FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’s Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson talk Michigan start and finish

Author: Dwight Drum racetake.com

Michigan International Speedway has sweeping 73-foot wide turns providing three and four grooves for drivers of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) to catch and pass one another.

The 2-mile tri-oval track with 18 degree banking did not disappoint during Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 as numerous lead changes, bold pit road strategies and fast competition pleased the abundant crowd.

PHOTO CREDIT: NASCARMEDIA

Although cautions happened, the day of racing was surprisingly free of crashes. Some cars scrapped the wall. Some ran low on fuel, but it was a speedy event where equipment failed—not drivers or teams.

Race 23 of 36 in the Sprint Cup Series in Brooklyn, Mich., was important for all wanting a win or good result, but for Chase contenders on the bubble the finish became tense.

Now only three races remain for some to win and move up, finish in the top-five to hold on or drop off and watch playoff hopes become distant.

The championship quest will be reserved for the top 12 soon. For a few winning drivers away from the cutoff and about 30 without wins or commanding points, it’s almost next year already.

Drivers are often prophetic with their comments before and after each race. Check out comments from winner Kyle Busch, runner-up Jimmie Johnson and third-place standout Brad Keselwoski before the green flag and after the checkered flag.

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Toyota) Finished first. (Started 17th)

Before the green flag:

“Certainly looking forward to getting back to Michigan—we had a nice run here earlier this year—finishing third. Getting to victory lane and going ‘woo hoo’ versus sitting on pit road and going ‘damn.’ There’s a difference.”

After the checkered flag:

“It’s so awesome to finally win here at Michigan and get Toyota in victory lane here at Michigan,” Busch said. “It feels good being so close to Detroit and everything.

“Today I could run the bottom and I could run the top. I just had to move around and figure things out. I can’t say enough about the fans, I appreciate their support. It’s great to be here in victory lane in Michigan and we clinched our Chase birth.”

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Chevrolet) Finished second. (Started 19th)

Before the green flag:

“I don’t know what it is about that track,” Johnson said. “We have been close several times. I think we ran out of gas leading a few times. 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.”

After the checkered flag:

“We took the first third of the race to get the car right,” Johnson said. After we got the car underneath me and I had confidence to race side by side with the other competitors, I think I started last or tail end because of a penalty we had to serve and drove my way into the top 10 or top 5, something like that.

“Once we had the car under me, we were in the game, had a shot at running in the top three.

“All in all, a very strong performance from us, a very big day for the confidence for the team, myself, and our ability to really recover from a slow start to a race and turn it around.”

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Dodge) Finished third. (Started sixth)

Before the green flag:

“Now we get to hit a stretch of tracks that I consider some of my best, beginning this weekend at Michigan,” Keselowski said. “I have so much confidence in this team that I feel we can go to any track and challenge for the win. The path that we’re on right now is exactly what I wanted to build when I came over to Penske Racing.”

After the checkered flag:

“We were decent today, about a fifth to 10th-place car,” Keselowski said. “We probably finished better than what we had in the car. It was a solid day. I’m proud of my team and the whole Miller Lite Dodge Charger effort here. We gained some points and had another solid run.

“Right before the Chase is always the right time to peak, you just hope you can carry that momentum in the Chase.”

FYI WIRZ is the select presentation of topics by Dwight Drum @ Racetake.com.

Unless otherwise noted, quotes and information were obtained from official release materials provided by NASCAR and team representatives.

Author: Dwight Drum racetake.com