Qualifying
Qualifying was rained out on Friday so the starting lineup was set based on the current 2008 car owner points. The top five came to the green flag as Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin.
Drop Of The Green
Kyle Busch immediately jumped out to a big lead on lap one over Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards. Jimmie Johnson immediately starting charging towards the front and moved up to second before the first caution flew on lap three.
When they restarted on lap six Jimmie Johnson wasted no time in claiming the top spot over Kyle Busch. Brian Vickers completed his march forward when he took over the lead from his 18th starting spot on lap 34.
Matt Kenseth also showed some speed early in the race and worked his way towards the front.
Storylines
Michigan International Speedway is wide with multiple racing grooves. This often leads to long green flag runs which, in turn, often leads to races here being determined by fuel mileage.
Today's LifeLock 400 was determined by fuel mileage like so many Michigan races are. I don't mind the occasional strategic duel and this one was more interesting than most. Like short track racing, road racing or restrictor plate racing it seems that racing at Michigan is a unique form of the sport where strategy takes center stage.
Chasing The Checkers
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was running 10th with 19 laps to go.
Fuel mileage was definitely going to play into the finish of this one. Who could make it to the end? Who would gamble and who would lay it safe? This race was a pure strategy play.
Jimmie Johnson pitted out of the lead with 17 laps to go giving up his chance at the win. Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and many others followed him into the pits within the next couple laps.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was third with ten laps to go behind David Ragan and A.J. Allmendinger.
With six laps to go Jamie McMurray passed Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the lead. Junior pushed his car and passed McMurray back for the top spot. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was in the lead when the caution flew with three laps to go. This sent the race into a green-white-checkers overtime finish.
Most of the drivers that were gambling on fuel pitted during this late caution as the race went beyond the scheduled 200 lap distance. Dale Earnhardt Jr. stayed out.
Right after Earnhardt took the white flag the caution came out and Dale Earnhardt Jr. was able to coast back to the checkered flag for the win. This was Junior's first win since Richmond in the fall of 2006 (76 races).
Top Ten
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Kasey Kahne
- Matt Kenseth
- Brian Vickers
- Tony Stewart
- Jimmie Johnson
- Carl Edwards
- David Ragan
- Elliott Sadler
- Jamie McMurray
The Points
Once again the top twelve remained relatively static. The top four drivers remained the same and no new drivers cracked the top twelve.
David Ragan remains in 13th now just ten points behind Clint Bowyer in 12th.
The top twelve are now:
- Kyle Busch
- Jeff Burton -32
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. -84
- Carl Edwards -206
- Jimmie Johnson -254
- Denny Hamlin -287
- Kasey Kahne -324
- Greg Biffle -329
- Jeff Gordon -337
- Kevin Harvick -396
- Tony Stewart -439
- Clint Bowyer -449
Next Week
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series gets its first taste of road racing next week. Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA will host the series next Sunday. Will Jeff Gordon return to his road racing ace days? Will one of the road racing ringers like Boris Said or Scott Pruett finally break through?
NASCAR road racing is a very different type of motorsport from the rest of the season.
