MICHIGAN PROMISES MORE DRAMA
Race should be most interesting at track in years
BROOKLYN, MICH. NASCAR will keep close tabs on body slams and loose lug nuts at Michigan International Speedway this weekend.
Jack men and tire changers, beware of the eye in the sky, otherwise known as Fox Sports.
If you put a dent in the side of a race car to improve the car’s aerodynamic handling — as a member of Brad Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford crew allegedly did with a body check at Pocono Raceway on Monday — or you leave a lug nut off the wheel to save time during pit stops, you’ll be swiftly dealt with.
The drama of recent weeks whets the appetite for Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400, the 15th Sprint Cup race of the season.
With NASCAR’s new lowerdownforce aero package thrown in, the Cup race promises to be the most interesting at Michigan in years.
There’s plenty of other good stuff for fans as Kevin Harvick leads Kurt Busch and Keselowski atop the standings heading into Michigan.
First, top speeds likely will be down from recent races at MIS, but taking more downforce off the cars should result in closer racing through the turns and more passing, too.
Saving fuel at Michigan long has been a smart move, and that has nothing to do with the price of gas. Many races have been won there on a sniff of gas and good calls from the pit box by crew chiefs.
Will cars get better fuel mileage at MIS with the new downforce package?
NASCAR’s super teams all should be in the hunt Sunday.
It’s almost a sure bet that a Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing or Stewart-Haas Racing driver will finish in the top three.
But don’t leave out a little team that can, such as Furniture Row Racing, whose driver, Martin Truex Jr., is ninth in Cup points; Wood Brothers Racing, with young Ryan Blaney in 15th; or JTG Daugherty Racing, with AJ Allmendinger in 17th.
MIS always has been, until the last couple of years anyway, the “house that Jack built.”
Roush Fenway Racing, with team owner Jack Roush at the helm, made MIS home with drivers such as Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards recording victories there for the “Cat in the Hat.”
Right now, the Roush magic is not there. The team hasn’t won at Michigan since June 2013, when Biffle gave Ford its 1,000th victory in NASCAR and Roush its most recent Cup win.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the leading Roush driver at 19th in points, followed by Trevor Bayne at 20th and Biffle at 25th.
While there have been some encouraging runs here and there from Stenhouse and Bayne, Roush has fallen well behind rival Ford outfit Team Penske, which has Keselowski third in points and Joey Logano eighth.
Roush, his drivers and Ford Performance all are committed to pulling the team out of the long slump.
Will it happen Sunday at Michigan International Speedway?
What to watch for at Michigan
racing (hopefully) brought to you by the new NASCAR mandated lower-downforce aero package.
Newman (Richard Childress Racing) vs. Logano (Team Penske) in Round 2 after contact at Pocono Raceway.
Fenway Racing ’s counterattack after a long list of losing battles in the last couple of seasons.
Patrick (StewartHaas Racing) as she tries to drive to victory lane despite her many doubters.
lane violations for body modifications, stray lug nuts and speeding in the pits.
SAFER barriers on the frontstretch and backstretch.
Penske’s attempt to win at MIS in his 50th year as a race-team owner.
Stewart (Stewart-Haas Racing) in his penultimate race at Michigan.