the end and we ended up fifth, but I felt like we could have won that one. I’m ready to go back. Our cars are better now than they were and that’ll be really cool.”

EDWARDS CHASSIS CHOICE: The No. 99 Aflac crew will be unloading chassis 765. Edwards last raced this car at Kentucky last month where he finished fifth. He also ran it at the Coke 600 in May at CMS.

MARK MARTIN ON MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY: “I really, really like running at Michigan, not just because it’s so fast, but it’s so wide. We can race all over the track. I’ve been lucky at Michigan, and I’ve been just plain good. I’ve gotten a lot of wins there. Last time we raced there, we were pretty good. We fought a loose-handling car, but Lance (McGrew, crew chief) and the guys made a lot of good adjustments, and we got up there in the top 10. I thought that was a big day for us and our intermediate program. We’ve got to build on what we learned in that race and try to do even better this time around.”

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA ON RACING AT MICHIGAN: “I am looking forward to going back to Michigan, I can tell you that. At that place we either run really good or we can’t get out of our own way. It is one way or the other. I think last time we really struggled. Actually, we were pretty decent in practice. I think we had 10th to 12th-place car and we didn’t feel we were good enough."

MONTOYA CHASSIS CHOICE: Crew Chief Jim Pohlman will bring chassis #1108 to Michigan this weekend. This is the second time that this chassis will be raced this year after running in the first race at Michigan in June when Montoya finished 30th after being caught up in an on-track incident.

JEFF BURTON ON MICHIGAN “I think we’ve had these conversations about Michigan for a long time. I can remember a lot of drivers that have dominated races there. It’s one of those tracks that’s relatively low on grip. Low grip and high speeds combined together allows for separations between cars in the field. I think it’s more that than anything. Although, I will say that Goodyear came with different tires last year and the racing was better. We go to other race tracks that feel much, much faster than Michigan and we’re not going as fast. It’s such a wide race track that you build the speed over a long period of time. It’s one of those places that you don’t feel like you’re going as fast as you really are.”

“I think Chevrolet is a worldwide company. I know they’re headquarters are in Detroit, but we have Chevy representation everywhere we go and they have dealers and customers at every race track that we go to. I don’t view that as a manufacturer’s backyard. I know that it is, but I don’t look at it that way.”

BURTON CHASSIS CHOICE: Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 348 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built brand new for the 2011 season, the lone event this No. 31 racer competed at was Auto Club Speedway in March where the veteran driver recorded a 15th-place result.

REGAN SMITH ON RACING AT MICHIGAN: “Looking forward to Michigan, it’s another Farm American tribute race for our Furniture Row Racing team. We’re teaming with a St. Johns, Michigan agriculture company — Agro Culture Liquid Fertilizers to promote the importance of having a stable and robust agriculture industry along with bridging the communication gap between urban and renewal America. Michigan should be a good race for our Furniture Row Chevrolet. We qualified fifth in the MIS June race and were running in the top 12 at the end. But on the last lap we got clipped, resulting in a very disappointing finish (34th). This is the kind of track that we should be good at — it’s a matter of having a clean race.”

JAMIE MCMURRAY ON RACING AT MICHIGAN: “I’m looking forward to getting back to Michigan, we were able to bring home a top-20 finish back in June so of course we hope to improve on that. This will probably come down to being a fuel-mileage race so we will have to be smart with our strategy and try and take advantage of some lucky breaks if we can catch them. “

McMURRAY CHASSIS CHOICE: The No. 1 Bass Pro Shops ®/ Tracker Boats team will bring chassis #1102 to Michigan this weekend. This will be the sixth time that Chassis #1102 has been used this year, following Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway and both races at Pocono Raceway.

KESELOWSKI ON RACING AT HIS HOME TRACK: “I always have a lot of fun when it’s time to head to Michigan. It’s one of those tracks that mean so much to me and my family. I remember going there watching my dad race back when I was a little kid and can remember coming through that tunnel amazed at how big this place was to me. It’s cool to go back home to race in front of family and friends. It’s in Dodge’s backyard and we certainly know how important of a race it is for them. I really want to win a Cup race at Michigan and I think we can do it this weekend.”

KESELWOSKI CHASSIS CHOICE: The No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team will race chassis PRS-753 during Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). Keselowski last drove this chassis to a 19th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May after winning the pole position for the event.

KYLE BUSCH ON HIS TEAM'S PERFORMANCE THIS YEAR COMPARED TO 2008: “Certainly 2008 was a special year. I feel like we’re a lot better than we’ve ever been. Dave Rogers (crew chief) and Chris Gayle (team engineer) and Ron Denton (team engineer) and all of the guys on my team have done a tremendous job at being able to put together great cars on and off the race track. From back at the shop, stemming from the guys that work on it, to the guys that do everything here at the race track — the ‘A Team’ we call them. We feel like we’ve been better prepared this year and certainly we don’t have the tally of eight wins, but we’re a lot more consistent I feel like. From race to race, we’re a lot more consistent where before we’d have a bad race and not be able to rebound from it.”

“I’m looking forward to the Chase. I feel like we’re in a good position. Certainly we’d like to have a few more wins, but if we don’t get them before the Chase starts, hopefully we can get them throughout the Chase and get ourselves some of those extra three bonus points that come with winning throughout the final 10.”

KYLE BUSCH CHASSIS CHOICE: Chassis No. 315 - This chassis will make its second-ever start in Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. In its first outing last month in the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Busch started a distant 29th but still managed to bring home a respectable 10th-place finish.

DAVID RAGAN ON MICHIGAN: “I’m excited to be back at Jack’s home track since Michigan is a track that has been good to us in the past. I’m looking forward to a good run in our UPS Ford to get our season back on track. We are taking our Indy car, which sat on the pole and was strong all day, so hopefully we can repeat some of that success.”

RAGAN CHASSIS CHOICE: Primary: RK-777 Last ran Indianapolis – finished 23rd; Backup: RK-711 Last ran Darlington – finished 21st.

DAVID REUTIMANN ON HIS GOALS FOR MICHIGAN: “We had a fast car in June and almost (qualified second) put the Aaron’s Dream Machine on the pole. We have a really good qualifying package at Michigan and our big track program here at MWR is really strong. Plus, we have made huge strides since we were there in June so I’m confident we’ll have a shot at the pole again. Our goal every weekend is to win and that never changes, but a place like Michigan favors us a little bit more than normal.”

MATT KENSETH ON MICHIGAN: “Michigan is one of my favorite tracks throughout the season and I always look forward to going to Michigan since it’s the Midwest and close to my home state of Wisconsin. We had a really great race here in June starting third and finishing second, and our whole organization usually has a lot of success at Michigan. It’s really important to have a good-handling car at Michigan since it’s a big sweeping track with plenty of room to pass. If you can get your car to handle the right way, you can have a lot of fun racing there. Racing at Michigan is also significant because the area is the headquarters for Roush Industries and Ford Motor Company, so it’s always a big weekend for us at a place we consider one of our home tracks.”

KENSETH CHASSIS CHOICE: Primary: RK-741 (last raced at Indy).

GREG BIFFLE ON MICHIGAN: “I love Michigan. It is my favorite track on the circuit and I’m really looking forward to going there. I like Michigan because I’ve had success there with wins in the Sprint Cup Series and the Truck Series. I also like that you can race three and four wide at a down force track. As a driver, you have so many options. You can run the bottom, middle or top. It is a strategy race and fuel mileage often comes into play – sometimes in your favor and sometimes not. I just like the way the track is laid out and I think you see good racing there.”

BIFFLE'S LAST RACE AT MICHIGAN: Greg Biffle took the lead on lap 13 and was on track for a solid top-five finish throughout most of the race. He was running third when a round of green-flag pit stops began on lap 152. Crew chief Greg Erwin called him to the pits on lap 154 for four tires and fuel. An untimely caution came out four laps later before the cycle was complete and Biffle was the first car one lap down in the 18th position. Because he was the Lucky Dog, he got back on the lead lap but was only able to pick up three positions in the closing laps.

KURT BUSCH ON RACING AT MICHIGAN: “We’ll be doing everything we possibly can to put our Dodge Charger into the winner’s circle this weekend at M.I.S. and party down with all our great friends at Dodge. All the manufacturers are located fairly close to the speedway and they all really want to win the races there. We have such a great relationship with all the folks at Dodge and they are super supporters of Penske Racing. We’ve been so proud to take Dodge to Victory Lane in the Sonoma (Infineon Raceway) points race and in the big Bud Shootout and qualifying race wins we had down in Daytona. A win at Michigan on Sunday would be great for Dodge and super for Shell, Pennzoil and all our sponsors.”

“Michigan is one track where you always come in there planning on it to have fuel mileage involved in the equation. It’s always been a track where there aren’t many cautions and that works to push the fuel mileage aspect to the top of the list as far as strategy goes.”

 
Posted : August 17, 2011 9:02 pm
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Edwards, Johnson 7-to-1 at Michigan
By: Brian Graham

The NASCAR circuit returns to Michigan International Speedway on Sunday for the second time in three months for the Pure Michigan 400. This 2-mile D-shaped oval course is comprised of 18-degree turns. The frontstretch measures 3,600 feet with a 12-degree incline, while the backstretch is just shy of 2,250 feet with a 5-degree incline.

Drivers to Watch

Kyle Busch (8/1) – He is now tied for first in the points standings with top-5 finishes in six of his past nine races. He finished runner-up at Pocono and placed third at Watkins Glen last week. With 10 top-3 finishes on the season, including at this very track in June, he’s always a strong bet, especially with favorable 8-to-1 odds.

Matt Kenseth (12/1) - He is one of three drivers with an average top-10 finish at Michigan, clocking in at 9.5. Kenseth has two victories in Michigan (2002 and 2006), as part of 11 top-5 finishes. Five of these have occurred in his past eight races at this track including a runner-up in June. He provides a pretty big payoff at 12-to-1.

Carl Edwards (7/1) - He has the best career average finish at Michigan with an impressive 6.2, thanks to nine top-5’s including two wins (2007 and 2008). With his current winless skid now reaching 19 races, he’s certainly hungry to taste victory, making him a solid play at 7-to-1.

Kurt Busch (8/1) –Although he’s had some bad luck at this track with three accidents and three engine failures inflating his career average finish to 20.0, Busch has also posted eight top-10’s and two victories at Michigan (2003 and 2007). With top-11 finishes in eight of his past 11 starts this season, he’s worth a Unit or two at 8-to-1.

Denny Hamlin (8/1) – He has finished third, second, first and first in his past four races in Michigan, improving his career average to 10.0 at this track, the third-best mark in the Sprint Cup Series. But Hamlin has only had one top-10 in the seven races since that last Michigan victory in June, including a 36th-place finish last week due to an accident. Don’t put too large of a wager on Hamlin to three-peat at this track.

Jimmie Johnson (7/1) – Despite his recent dominance on the circuit, Johnson has never won any of his 19 starts at Michigan and has a paltry 20.0 average finish in his past five races at this track. And since his lone win this season in Talladega, Johnson has only one top-3 finish in 14 races. Put your money elsewhere.

Joey Logano (30/1) - The youngster is starting to make some noise with top-6 finishes in four of his past seven races. He’s also done pretty well in Michigan, with top-10’s in three of his past four starts. At 30-to-1, Logano presents the best longshot odds in the field.

 
Posted : August 17, 2011 9:06 pm
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Pure Michigan 400 Preview
By Micah Roberts

As the season winds down with only four races to the chase remaining, we’re going to start seeing more tracks that we’ve visited already this season. This week it’s off to Michigan where manufacturer pride usually takes center stage, but this year’s second event is more about the Chase and all the scenarios with who will be one of the final 12 drivers to make it.

But just to keep track of where the manufacturers stand lately at Michigan, something the big three from the Motor City may try to down play, Toyota has won three of the last four there.

Denny Hamlin has won two of the last three races and his victory this year remains his only win of the season which has given him a slim lead for the final wild card spot in the chase. Without that win, Hamlin would behind two other drivers for the position. When Hamlin won the Michigan race, the perception among just about everyone was that he was back and the season long slump was over.

Hamlin had always dominated on tracks like Martinsville, Richmond and Pocono over his brief career, but couldn’t get it done in 2011. Winning at Michigan allowed the team to catch their breath and believe they were on the right path to success, but the very next week at Sonoma, Hamlin laid an egg with a 37th-place finish. He’s had only one top-10 finish since Michigan, a span of seven races.

However, things should be different this time around for Hamlin while also remaining the same. The same part lies within Hamlin’s consistency at Michigan. Only Carl Edwards (6.2) and Matt Kenseth (9.5) have a better average finish at Michigan than Hamlin (10.0). Sandwiched in between Hamlin’s two wins was a runner-up finish in this race last season.

Kenseth finished runner-up to Hamlin in June and at times looked to have the best car that day despite Greg Biffle leading the most laps. Kenseth led three times for 17 laps; only third-place finisher Kyle Busch led as times during the race. Over his career, Kenseth is a two-time Michigan winner with the last coming in 2006. He comes from the long line of Ford domination at the track that car owner Jack Roush considers home.

This week, Kenseth will be using his fifth-place Brickyard chassis, the same car that won at Texas and finished runner-up in the June Michigan race.

Roush-Fenway Racing have won 11 times at Michigan, tied for the most with the Wood brothers, but a Ford hasn't won there since 2008 with Edwards.

Edwards, like Kenseth, is also a two-time winner at Michigan and it was track where he made his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut. No matter what type of stretch Edwards is going through, you can pretty much expect a top-five out of him at Michigan. In 14 career starts, Edwards has nine top-five finishes. He'll be using his fifth-place Kentucky chassis this week.

Biffle is the third-stringer in the Roush stable, who is looking for his first win of the year and also sports two Michigan wins like his teammates. He’s in prime position to overtake Hamlin for the final wild card spot should he get a win and you had better believe that Roush will make every attempt to have Biffle‘s car as equally set-up as Edwards and Kenseth for this race because of Biffle‘s situation. This is the perfect place for Biffle to make up ground and get into the Chase.

Although David Ragan doesn’t have the Michigan credentials that his Roush teammates do, he does have something that Biffle doesn’t which is a win. One more win and he’ll pass Hamlin for the wild card with two wins on the season. He’s currently 23rd in points, but a win would move him up rapidly into the top-20 making him eligible. Just like Biffle, expect Roush to make special considerations for Ragan’s car this week in an attempt to push him into the final wild card spot with two wins. Ragan’s best finish at Michigan was third-place in 2008.

The strangest oddity dealing with this track is that Jimmie Johnson has never won on it, one of five on the circuit that the five-time champ has yet to win on. Michigan is so similar to its sister track in Fontana where Johnson dominates at, but Michigan has been barely out of reach. His last top-five at Michigan was third-place in 2007. He'll be trying for his best finish with a pretty good car this week. It last raced at Kansas where he finished third.

Look for a Roush Ford to win the race with Hamlin and the Busch brothers not too far behind. A solid long shot to take notice of is Paul Menard who will be using the same car that finished fourth in the June Michigan race.

Starting position has always been a key to winning at Michigan. Sixty-Five of the 84 races have been won from a top-10 start position with 46 winners coming from the top four spots. The double-file restarts make it easier for drivers to move up the last couple of years, but nevertheless, it does reveal that qualifying well is important, maybe more so than other similar tracks.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1) #17 Matt Kenseth (10/1)
2) #16 Greg Biffle (15/1)
3) #11 Denny Hamlin (12/1)
4) #99 Carl Edwards (6/1)
5) #2 Kurt Busch (10/1)

 
Posted : August 18, 2011 12:43 pm
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Driver Handicaps: Michigan
By: Jeff Wackerlin

To help you make your fantasy racing picks for the Pure Michigan 400, Motor Racing Network brings you our weekly detailed look at some of the field for the 200-lap event.

Who's HOT at Michigan
• Denny Hamlin has posted two wins and an average finish of 1.3 in the last three races.
• Two-time winner Carl Edwards leads all drivers with a 6.2 average finish.
• Two-time winner Matt Kenseth has only finished outside of the top 15 three times in 24 starts.
• Two-time Greg Biffle has posted an average finish of 9.5 in his last six starts.
• Brian Vickers has finished in the top 10 in his last six starts, including a win in 2009.
• Tony Stewart has finished seventh or better in four of his last five starts.
• Kevin Harvick is the defending race winner.
• Mark Martin, who finished ninth in June, leads all drivers with 30 top 10s.

Keep an Eye on at Michigan
• Jimmie Johnson has led the most laps (370) with the COT at Michigan.
• Kyle Busch is coming off his second top five with Joe Gibbs Racing at Michigan.
• Jeff Gordon has finished in the top five in three of his last five Michigan starts.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. has posted an average finish of 12.6 in the seven races with the COT
at Michigan.
• Brad Keselowski has posted a 4.0 average finish in the last three races of the season.
• Joey Logano has finished in the top 10 in three of his last four starts at Michigan.
• Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer have respective average finishes of 5.5 and 7.5 in the two
races on 2-mile speedways this season.
• Paul Menard will return in the same car that he finished fourth with at Michigan in June.
• Kurt Busch is coming off an 11th-place finish and second pole with Penske Racing at
Michigan.

MotorRacingNetwork.com Staff Picks

Jeff Wackerlin: Kyle Busch
Pete Pistone: Carl Edwards
Craig Moore: Matt Kenseth
Steve Blevins: AJ Allmendinger
John Singler: Brian Vickers
Ricky Hamber: Carl Edwards

Top 20 Driver Notes - Ordered by current standings

(All stats/notes are in regards to Michigan unless noted)

1. Kyle Busch: Coming off second top five (third) in 13 starts; 13.1 average finish in seven starts with Joe Gibbs Racing; 3.0 average finish and 210 laps led in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 315) that he finished 10th with at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last month.

2. Carl Edwards: Leads all active drivers with a 6.2 average finish; Two-time winner; 12th-place finish in 2010 June race is only finish outside top 10 in last nine races; 5.5 average finish and 30 laps led in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 765) that he finished fifth with at Kentucky Speedway last month.

3. Jimmie Johnson: Coming off third finish outside the top 20 (27th) in the last five races; Last of seven top 10s in 19 starts came in the 2010 June race in sixth; Has combined to lead 441 laps in last nine starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 669) that he recently finished third with at Kentucky Speedway last month.

4. Kevin Harvick: Defending event winner; Win was third top five in 21 starts; Led 60 of his 149 laps led in that event; 14.7 average finish; 7.5 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 373) in the Pure Michigan 400.

5. Matt Kenseth: Coming off 11th top five (second) in 24 starts; Last of two wins came in this event in 2006; 9.5 average finish; 3.0 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 741) that he finished fifth with at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last month.

6. Kurt Busch: Coming off an 11th-place finish and second pole with Penske Racing; Won this event in 2007 with Penske; 20.9 average finish in 11 starts with Penske; Posted one win in previous 10 starts with Roush Racing; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 744) that he last finished 10th with at Texas Motor Speedway in April.

7. Jeff Gordon: Respective finishes of 27th and 17th in last two races snapped streak of three consecutive top fives; Last of two wins came the 2001 June race; 11.6 average finish in 37 starts; Second among all drivers entered in this weekend's race with 900 laps led.

8. Ryan Newman: Coming off first top 10 in five starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; 19.8 average finish with SHR; Two wins in previous 15 starts with Penske Racing; 5.5 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011.

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr: Site of last win in 2008; 12.6 average finish in seven starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Posted five top 10s in previous 17 starts with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

10. Tony Stewart: Has finished seventh or better in five of his last seven starts; 8.4 average finish in five starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; 10.0 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 564) that he last finished seventh with at Michigan in June.

11. Clint Bowyer: Coming off third top 10 (eighth) in 11 starts; 7.5 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 368) that he finished 13th with at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July.

12. Denny Hamlin: Coming off second win in the last three races; Win was fifth consecutive top 10; Ranks third in average finish (10.0); Has combined to lead 146 laps in last five starts.

13. Greg Biffle: Has finished 15th or better in five of the last six races; Last of two wins came in the 2005 June race; 13.0 average finish and 68 laps led in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011.

14. Brad Keselowski: Has yet to finish in the top 20 in four starts; 27.5 average finish; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 753) that he won the pole and finished 19th with in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.

15. Paul Menard: Coming off first top 10 in 10 starts; 23.0 average finish; 10.0 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 326) that he finished fourth with at Michigan in June.

16. AJ Allmendinger: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in eight starts; Best finish came in the 2010 June race in 11th; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 742) that he last finished 28th with at Kentucky Speedway.

17. Joey Logano: 18th-place finish in June snapped streak of three consecutive top 10s; 14.0 average finish in four starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 319) that he won the pole with at Pocono Raceway earlier this month.

18. Mark Martin: 17.0 average finish, including one win, in five starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Previous four wins came in the 90s with Roush Racing; 13.5 average finish in 51 starts.

19. Kasey Kahne: Finished 28th in June in first track start with Team Red Bull; Last of six top fives in 15 starts came in the 2010 June race; Won the 2006 June race with Evernham Motorsports.

20. Juan Pablo Montoya: 30th-place finish in June raised finishing average to 23.0 in nine starts; Seventh-place finish in this event last year marked second top 10 in nine starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1108) that he raced at Michigan in June and was caught up in an on-track incident.

 
Posted : August 18, 2011 1:32 pm
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NASCAR Odds Like Hamlin In Michigan
By: Adam Markowitz

We're winding down to the end of the NASCAR betting regular season before the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins! With just four races to go before the Chase, 43 drivers will take to the track for the Pure Michigan 400.

The second race of the year at Michigan International Speedway gets started on Sunday, August 21 at 10:16 a.m. (PT). Live coverage is slated for ESPN.

The cut line right now between Tony Stewart in 10th place and Clint Bowyer in 11th is quite large at 25 points, so there are a number of drivers that are going to be vying for those two Wild Card slots. It seems as though Brad Keselowski is in the mix with two wins, which should make him one of the entrants into the Chase as long as he sticks in the Top 20.

The question marks like Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, and Greg Biffle are the drivers that we are really watching for this weekend to see if they can make a move up the ladder in the NASCAR standings.

Hamlin, a +800 favorite on the Don Best odds screen, was the winner of the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 on June 19, and he has dominated this track of late. In his last five races here in Brooklyn, MI, Hamlin has won twice and has four finishes in the Top 3.

With a win, Hamlin would have two victories on the season and virtually would not be able to be caught for a Wild Card berth whether he gets into the Top 10 by the middle of September or not.

The big question about Hamlin is going to be how he runs with his new engine. The switch is being made in his Joe Gibbs Racing machine and not in Kyle Busch's machine thanks to the fact that Busch is one of the co-leaders in the Sprint Cup standings.

Busch is also lined at +800 on the NASCAR betting lines. He's tied for the lead this year in trips to Victory Lane with three, and he has just missed over the last two weeks of winning for the fourth time. Busch ended up finishing third at the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen last week and was second at the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 the week before.

In the first race here at Michigan this season, Busch finished third, and he'll surely be one to watch out for this weekend as well.

Even though Carl Edwards has 14 Top 10 finishes in the 22 races this year, he just hasn't felt like a man that is truly dangerous on the track to win every single week. He hasn't finished better than fifth since June 26, and he hasn't won a race since way back on March 6.

However, Edwards is a great NASCAR pick this week at +700. Roush Racing has a great history here a Michigan International Speedway, and so does Edwards. He's got a pair of wins on this track already, and he has 12 Top 10 finishes in his 14 career races. That's more Top 10s than he has at any other track.

Weather won't be an issue this weekend. Temperatures are going to be in the high-70s or low-80s, and there is virtually no chance for rain.

 
Posted : August 18, 2011 9:35 pm
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Michigan 400: NASCAR Betting Preview and Picks
By Greg Engle

After a manic Monday on the road course at Watkins Glen, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the two-mile oval at Michigan International Raceway for Sunday’s Michigan 400.

The series last raced here in June but now only four races remain in the Sprint Cup Series regular season. These final four events, which will ultimately decide which 12 drivers race for the championship over the final 10 races, couldn’t look any different.

But first, Michigan’s high-speed oval must be tamed.

One of the best drivers at taming Michigan is this week’s favorite, Carl Edwards. Edwards is currently tied atop the point standings with Kyle Busch, but when it comes to MIS, the Roush-Fenway Racing team and Edwards are the ones to beat.

Team owner Jack Roush’s business ventures are headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, near the two-mile Brooklyn track. So it makes sense that his team is so strong here. The team has 11 wins at Michigan, which ties the Wood Brothers for most all-time.

Edwards, who has two of those wins, has an average finish of 6.2 at MIS. Coincidentally, Edwards’ first Sprint Cup Series start came at Michigan. He also has the highest driver rating among active drivers here and finished fifth in the June race. And as he heads back to Michigan, Edwards knows that what he needs is a win.

“I really like Michigan,” he told reporters. “It is fun, and our cars have been very good there. I feel like every time we go there we’ve got a chance to win. The last race I think we were leading when the caution came out at the end and we ended up fifth, but I felt like we could have won that one. I’m ready to go back. Our cars are better now than they were and that’ll be really cool.”

Edwards’ teammate Matt Kenseth is another driver to keep an eye on Sunday. Kenseth has the third-highest driver rating here and finished second in June.

Kenseth has been a quiet contender this season and enters Michigan fifth in points and has two wins this year. Like Edwards, he wants to add a victory to solidify his spot in the Chase.

The spoiler could very well be a driver who had a miserable outing at Watkins Glen Monday. Denny Hamlin is barely clinging on to a berth in the Chase and is desperate to win and move up from 12th place in the standings. Hamlin has one victory this year and that came at Michigan when the series was here in June. In fact, Hamlin has won two of the last three races at Michigan, so he is definitely one to watch.

Wildcard: After race No. 26, the Top-10 drivers earn spots in the 12-driver Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Spots 11 and 12 go to the drivers outside the Top 10 with the most wins, provided they are in the Top 20. This week, the driver who could steal the show is Kasey Kahne. Kahne is 19th in points and needs a win to have a shot at the Wildcard spot. He won at Michigan in 2006 and sat on the pole for this race last season.

Head-to-head: This week’s primetime matchup pits brother against brother with Kurt vs. Kyle Busch. Why isn’t either one of the Busch brothers among the favorites this week? Kyle has never won at Michigan and, other than a third-place showing last season, his record at Michigan isn’t exactly something to brag about. Kurt does have two wins here but his last one was four years ago and this season has been so hot and cold that his consistency is questionable. Kyle should be able console himself with the knowledge that he will probably finish in front of his older brother Sunday.

Kevin Harvick and Mark Martin have been off of everyone’s radar for awhile. Harvick was the hottest driver going early in the season but has cooled while Martin was expected to contend in his final year at Hendrick Motorsports as a full time driver. Harvick won this race last year while Martin leads all drivers with five wins overall at Michigan. Harvick has seemingly lost his early-season magic and, even though Martin last won here only two years ago, he hasn’t found what Harvick lost. Expect Harvick to finish ahead of Martin this weekend.

Bottom line: Sixty-five of 84 races at MIS have been won from a Top-10 starting position, including 46 from the first four spots. The deepest in the field a race winner has started was 32nd, by Mark Martin in last season’s June race.

Favorites

Carl Edwards (+700)
Matt Kenseth (+1,200)
Denny Hamlin (+800)

Wildcard

Kasey Kahne (+3,000)

 
Posted : August 19, 2011 8:26 pm
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NASCAR Practice Notes & Driver Ratings

This Week's Race: Pure Michigan 400 from Michigan International Speedway

Practice Notes at Michigan

Rating Driver Odds Practice 1 Qualified Practice 2 Michigan*
1 Matt Kenseth 12/1 1st 2nd 7th 2nd
Notes: Two-time winner with 9.5 average finish; using same chassis that won at Texas.

2 Greg Biffle 20/1 3rd 1st 4th 15th
Notes: Two-time winner with 12.4 average finish; led the most laps in the first Michigan race.

3 Jeff Gordon 8/1 7th 9th 5th 17th
Notes: Two-time winner, the last coming in 2001, with 11.6 average finish; 18 top-five finishes.

4 Kyle Busch 8/1 11th 17th 2nd 3rd
Notes: Two top-five finishes in 13 starts; using 10th-place Brickyard chassis this week.

5 Jimmie Johnson 7/1 26th 19th 3rd 27th
Notes: One of only five tracks yet to conquer; using third-place Kentucky chassis this week.

6 Paul Menard 50/1 6th 11th 10th 4th
Notes: Fastest average speeds and 10-consecutive lap average in practice 2; using chassis from June.

7 Mark Martin 50/1 4th 5th 1st 9th
Notes: Five-time winner, the last coming in 2009, with a 13.5 average finish in 51 starts.

8 Denny Hamlin 8/1 12th 4th 11th 3rd
Notes: Two wins and a runner-up in last three starts; using brand new TRD engine this week.

9 Kurt Busch 8/1 13th 13th 6th 11th
Notes: Two-time winner, the last coming in 2007; using 10th-place Texas chassis this week.

10 Carl Edwards 7/1 28th 22nd 14th 5th
Notes: Two-time winner with track best 6.6 average finish; using fifth-place Kentucky chassis.

* Results from the first Michigan race of season held June 19, 2011.

 
Posted : August 20, 2011 8:25 pm
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