Pure Michigan 400 Top Tier Elite Deadline Analysis
Matt Kenseth
What I said about him earlier this week:
Kenseth had a fast Ford in June. He started in sixth and led 17 laps early. He had an average running position of 7th and finished 3rd. His third place finish was his 4th consecutive top ten at MIS. Michigan was repaved last fall but it still races a lot like it did in years past. Last season Kenseth was very good at Michigan. In August he finished 10th and had a third place average running position. In June (2011) he finished 2nd, led 17 laps and had the best driver rating (130.1). In 26 races Kenseth has two wins and 17 top tens. My Michigan prediction is that Kenseth will win the Pure Michigan 400
Starting Position:
4th
Average Practice Speed Rankings
15th
Chassis Selection:
Matt Kenseth will be using the chassis he used in the All-Star Race and finished 3rd with.
Pit Stall Location:
Matt Kenseth is pitting in pit stall #43. This is the first pit box on pit road. He has a clear entrance into his pit box and likely start and parker Reed Sorenson is pitting in front of him.
What to expect / Areas of concern:
When Matt Kenseth starts up front look for good things to happen. I don’t believe he’s shown his hand for the weekend yet. I think he’ll be one of the drivers to beat.
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Greg Biffle
What I said about him earlier this week:
If you’re a driver rating fan you’ll love Biffle. Since 2008 he has the best driver rating in the series at Michigan (109.9). In June his driver rating was second only to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s (129.8). His performance was unquestionably “Top Tier Elite” worthy. He started in 3rd, finished in 4th and had an average running position of 4th. He also led the second most laps (38). Last season at MIS Biffle had good cars but didn’t finish good in either race. In 19 Michigan races Biffle has two wins and 11 top ten finishes. This season Biffle has been very good on fast high speed intermediate tracks. On them he has a 6.3 average finish and the most top five finishes (5).
Starting Position:
13th
Average Practice Speed Rankings
4th
Chassis Selection:
Greg Biffle will be piloting the chassis he finished 4th with at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Pit Stall Location:
Greg Biffle will be pitting in pit box #4. David Reutimann is pitting behind him and Kurt Busch is pitting in front of him.
What to expect / Areas of concern:
I think Greg Biffle will be very good this weekend. My concern is that he felt vibrations in his car during practice. If he can avoid any issues I think he’s a lock for a top five finish.
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Jimmie Johnson
What I said about him earlier this week:
No driver has been better than Johnson on high speed intermediate tracks this season. On them he has a 7.9 average start and a 5.6 average finish. He would be a perfect 7 for 7 in terms of finishing in the top ten but at Charlotte he had a late pit road penalty. In June at Michigan Johnson had a good car. He started in the rear because of an engine change but he was able to drive up through the field pretty easily. He said the groove was narrow but his car felt good. With about 10 laps remaining he was running in third but he conserved fuel at the end and finished 5th. Last August Johnson finished 2nd and led 18 laps. Although he’s never won here he’s certainly been good enough to in the past. In the late 2000′s he had dominate performances but was robbed on a couple of occasions because of fuel mileage.
Starting Position:
Jimmie Johnson will start in the back of the field because of an engine change.
Average Practice Speed Rankings
2nd
Chassis Selection:
Jimmie Johnson will drive the same chassis he finished 5th with in June.
Pit Stall Location:
Jimmie Johnson will be pitting out of pit box #38. Paul Menard is pitting behind him and he has a clear exit out of his pit box.
What to expect / Areas of concern:
Jimmie Johnson will be starting in a hole Sunday, luckily it’s the same circumstance that he finished 5th with in June. It will take him 50 laps to get into the top ten but once he gets there he won’t be taking any prisoners. Johnson is fast this weekend and many in the garage area are considering him the favorite based on his performance in practice.
