Big 3 running strong with Michigan next

NASCAR’s Big 3 has essentially lapped the competition.

Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. have combined to win 16 of 22 races and haven’t allowed the field to win consecutive races with points at stake this year. Of the other 56 drivers who have started a race, only Clint Bowyer has won twice.

That could potentially change Sunday in the Consumers Energy 400 at Brooklyn, Mich., because Chase Elliott won last week at Watkins Glen.

Chances are, though, one of the series’ top three drivers will finish first.

Busch and Truex drive a Toyota, and Harvick is in a Ford. Clearly, it helps to have one of those manufacturers on your side this season.

Toyota drivers have won 11 races and Ford has nine first-place finishes.

“They got everything together,” Ryan Newman, who drives the No. 31 Chevy, said on Saturday after practice. “They’ve got great downforce, horsepower, tires. Drivers are doing their job and collectively their organizations are strong.”

Xfinity Series

Justin Allgaier passed rookie Austin Cindric with four laps left and held on Saturday to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Cindric, the pole-sitter for Team Penske, finished 2.05 seconds back after leading 59 of the 75 laps on the 2.258-mile road course.

Truck Series

Brett Moffitt passed Jimmy Sauter just before the finish line Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn for his fourth NASCAR Truck Series win of the season.

Moffitt edged Sauter — the leader the previous 12 laps — by 0.025 seconds.