Fantasy Racing Scouting Report – Michigan

[box]This post is a recap of what happened at Michigan in June[/box]

Michigan Top Ten Starters

1. Kevin Harvick
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Aric Almirola
5. Paul Menard
6. Brad Keseloewski
7. Jimmie Johnson
8. Kurt Busch
9. Joey Logano
10. Brian Vickers

Michigan Full Starting Lineup

Michigan Pre-race Notes

Juan Pablo Montoya used this race as a “tune up” for Indy

David Stremme started in the back

Paul Menard won the Nationwide Series race the day before.

Michigan Race Notes

Kevin Harvick won the pole and choose the outside lane. He lead the first 18 laps of the race.

On the first lap Brian Vickers who started in 10th got into the wall in turn 4 all by himself. When he came down the track Travis Kvapil hit him. The damage to both cars was heavy. Vickers finished 42nd and Kvapil finished 43rd. What happened is Vickers went outside of the race groove, lost his nose and slid up into the wall.

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On lap 7 on the back straightaway Kasey Kahne and Kyle Larson spun. They were running around the low double digits at the time. Martin Truex Jr. got some damage to the nose of his car when he ran into Kyle Larson while he was spinning. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had some contact with the wall during this incident. Larson got damage to the back of his car which actually gave him an aero advantage for the rest of the race. Larson was running in 12th at the time.

Kurt Busch drifted up the track on lap 15 and went from 5th to 9th.

Tony Stewart started in 26th and was up to 13th on lap 15.

Running order on lap 16: 4,24,22,43,48,27,88,18,41,2 … 15,1,14,51,3,31,21,20,99,9 … 11,16,47,12,34,9,5,42,17,13 … 10

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Jeff Gordon passed Kevin Harvick for the lead on lap 19 using the outside groove.

Tony Stewart was up in 8th on lap 34.

Jeff Gordon said his water pressure gauge wasn’t working on lap 35.

Running order on lap 37: 24,4,48,22,27,88,2,14,43,18 … 41,51,1,15,3,31,21,20,9,16 … 11,42,10,12,5,13,38,17

During his first pit stop Kyle Busch said his car was a handful at the start of a run but it came to life late in a run.

Danica Patrick said she had gear problems during her first pit stop.

Denny Hamlin said he had no security on entry during his first pit stop.

Tony Stewart had a good long run car said he liked it during his first pit stop.

Running order on lap 50: 24,4,48,27,22,88,2,14,18,1 … 41,43,3,51,15,31,20,21,9,42 … 16,11,47,10,5,13,12,99,7,17

Kevin Harvick passed Jeff Gordon for the lead on lap 57

The strength of Jeff Gordon’s car was being good over long runs.

Jimmie Johnson was happy with his handling.

Running order on lap 73 under caution: 4,24,48,22,88,2,27,14,18,1 … 41,43,3,15,51,31,42,20,21,9 … 11,5,10,47,16,13,12,99,17

During that caution Jimmie Johnson got the lead by having the fastest 2 tire pit stop.

All the Roush cars were a lap down by lap 73.