2010 CARFAX 400:
Only four races remain until the top twelve are locked in for the 2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. This weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup stars roll into Michigan International Speedway for a key event in the 2009 Race to the Chase.
All eyes are on the battle for twelfth as Mark Martin maintains a slim 10 point lead over Clint Bowyer in the battle for twelfth. Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray are also less than 100 points out.
Tickets:
Speedway ticket office (800) 354-1010 or (517) 592-6672
The Track:
Built in 1968, Michigan is a 2 mile 'D' shaped oval with 18 degrees of banking in the corners. Even the front 'D' has 12 degrees of banking. This makes for high speeds on the smooth, wide oval.
Michigan's fast and wide racing surface leads to long green flag runs. This fact often brings fuel mileage and pit strategy into play during the race.
Race Distance:
200 Laps = 400 Miles
The Big Picture:
Kevin Harvick ended up eleventh in Watkins Glen and maintained his lead over Jeff Gordon. The big points news of the week is Mark Martin's move up one spot into twelfth. Mark is clinging to a 10 point lead over Clint Bowyer as the regular season continues to click away.
The top twelve:
- Kevin Harvick
- Jeff Gordon -185
- Jeff Burton -315
- Kurt Busch -318
- Jimmie Johnson -328
- Denny Hamlin -338
- Kyle Busch -344
- Tony Stewart -345
- Carl Edwards -389
- Matt Kenseth -404
- Greg Biffle -467
- Mark Martin -569
Storylines:
While the battle for twelfth heats up the big story this week is more about 2011. This week NASCAR has announced some of the changes in store for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule.
Chicagoland Speedway will move to the first race of the 2011 Chase and bump New Hampshire to Chase race number two.
Other 2011 changes include: Kansas Speedway will get a second Sprint Cup date and Kentucky Speedway will finally get their long-sought Sprint Cup weekend. California and Atlanta will each lose one race to make room on the schedule.
Media Coverage:
TV: ESPN Sunday, Aug. 15, 12:00PM Eastern.
Radio: MRN and SIRIUS Satellite
Actual Race: 1:10PM Eastern
Recent Events:
2009 Winner: Brian Vickers
2009 Polesitter: Brian Vickers
Last Year:
Michigan is one of the rare race tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule where Jimmie Johnson has never won. In 2009 Jimmie was leading on the final lap in June but ran out of gas. Then in August Jimmie was leading with three laps to go but never made it back to take the parallel flags marking two to go.
Johnson again ran out of gas and left the win for polesitter Brian Vickers.
Predictions:
Jimmie Johnson was on the verge of winning both of the Sprint Cup races in Michigan in 2009 but came up short on fuel both times. Jimmie Johnson has never won a Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. That could easily change this weekend.
For my backup this week I'm going with a fast driver who will be looking to complete the Michigan sweep. Denny Hamlin lead 123 laps when the series was here in June. He overcame a problem on pit road and cruised to a dominating victory. Hamlin is a great pick this weekend in Michigan.
