SHOW #171 – Well of course we missed the Danica Patrick announcement, but we still chat about all things Michigan and Montreal. Plus we preview the Bristol under the lights weekend. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Paul Northrop (About 40 mins)
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.
BROOKLYN, Mich.—Michigan finally unrolled the welcome mat for Kyle Busch, the first official member of the 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Busch got his first Sprint Cup Series victory at Michigan International Speedway in his 14th start at the 2.0-mile track, holding off Jimmie Johnson in a green-white-checkered-flag finish to win Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400.
Busch beat Johnson to the finish line by .568 seconds to claim his series-best fourth victory of the season and the 23rd of his career. Busch kept Johnson winless at Michigan, one of five active tracks on the Cup circuit where the five-time champion hasn’t been to victory lane.
Brad Keselowski continued his recent surge with a third-place run, followed by Mark Martin and Ryan Newman. Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth completed the top 10.
1 17 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota
2 19 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet
3 6 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
4 5 5 Mark Martin CARQUEST / GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
5 3 39 Ryan Newman WIX Filters Chevrolet
6 9 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet
7 14 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
8 35 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios / Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
9 18 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet
10 2 17 Matt Kenseth Kroger Ford
11 29 43 AJ Allmendinger Best Buy Ford
12 7 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
13 30 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing / Farm American Chevrolet
14 8 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard / AMP Energy Chevrolet
15 28 47 Bobby Labonte Kingsford / Bush’s Baked Beans Toyota
16 26 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
17 32 31 Jeff Burton CAT Financial Chevrolet
18 12 00 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota
19 15 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
20 1 16 Greg Biffle Pure Michigan Ford
RACE RECAP | MICHIGAN
10 Matt Kenseth
9 Tony Stewart
8 Clint Bowyer
7 Kasey Kahne
6 Jeff Gordon 22,000 career laps led
5 Ryan Newman
4 Mark Martin
3 Brad Keselowski continues to run strong, 3rd straight top 3 finish
2 Jimmie Johnson moves to second in points
VICTORY LANE
1 Kyle Busch wins his 4th race this season and first ever Cup Series victory at Michigan. Kyle also clinches his spot in the Chase
BROOKLYN, Mich.—Kevin Harvick outran Timothy Peters in a green-white-checkered-flag finish at Michigan International Speedway, and with Nelson Piquet Jr. slamming the inside backstretch wall behind him, claimed his second straight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in Saturday’s VFW 200.
The victory was owner/driver Harvick’s second in four starts this season and the 11th of his career.
Peters ran second, followed by Miguel Paludo, James Buescher and David Starr. Jason White, Ron Hornaday Jr., Brendan Gaughan, Colin Braun and Cole Whitt completed the top 10.
Harvick, who became the first driver to win at Michigan in all three of NASCAR’s top touring series, avoided a vicious multicar collision on Lap 90—initiated by contact between the trucks of Parker Kligerman and Mark Martin—to put himself in position to win.
1 16 Greg Biffle Pure Michigan Ford 37.826 190.345
2 17 Matt Kenseth Kroger Ford 37.853 190.209
3 39 Ryan Newman WIX Filters Chevrolet 37.980 189.573
4 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota 38.036 189.294
5 5 Mark Martin CARQUEST / GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 38.057 189.190
6 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge 38.094 189.006
7 6 David Ragan UPS Ford 38.149 188.734
8 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard / AMP Energy Chevrolet 38.162 188.669
9 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet 38.176 188.600
10 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet 38.204 188.462
11 27 Paul Menard Duracell / Menards Chevrolet 38.221 188.378
12 00 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 38.226 188.353
13 22 Kurt Busch Shell Pennzoil Dodge 38.251 188.230
14 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota 38.275 188.112
15 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 38.280 188.088
16 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford 38.286 188.058
17 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota 38.297 188.004
18 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet 38.298 187.999
The Final Lap with Kerry Murphey featuring NASCAR News, Rumors, Opinions, Interviews, and more. Check out our nationally syndicated Radio Shows, free NASCAR Podcasts, and Videos
SHOW #171 – Well of course we missed the Danica Patrick announcement, but we still chat about all things Michigan and Montreal. Plus we preview the Bristol under the lights weekend. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Paul Northrop
