Finally sealed the deal and scored his first career Sprint Cup Series win in exciting fashion on Sunday afternoon. And let Kyle get a better start than me, I spun the tires and didn’t do my job. “We worked really, really hard to get a win, and just hadn’t done it”. Finally, all the hard work by everybody, hundreds of people at our race shop, people who have got me through the Cup Series, it was all paying off.
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Michael McDowell started in the back Sunday, because Sam Hornish Jr. practiced and qualified his Sprint Cup vehicle while McDowell was at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on Saturday, running the NASCAR Xfinity Series race there.
The low-downforce rules package that was a hot topic leading to the Pure Michigan 400 didn’t produce Sunday the side-by-side racing for which NASCAR hoped.
The Sprint Cup Series is back at Michigan International Speedway this weekend, and with the Chase for the Sprint Cup just three races away, it is time to start evaluating your strategy in season-long fantasy leagues.
Elliott had the lead in Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 when the final restart of the day came with nine laps to go. Elliott returned to the lead, again, after another cycle of green-flag stops completed on lap 170.
Newman held the 16th spot before Larson’s win and his 17th place finish Sunday has him on the outside looking in.
Larson’s victory snapped a 99-race losing streak for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Kyle Larson claimed his ticket to the Chase after securing a long-awaited victory at the 99th attempt. In this video, look for highlights from the race and interviews with fans and the top two finishers, Larson and Elliott. Joey Logano, who sat on the pole for the start of the Pure Michigan 400, came in tenth.
“Chase and I both spun our tires really bad”, said Larson, acknowledging his good fortune, “We both had them lit up down the frontstretch”. “I’m really exhausted of losing races here with parts falling apart, so they’ll hear about it on Tuesday”.
Elliott, a rookie, was going to be the next first-time victor and Larson was going to be forced to discuss another race that got away.
And for team owner Chip Ganassi, who gave him a shot in the big leagues. Brad Keselowski finished third. With just 200 laps on tap, I’m targeting just two drivers who I believe can dominate the laps led and fastest laps run categories, and the rest of my lineup has upside through place differential.
Rain messed with the track enough to stop the 500-lap battle after only 48 trips around the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” on August 20.
For Larson, it was an inaugural victory that was a long time coming – 99 races and almost three seasons. Logano, the pole victor, finished 10th. Buescher is seven points ahead of David Ragan for 30th place on the season. A driver with a win must finish in the top 30 in points to earn a spot. Making the lead even more uncomfortable is that there is only a one-point differential between finishing spots. Elliott led a stout Hendrick Motorsports effort in which the Chevrolet powerhouse placed two cars in the top 10 and three in the top 15.
Trevor Bayne finished 24th and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Other short odds to win are Kevin Harvick (7/1) and Kyle Busch (7/1).
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“You just have to get the most points you can and try to win”, McMurray said. His No. 2 Ford failed the postrace laser inspection.
