Sprint Cup Series Michigan

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 6/12.12

Wild, Wild ‘Wild Card’

With Michigan native Brad Keselowski knocking Kyle Busch out of the top 10, Busch leads the "wild card" standings with a win in 12th place. Ryan Newman and Joey Logano have a win apiece and are tied in the point standings, but if the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup were to begin today, Newman would get the nod with a fourth-place finish at Las Vegas to Logano's next-best finish, eighth place two weekends ago at Dover. Kasey Kahne fell two spots in the standings at Pocono with engine failure to 16th overall and fourth in the "wild card" race. His Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jeff Gordon, dropped a spot to 22nd and two spots out of being eligible for a "wild card" with a win.

Hamlin Hat Trick?

Denny Hamlin has won the last two June races at Michigan and looks to make it three in a row. Hamlin comes off a fifth-place finish at Pocono, his fifth top-five finish in his last seven races. The streak started with his second win of the season at Kansas.

June 17 at MIS

This race has been run three times on June 17. In 1979, Buddy Baker took the checkered flag, and five years later, seven-time Michigan winner Bill Elliott went to Victory Lane. In 2007, Carl Edwards won.

Ford Fiesta

Long-time Ford owners Glen Wood and Jack Roush share the all-time record for wins at the track with 11. Roush Industries calls Livonia, Mich., home. Coincidentally, one Roush Fenway driver – Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth – replaced Greg Biffle as the NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader on Sunday at Pocono. Kenseth, the 2003 series champion, hasn’t held the standings lead this late since 2006. Biffle, who’d led the points for 11 races – since Las Vegas in March – dropped to third behind Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Father's Day Four Years Later

On June 15, 2008, Dale Earnhardt Jr. claimed his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points win for Hendrick Motorsports. It was his last victory, 143 races and seven runner-up finishes ago, and it took place on Father's Day. Earnhardt posted his 11th top-10 finish at Pocono, one fewer than his entire 2011 total. Math majors: Junior is on track to reach 28 top 10s – a career best (21, in 2003 and 2004).

After claiming victory on that Father's Day, an introspective Earnhardt Jr. said, "It's special. You know, my daddy, he meant a lot to me. There's a lot of people that I look up to that just happen to be great fathers themselves, role models for their sons. It means a lot to me to do well on Father's Day. It's a special day for my family, special for my sister. She's very, very happy at home and in tears on the telephone, so it means a lot to her. I'm glad she's as happy as she could possibly be today under circumstances. And it makes me feel good. I know I can't tell my father happy Father's Day, but I get the opportunity to wish it upon all of the other fathers out there, and I genuinely mean that when I say it, because that's what today is all about. It's for all of the fathers out there."

Speaking of Dale Earnhardt Sr., a No. 3 car returns to MIS, driven by Austin Dillon who will do double duty and compete in his second career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race with American Ethanol on board.

Coors Light Pole Qualifying

For his one and only Coors Light Pole at Michigan, Ryan Newman set the track record with a circuit at 194.232 mph (37.069 sec.) on June 18, 2005. With speeds well over 200 mph on the new pavement at a Goodyear Tire test, expect the track record to fall for the second consecutive week. A pole would be Newman's 50th career start from the top spot and put him in elite company.