Fantasy NASCAR Scouting Report – Michigan

[themify_box]NOTE: This post is a recap of what happened in summer 2017 at Michigan[/themify_box]

Michigan Top Ten Starters

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Joey Logano
3. Kevin Harvick
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Chase Elliott
6. Kyle Busch
7. Jamie McMurray
8. Erik Jones
9. Kyle Larson
10. Denny Hamlin

Michigan Full Starting Lineup

Michigan Pre-race Notes

Jimmie Johnson started in the rear of the field in a backup car

Kasey Kahne started in the rear of the field in a backup car

Matt DiBenedetto started in the rear of the field because of an inspection violation

Stage #1 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 60): 2,4,24,78,77,22,20,18,42,11

Stage #2 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 120): 78,2,4,77,19,21,1,42,18,11

Race Notes

Brad Keselowski who started on the pole selected the outside lane and he led the first 42 laps. He jumped to a huge lead during the first lap. Overall he led 103 of the first 110 laps. The laps he didn’t were lead were during pit cycles.

Running order on lap 17: 2,4,22,24,20,21,77,78,18,11 … 42,14,1,17,41,88,19,3,37,43 … 6,95,31,10,5,48,47,13,27,38 … 23,32,72,34,83,55,33,15,51

On lap 18 while running in 2nd it was said that Kevin Harvick was very happy with his car.

On lap 20 it was said that Chase Elliott was comfortable with his car.

Notable Moment: On lap 26 Chris Buescher made an unexpected pit stop. It was speculated he had a tire going down. This dropped him a lap down into the mid-thirties.

Running order on lap 32: 2,4,22,24,77,21,78,18,20,11 … 42,14,1,17,41,19,88,3,6,43 … 31,5,48,95,10,47,13,27,32,38 … 72,23,34,83,55,37,33,15,51

On lap 35 both Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson who started in the rear of the field were up 15 positions.

On lap 38 Jamie McMurray was the first driver to pit under green which started the first pit cycle.

Running order on lap 40: 2,4,22,24,77,78,21,18,20,42 … 11,14,41,19,17,88,3,6,43,5 … 31,48,10,95,13,27,38,72,23,34

On lap 46 Austin Dillon said his car was driving well but he didn’t have a lot of speed.

Running order on lap 52: 2,4,24,78,22,77,21,18,20,42 … 11,14,1,41,19,88,3,6,17,43 … 31,5,48,37,10 (last driver on the lead lap),47,13,95,27,38

Stage #1 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 60): 2,4,24,78,77,22,20,18,42,11

Notable Moment: During the Stage #1 caution Kyle Busch came down pit road when it was closed. The penalty was that he had to start in the back of the pack for the restart. He restarted in 28th, he was in 8th prior to his problem.

Notable Moment: During the Stage #1 caution, Clint Bowyer was caught speeding on pit road. He was running just outside the top ten prior to his problem.

During the Stage #1 caution Daniel Suarez choose not to pit which got him the lead temporarily.

Running order on lap 70: 2,19,4,77,22,3,20,78,21,24 … 42,5,1,41,11,88,17,48,6,37 … 31,43,10,14,47,18,95,13,27(Last driver on the lead lap),32

On lap 72 Ryan Blaney was starting to have some potential engine issues.

Running order on lap 84: 2,19,4,77,20,78,22,3,21,1 … 42,24,41,11,5,48,17,14,18,88 … 6,37,43,31,10,27,95,32,34,38

On lap 92 from 2nd place Daniel Suarez came down pit road. He was happy with his car.

Running order on lap 99: 2,77,4,20,78,21,22,1,42,24 … 11,3,18,41,48,17,5,43,37,31 … 6,10,19,14,88,34,38,47,95,13 … 27,32

On lap 110 during pit stops Kevin Harvick was still happy with his car.

Notable Moment: On lap 110 while running in 4th Matt Kenseth got penalized for being too fast on pit road.

Running order on lap 115: 78,2,4,77,19,21,1,42,14,11 … 18,24,22,48,41,3,5,17,88,10 … 20,37,6,43,31

On lap 116 Derrike Cope’s car shut off and was smoking. No caution came out.

Stage #2 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 120): 78,2,4,77,19,21,1,42,18,11

During the Stage #2 caution many front runners didn’t pit. This ultimately played a huge outcome with the final results and was a negative for those drivers.