Today I feel like doing something different. I am going to live blog the race as it happens. Hope you like it, let me know by leaving a comment.
Today’s race at Michigan started off in a new and exciting way as Kevin James and Adam Sandler gave a rousing command for the drivers to start their engines. I prefer the usual no nonsense approach to the command but they really made it exciting and somewhat funny. Who knew you could do that by only speaking four words. It was a lot of fun and got the fans excited for sure.
We had a few drivers starting from the back today, Clint Bowyer for going to a backup car and Kyle Busch for an engine change. Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray had a good start to the day and swapped the lead back and forth. Jeff Gordon tagged the wall a little on lap 18 and then Marcos Ambrose went for a spin that brought out our first caution. Almost all the cars came to pit road for adjustments.
I am really enjoying TNT coverage today as Kyle Petty really adds to NASCAR coverage from the common man approach. He is also fun to follow on Twitter . Wally Dallenbach is great also in his race coverage, I enjoy them both. Anyway back to the race, looks like Tony Stewart only took two tires on the pit stop to get their cars up to the front. Robbie Gordon stayed out, Clint Bowyer and Kyle Busch wasted no time getting from the rear of the field, they are up near the top 20 after only 30 laps.
Many cars reporting a very loose condition especially Jeff Gordon. Jeff said over his radio that the car is way loose in both the front and the back. They are going to tighten it up on the next stop. It can’t be too loose as he is running 8th for a good while now. Cars are expected to come to pit road around lap 55-60 so it won’t be long.
Cancel that plan as caution has come out for debris on lap 48. I am expecting everyone will be in for pit stops since we are 3/4 of a way through a fuel run. Kurt Busch wins the race off pit road to take the lead again. Bobby Labonte is off track and out of the race for overheating issues. On the restart Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch fight for the lead and Hamlin wins that battle. The restart was on lap 52 after only a few laps of caution.
Looks like only taking 2 tires worked well for Tony Stewart as he remained close to the top 10. It didn’t work out as well for Robby Gordon who ended up closer to the back after the pit stop. Denny Hamlin is driving away from the field as the adjustments on his car must be working really well.
The drivers are starting to get a feel for their cars. Kyle Busch is up to 15th on lap 84 after starting from the back. He is just behind Dale jr who is running 14th. Looks like a long green run is taking place. 7 drivers are out of the race.
Green flag stops are underway around lap 90, Dale jr in and out. Denny Hamlin came in on fumes and had problems leaving pit road as the fuel pickup must have sucked in some air. All other drivers come in and out ok. Small mishap for Joey Logano, nothing major.
Kasey Kahne takes the lead on lap 95 and Denny Hamlin is closing ground again as he picks up speed. He had dropped all the way back to around 10th. Caution flies as the two Red Bull cars run into each other on the track. Scott Speed spins and Casey Mears also has an incident with David Ragan on pit road. Casey Mears has to go to the garage with big damage to his drivers side front fender.
Restart was interesting as Sam Hornish Jr stayed out and took the lead and kind of got in the way on the restart. I am sure this is exactly what the leaders wanted to see. Jimmie Johnson fighting a loose race car. This race is becoming just a ride a long with green flag runs. Green flag stops have begun around lap 138 all the leaders expecting to pit. Kasey Kahne having some overheating issues. Matt Kenesth leads a few laps while they cycle through.
Kyle Busch car is really loose and he scraped the wall. He needs a caution to come to pit road and fix his car before he becomes the reason for the caution. Denny Hamlin back in the lead. He has a very good car today, would be a surprise to no one if he won. He has an advantage as he already knows how much fuel his car is actually using after running out earlier.
Denny Hamlin has a big lead with only 30 laps to go. Kasey Kahne is 9 seconds behind the leader. Pit cycles are starting again on lap 174. All the cars besides Hamlin coming in and trying to get fresh tires to try and catch up to the leader. Fans on Twitter are starting to call for a caution to make this race closer. No one wants to see a race won with a nine second lead. Denny Hamlin is in on lap 178. Kasey Kahne to the lead until he pits. Kasey Pits on the next lap. Denny Hamlin retakes the lead as pit stops cycle through in only 2 or 3 laps. The gap from 1st to 10th is 22 seconds.
Caution comes out for debris and the big lead goes away. Almost The front 10 cars stay out including the leader. Kyle Busch will not win today as they took a long time to fix the damage to the rear and the rear spoiler.
There will be less then 15 laps to go at the restart. Most of the cars that pitted just took on 4 tires and no fuel. Jeff Gordon is in the top 5 with a real quiet day. Tony Stewart is also having a good day. Denny Hamlin is starting to build up his lead again. Jeff Burton is moving up with 4 fresh tires as is Jimmie Johnson. Denny Hamlin is leading Kasey Kahne as they pull away from the pack. Looks like this is the way it will finish but there is still time for another caution. 4 laps to go and Denny is still leading and not much has changed. Looking like Denny is going to win this.
Denny Hamlin wins, Kasey Kahne is second, Kurt Busch is third Jeff Gordon was fourth, Tony Stewart was fifth.
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