NASCAR Race Review: Pure Michigan 400

Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. Sunday afternoon, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was at the Michigan International Speedway for the Pure Michigan 400 race, the twenty-third race of the season. Starting from the Pole is 16 Greg Biffle with a speed of 190.345 mph and 37.826 seconds around this two mile D-shaped oval. Team mate 17 Matt Kenseth starts next to him on the front row. Johnny Sauter, Erik Darnell and T. J. Bell failed to qualify for the race. 11 Denny Hamlin won the race here in the Irish Hills of Brooklyn, MI. in the Spring. Can he sweep the track? The nice thing about this track is there is lots of room to race, so there are few caution laps. However, debris usually finds its way to the grills of the cars. Jeff Gordon is chasing his 85th win to be third all time by himself.

16 Biffle chooses the outside and leads from the pole. 2 Brad Keselowski gets by 11. 14 Tony Stewart drives under 27 Paul Menard. 29 Kevin Harvick drives under 14. 17 has trash on the grill. The first caution comes out for debris on the track on lap 29. 32 Ken Schrader gets back on the lead lap. The leaders all pit, except 13 Casey Mears, who stays out to lead before stepping aside for the leaders. 29 misses a lug nut and has to come back in to put it on. 48 Jimmie Johnson makes a second pit stop. 16 comes out first and again chooses the outside. 99 Carl Edwards is in the pits with the hood up and they push him to the garage.

24 Jeff Gordon gets by 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for fifth. 4 Kasey Kahne drives around 88 for sixth. 17 Kenseth takes the lead. (16 had trash on the grill so he got behind 17 to get it off.) The second caution comes out and 5 Mark Martin leads out of the pits with 16 right behind. 16 takes the lead. 43 A. J. Allmendinger  gets sideways and makes a nice save. There is a round of Green Flag Pitting. 48 leads, then makes a pit stop, with the right rear tire outside the box. (This is legal. That is the only tire that can be outside the box.) 71 Andy Lally leads before pitting himself. They are four wide on the track. After all the pitting, 16 is back in the lead. 48 and 22 Kurt Busch race side by side without getting into one another.

16 and 18 Kyle Busch battle for the lead and 18 takes the lead. The third caution comes out. 4 takes two tires and comes out first to lead the way. 17 takes the lead. 11 scuffs the wall. 24 Jeff Gordon and 17 battle for the lead and 24 takes the lead. 17 takes the lead so 24 can get the trash off the grill and 24 retakes the lead, minus the trash. 29 scrapes the wall. There is another round of Green Flag Pitting. 17, 24 and 18 battle for the lead and 24 takes the lead. 17 and 18 race side by side for second and 18 takes the spot. 48 gets by 17 for third. The fourth caution comes out when 36 Dave Blaney runs out of fuel on the track coasting to the pits while others are about to make their pit stops.

48 had already made his pit stop and stays out to lead. At the restart 48 takes off. 18 gets by 17 for second. 24 gets by 17 and races side by side with 18 for second. 2 pushes 17 by 24. 88 dives to the bottom to get by 5 and 16. 2 gets by 17 for third. 18 takes the lead from 48. 5 drives under 24 to remove trash. 22 scrapes the wall. 5 gets by 17 and 17 crosses over to get by 5. The fifth caution comes out when 22 blows a tire and gets into the wall. 9 Marcos Ambrose is in his pit stall sideways.

This will be the first attempt at a Green, White Checker Finish. 18 chooses the outside, next to 48. 18 side drafts 48 to lead and wins the Pure Michigan 400. This is his fourth win this year and his first at Michigan. Johnson finishes second followed by Keselowski, Martin, Ryan Newman, Gordon, Kahne, Clint Bowyer, Stewart and Kenseth for the top ten. There were nine different leaders, with Biffle leading the most laps. Kyle was tied for first in points heading into the race and now is in sole position of the points lead. Johnson and Harvick pick up a spot as Edwards falls two spots. Kenseth stays in fifth. Gordon and Newman each move up a spot as Kurt Busch falls two spots. Earnhardt, Jr. and Stewart remain ninth and tenth.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley. I love NASCAR racing.

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NASCAR Race Review: NAPA Auto Parts 200

Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. The twenty-fourth race of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season, the NAPA Auto Parts 200, was raced at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. This is a 2.7 mile nearly flat road course in Montreal Canada. Many road course aces are in this race on Saturday afternoon. Cup drivers Marcos Ambrose and Carl Edwards were not there for qualifying, as they were at Michigan International Speedway for the race in the Sprint Cup Series. Trevor Bayne, a Nationwide regular was also in Michigan. They will have to start the race from the rear. 22 Jacques Villeneuve starts from the pole with a speed of 95.800 mph and 101.800 seconds around the track. Fellow Canadian, 12 Alex Tagliani, starts next to him on the front row.

22 Villeneuve leads the first lap from the Pole. 60 Carl Edwards pits for fuel. 16 Trevor Bayne spins, but gets going, so there is no caution. 12 pits for fuel after four laps. 99 Patrick Carpentier  pits for fuel, as does 6 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 38 Jason Leffler leads when 22 pits. 62 Michael Annett gets up into 7 Danica Patrick and spins. 33 Scott Speed leads when 38 pits. 32 Reed Sorenson has to come back in for a missing lug nut. 19 Mike Bliss is too fast exiting pit road.

81 Maryeve  Dufault spins around the corner and tries to get going, only to sit in the middle of the corner as others try to race by, bringing out the first caution. 39 Luis Martinez, Jr. gets back onto the lead lap. 30 Boris Said comes in for an adjustment. 22 leads 12 and 66 Steve Wallace at the restart. 23 Alex Kennedy spins and there is a Blue Flag in that corner for the others to slow down. 53 Andrew Ranger blows up and pulls the car off the track. 77 Robby Gordon bets by 18 Michael McDowell. 9 Marcos Ambrose makes a pit stop. 66 is too fast entering the pits. 77 takes the lead when 22 pits.

The second caution comes out for 52 Louis-Philippe Dumoulin stuck on the track. 87 Joe Nemechek gets the free pass. At the restart, 22 gets off track into 9. 5 Ron Fellows takes the lead. Many cars are smoking the brakes. 9 spins 22. They both pit for repairs. 12 takes the lead from 5. 7 Danica Patrick is having brake problems and pits. The third caution comes out and 7 heads back into the pits with no brakes. 5 takes the lead after moving 18 out of the way. 62 gets by 18. 66, 99 and 62 are three wide and 66 and 99 get together with 99 spinning.

The fourth caution comes out when 15 Timmy Hill and 23 Alex Kennedy get together and 23 crashes. 12 takes the lead from 5. 60 misses turn one and has to stop and let everyone by. 5 makes a pit stop. The fifth caution is for debris (a tire) on the track. 9 leads, with 18 beside him. 77 gets around 12 for third. 66 gets by 31 Justin Allgaier for fifth. 81 gets turned around again, but this time she gets going again. Patrick Carpentier pulls the 99 car off the track and watches his last race from the stands.

77 rams 12, damaging the radiator and blows up the car, bringing out the sixth caution for oil on the track. 9 and 18 lead. 12 gets by 18 for second. 66 gets by 18 for third. 32 gets spun around. 18 drives inside 66. 33 is overheating, shooting water out. 6 blows up on the final lap. 11 Brian Scott goes off the track. 9 Marcos Ambrose wins the NAPA Auto Parts 200, a week after winning the Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen. There are sprinkles as the Checker Flag flies. There were seven leaders and ten lead changes. The average speed was 70.048 mph. Alex Tagliani finished second followed by Michael McDowell, Steve Wallace, J. R. Fitzpatrick, Scott Speed, Carl Edwards, Justin Allgaier, Jason Leffler and Elliott Sadler for the top ten. In points, Stenhouse, Jr. stays in first. Sadler and Sorenson trade second and third. Allgaier and Aric Almirola trade fourth and fifth. Followed by Leffler, Kenny Wallace, Steve Wallace, Scott and Annett for the top ten.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley. I love NASCAR racing.

NASCAR Race Review: VFW 200

Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series raced the VFW 200 race at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday. 88 Matt Crafton, fastest in practice, starts on the Pole position  with a speed of 177.489 mph and 40.566 seconds around the 2 mile D-shaped oval. 5 Todd Bodine starts next to him on the front row. This was Matt’s fifth career pole. Cup drivers, Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch, are the ones to beat for this race. Colin Braun is back in a Ford Truck, the 51.

The Trucks are five wide in turn 2. 88 Crafton leads from the pole. 60 Cole Whitt and 9 Max Papis get together with 9 getting into the wall. They both pit. 2 Kevin Harvick side drafts by 33 Ron Hornaday into second. 32 Mark Martin gets by 33 for third. The first caution comes out for debris. 60 Cole Whitt gets back onto the lead lap. 2 pits from second.

The second caution comes out for 22 Joey Coulter sliding into the wall and onto the grass. 5, 51 and 22 were three wide. 5 tried to force his way  through the middle, bangs 51 and clips 22 sending 22 spinning. 6 Justin Lofton gets his lap back. For the restart, 88 and 32 are on the front row. 88 pulls away and 2 gets by 32. 2 and 88 battle for the lead and 32 takes second from 2. 9 has a tire rub. 18 kyle Busch gets by 2 for third. 88 and 32 battle for the lead and 32 takes the lead. 88 and 18 race side by side for second and 18 finally gets by.

32 pits and 3 Austin Dillon leads. 13 Johnny Sauter is loose and makes a pit stop. 3 pits and 18 leads. 18 pits and 6 leads before he pits. 22 leads. 32 is back in the lead after the Green Flag Pitting. 5 has the bumper guard dragging and gets Black Flagged. 18 is slow on the track and heads for the garage. The side glass from one of the trucks got into his radiator. 13 drives under 88. 88 runs out of fuel and is slow on the track. The third caution comes out. 32 and 3 are on the front row for the restart, 13 dives low and takes the lead. 32 takes the lead back with a push from 29 Parker Kligerman. 13 gets sideways.

The fourth caution comes out when 7 Miguel Paludo takes the air off of 13 and 13 slides into the inside wall. At the restart, 2 drives under 32 and 29 to take the lead. The fifth caution comes out as 2 takes the lead. 29 gets loose into 32 and they both spin with 3 on top with nowhere to go. 29 then can’t see with the hood up and smashes into 3 again. 13 comes in for repairs. 2 and 7 battle for the lead. 22 blows a tire, bringing out the sixth caution for debris. 5 Todd Bodine gets back onto the lead lap.  This will be the first attempt at a Green White Checker Finish. 8 nelson Piquet, Jr. spins into the inside wall, racing 7. And the Caution and Checkered Flags come out. 2 Kevin Harvick wins his second NCWTS win in a row. He says “It wasn’t pretty, but we’ll take it.” This was his eleventh Truck win. He was followed by 17 Timothy Peters, 7 Paludo, 31 James Buescher, 81 David Starr, 23 Jason White, 33 Hornaday, 62 Brendan Gaughan, 51 Braun and 60 Whitt. In points, Sauter and Buescher move up a spot while Dillon moves down two spots into third. Peters, Whitt and Crafton stay in fourth, fifth and sixth. Hornaday moves up two spots into seventh while Coulter and Kligerman fall a spot. Bodine remains in tenth.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley. I love NASCAR racing.

 

 

NASCAR Racing This Weekend: Michigan And Canada

Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is racing in the Irish Hills of Michigan at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mi. for the Pure Michigan 400 race on Sunday. This is the twenty-third race of the season. MIS is a two mile D-Shaped oval with lots of room to race and pass. A favorite track of mine, with few caution flags. Practice was this morning, with 17 Matt Kenseth being the fastest in the first practice and came out last in Coors Light Pole Qualifying Friday afternoon. He will start the race from the front row in second. 16 Greg Biffle captured the pole with a speed of 190.345 mph and 37.826 seconds around the two mile track. 39 Ryan Newman, 11 Denny Hamlin and 5 Mark Martin round out the top five starting positions. Johnny Sauter, driving the Robby Gordon 7 car, 46 Erik Darnell and 50 T. J. Bell will not be racing the Pure Michigan 400 on Sunday.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is also in Michigan for the VFW 200. 89 Chris Lafferty was slowest in practice and will be the first driver to qualify on Saturday morning. 13 Johnny Sauter, 29 Parker Kligerman, 88 Matt Crafton, 3 Austin Dillon and 32 Mark Martin will be the last to qualify. They will race on Saturday.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series travels to the road course, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada for the NAPA Auto Parts 200. This track is a 2.7 mile road course and many Canadians will be attempting to qualify for this race. Pole Qualifying took place Friday afternoon, although it was not televised. 22 Jacque Villeneuve (yes, son of track owner) will start from the pole with a speed of 101.800(!) mph and 95.800(!) seconds around the track. 12 Alex Tagliani will start next to him on the front row. 38 Jason Leffler and 33 Scott Speed are in the second row. 18 Michael McDowell, 66 Steve Wallace, 99 Patrick Carpentier, 23 Alex Kennedy and 31 Justin Allgaier round out the top ten starting positions. They will race on Saturday. 60 is Billy Johnson, in for Cup driver, Carl Edwards. Many road course experts are in this race.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley. I love NASCAR racing.

NASCAR Race Review: Good Sam RV Insurance 500

Welcome NASCAR race fans to my NASCAR blog. Sunday the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series raced in the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 at Pocono Raceway in the mountains of Long Pond, PA. This massive “tricky triangle” is 2.5 miles long with three different Turns with three different lengths of straightaway between them. Saturday Coors Light Pole Qualifying took place before the rain came and 20 Joey Logano captured the Pole with a speed of 172.055 mph and 52.309 seconds around the track. This was his third Pole and second at Pocono. 4 Kasey Kahne will start the race next to him on the front row. Geoff Bodine, T. J. Bell and Mike Skinner failed to qualify for the race.

Sprint is having a Sprint Summer Showdown. It started with the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and goes on to Pocono Raceway, Watkins Glen International, Michigan International Speedway, and Bristol Motor Speedway. Paul Menard has already qualified by winning the Brickyard 400 at Indy. The winner of this race and the next three races will qualify also. If one of those qualified drivers wins the following race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he will win $1 million, as will a fan that chose the winner and the driver’s favorite charity. Three million dollars to win the Sprint Summer Showdown. Pretty cool, huh? Good for Sprint. I remember Winston did this several times for Winston Cup.

So, here we go with the race review! 20 Logano leads from the Pole. 48 Jimmie Johnson gets by 27 Paul Menard. 16 Greg Biffle and 48 get by 31 Jeff Burton. 29 Kevin Harvick and 18 Kyle Busch get by 56 Martin Truex, Jr. 11 Denny Hamlin drives around 4 Kahne for second. 22 Kurt Busch gets by 4 for third. 99 Carl Edwards gets by 18 for fifth. 39 Ryan Newman drives under 29 for seventh.

The first caution comes out as 18 spins onto pit road from sixth place on Lap 13. He makes a pit stop while pit road is closed and will have to restart from the rear of the field. 37 Scott Speed and 13 Casey Mears stay out, but head for the pits before the restart. 20 comes out of the pits first to lead. 22 takes the lead. 11 drives under 20 for second. 16 has a tire rub after contact with 17 Matt Kenseth at the restart.

The second caution comes out when 6 David Ragan backs into the wall after trying to drive under 00 David Reutimann. 83 Brian Vickers has engine trouble and is being pushed in the pits to the garage. For the restart on lap 27, 22 is outside and 11 is inside. 16 changes lanes before the Line and has to make a pass-through penalty. 18 drives under 29. 11 takes the lead. 18 and 48 race for tenth and 18 gets the spot. 39 gets by 99 for fourth. 11 starts Green Flag Pitting. 22 leads, then pits. 99 leads. 47 Bobby Labonte leads, as does 51 Landon Cassill. After it all, 11 is back in the lead. 2 Brad Keselowski (he was hurt testing earlier in the week and broke his ankle, making it hard for im to brake) slides through his stall and has to back up to be serviced. 18 drives under 22 for second.

Green Flag Pitting starts again. 11 pits and 20 leads. 99 gets by 22 for third. 18 takes the lead. And there is another round of Green Flag Pitting. 1 Jamie McMurray left his pit stall with the jack stuck under the car and is penalized for removing equipment. The third caution comes out at half way for debris. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya gets back onto the lead lap. For the restart, 20 and 11 are on the front row. 48 gets by 22 for third. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. drives under 22. 22, 88 and 18 are three wide for position. 18 gets by, 88 gets by 22. 24 Jeff Gordon slides in front of 39.

There is rain in Turn 3 and the fourth caution comes out. 14 Tony Stewart gets back onto the lead lap. Before the caution came out for rain, 2 and 22 came to pit road hoping the rain would stop and the race would resume. The pace car brings them to pit road and the Red Flag comes out with Logano doing a rain dance.

The sun comes back out and they dry the track. They will get a pit stop before the restart. 22 and 2 stay out. 22 leads. 20 and 18 get by 2. 18 drives under 20. 99 and 88 race side by side and 31 makes it three wide. 39 and 5 Mark Martin push 99 past 31. 48 drives under 20. 9 Marcos Ambrose bounces off the wall. 31 is falling back and makes a pit stop, starting another round of Green Flag Pitting. 48 has a vibration, but when they change tires it goes away.

18 and 22 battle for the lead and 18 takes the lead. 24 and 20 start another round of Green Flag Pitting for their final stop. 16 leads while on pit road. 14 leads. After it all, 18 is back in the lead. The fifth caution comes out with 21 laps to go. 4 was on the outside near the wall, 42 didn’t know he was there and ran up the track into 4 and both into the wall. 34 David Gilliland gets the free pass.

18 and 2 are on the front row for the restart and 18 chooses the inside. 48 dives down, making it three wide up front. 18 is distracted by 48 making a Kyle-like move and 2 takes the lead with 15 Laps to go. 20 has a tire going down and has to make a pit stop. 18 closes in on 2 but 2 pulls away around Turn 3. 48 is worrying 22. 48 and 22 race side by side and 22 gets into 48. 48 gets a tire rub. (They have words after the race.) 18 can’t get close enough to 2 to take the lead away. And 2 Brad Keselowski wins the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 at the Pocono Raceway with a broken ankle and hurt back. (Beating media favorite Kyle Busch.) This is his second win this year and third career win, and puts him into the top twenty, in contention to make the chase.

Kurt Busch finished third, followed by Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Paul Menard for the top ten. Denny Hamlin led the most laps and finished fifteenth. There were nine different leaders. Now Paul Menard and Brad Keselowski are qualified for the Sprint Summer Showdown. Carl Edwards keeps the points lead and Jimmie Johnson stays in second. Kyle Busch moves up a spot to third, Kurt Busch moves up two spots to fourth while Keven Harvick falls two spots to fifth and Matt Kenseth falls a spot to sixth. Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. round out the top ten.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley. I love NASCAR racing.