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Thursday, August 25, 2016

Playoff Spots Dwindling With Three Regular Season Races Remaining

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Playoff Spots Dwindling With Three Regular Season Races Remaining
Last weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway changed everything.

Maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the resulting Chase Grid looks very different now than it did prior to Bristol.

Consider the following…

-       Chris Buescher finished fifth, which catapulted him into the top 30 by 13 points – thereby placing him firmly in Chase contention for the first time since his victory at Pocono. All 12 race winners are now on the Chase Grid.
-       Buescher’s finish, paired with Kyle Larson’s 24th-place run, pushed Larson off the Grid.
-       Ryan Newman finished 28th, which dropped him three spots in the standings, and likewise, the Chase Grid. He’s now 16th on the Grid, and if there’s a new winner in the next three races, he’s in danger of missing the playoffs.
-       Austin Dillon (4th) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2nd) both turned in top fives, which either solidified their Chase standing (Dillon) or bolstered their chances (Stenhouse).

So, what does all that mean? Paste the above four bullets into Google Translate, and you may get this (but probably not): “Just win. It’s a lot easier.”

Win and you’re in. That’s the goal – and only surefire way to land a Chase spot – for those with ‘zeroes’ in the win column.

One winless driver, in particular, could threaten at Michigan International Speedway: Greg Biffle. For one, Biffle’s Roush Fenway Racing team leads all organization in wins at Michigan, with 13. Secondly, Biffle boasts the Michigan wins lead among active drivers with four.

NASCAR Rolls Out Lower Downforce Package For Third Time This Season
NASCAR will roll out its updated lower downforce rules package it used at Michigan-1 and Kentucky earlier this season in Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway (2 p.m. ET on NBCSN).
 
The rules package developments are part of an industry-wide collaboration to further enhance the racing.

Earlier this season, welded truck trailing arms and new brake cooling rules were put into place. The following updates to the rules package help to further reduce downforce and sideforce:
  • Reduce skew generated sideforce by setting rear toe to zero (same rule used in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race)
  • Aero package tweaks to reduce aero-generated downforce and sideforce
  • Spoiler shortened from 3.5 inches to 2.5 inches
  • Splitter reduced to 2 inches
  • Resize of deck fin to match spoiler
Team Penske has won every race where this package has been used this season. Joey Logano triumphed in the Michigan-1 race, while Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag at Kentucky.
 
Pull Out The Brooms: Logano Goes For Michigan Sweep
Joey Logano will go for the sweep of Michigan after winning the June race at the two-mile track from the pole.
 
The No. 22 Ford driver has Michigan figured out. He owns seven straight top-10 finishes there, including two wins. During that streak, Logano has led the most laps in three races.
For his career, Logano claims two wins, four top fives, 10 top 10s and an average finish of 12.8 in The Great Lakes State.

Youth Movement: June Michigan Race Produced Youngest Top 3 In Sprint Cup History
The June Michigan race produced the youngest average age of the top-three finishers in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history. Joey Logano (26 years old) won, followed by Chase Elliott (20) and Kyle Larson (23). Their average combined age is 23.0 years old.

Kenseth Attempts To Defend Fall Wolverine State Victory
Matt Kenseth will attempt to defend his August Michigan victory from last season in Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400.

In 34 career starts at Michigan, Kenseth boasts three wins, 14 top fives, 20 top 10s and a 10.2 average finish.

Kenseth’s 102.7 driver rating at Michigan is the second-highest mark at the two-mile track. He trails Chase Elliott in the category, who only has one start there.

Michigan Man: Keselowski Tries For First Win In Home State
Brad Keselowski, a Rochester Hills, Michigan native, attempts to become the eighth active driver to win a race in his home state in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400.
 
The seven active drivers with wins in their home states are: Jimmie Johnson (7 victories), Denny Hamlin (7), Tony Stewart (2), Aric Almirola (1), Kyle Busch (1), Kevin Harvick (1) and Ryan Newman (1).

The No. 2 Ford driver’s best finish at the two-mile track was a runner-up showing in August of 2012. Overall, he has four top fives, seven top 10s and a 13.0 average finish in 14 Michigan starts. Keselowski has finished in the top 10 in his last five races at MIS, including a fourth-place showing in June.
 
He does have two NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at Michigan, in 2009-10.
 
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Etc.
Detroit Red Wings Head Coach Blashill To Serve As Grand Marshal
Detroit Red Wings Head Coach Jeff Blashill will serve as the Grand Marshal at Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400. Born in Detroit and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Blashill led the Red Wings to their 25th consecutive playoff appearance last season in his first campaign as head coach.
 
“It’s an honor to serve as grand marshal for the Pure Michigan 400,” Blashill said. “I was born and raised in Michigan and have had the opportunity to spend most of my coaching career here, so I know how passionate the fans are for all sports. I’m thrilled for the opportunity to meet the drivers, take part in the pre-race activities and soak in the atmosphere on race day.”
 

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