For the past year and a half when NASCAR raced at Michigan International Speedway, Kyle Larson has won. Can he extend his winning streak in the FireKeepers Casino 400?
When the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Michigan, the drivers run wide open almost all the way around the track. That means the cars need to be set up for maximum speed with the ability to handle in traffic and the draft. If a car is having handling issues the draft can magnify those issues and result in the car spinning. This can cause the car to wreck all by itself or if it happens around other cars the resulting crash can involve multiple cars.
The crew chiefs will need to be on top of making adjustments for the driver and the pit crews will need to execute servicing the cars without making mistakes. Any spots lost on pit road can be difficult to gain back on the track.
Here is a look at the track and race data for this weekend’s race in NASCAR’s top division.
Michigan International Speedway Data
Track Size: 2-miles
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 18 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 18 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 3,600 feet
Backstretch Length: 2,242 feet
FireKeepers Casino 400 Data
Season Race #: 15 of 36 (06-10-18)
Race Length: 200 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 60 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 80 laps
Which drivers have done well during their cup series careers at Michigan? Here’s a look…
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Michigan
Chase Elliott……………………….. 113.9
Matt Kenseth………………………. 101.9
Kyle Larson………………………… 101.1
Erik Jones……………………………. 98.4
Jimmie Johnson…………………….. 97.7
Joey Logano…………………………. 96.3
Kevin Harvick……………………….. 94.5
Brad Keselowski……………………. 94.3
Denny Hamlin……………………….. 90.1
Kurt Busch…………………………… 89.0
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (26 total) among active drivers at Michigan International Speedway.
As mentioned earlier, in recent history Kyle Larson has been the standard at Michigan International Speedway. He scored his first career NASCAR Cup Series race win at the track in the 2016 August race at the track and he won both races (in June and August)at the track last year. Kyle will be attempting to join an elite list of NASCAR drivers that have won four consecutive races at the same track: Fred Lorenzen at Martinsville (1963-1965), Richard Petty at Richmond (1970-1973 {7 races}), Cale Yarborough at Bristol (1976-1977), Darrell Waltrip at Bristol (1981-1984 {7 races}), Bill Elliott at Michigan (1985-1986), Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Talladega (2001-2003), Jimmie Johnson at Charlotte (2004-2005) and Kevin Harvick at ISM Raceway {Phoenix} (2013-2015).
Larson’s three wins at the track puts him in a three-way tie for the most wins at the track among active drivers. The other two drivers with three trips to Victory Lane at Michigan are Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth.
Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano have scored two wins each at Michigan during their careers.
There are four active drivers with a single Michigan win on their cup series resumes. They are Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson.
Larson has had a decent year so far in 2018. He has scored nine top 10s in the 14 NASCAR Cup Series races this season. Five of those have been top five finishes. He has scored the runner-up finish in three races this season including last week at Pocono. He has not been able to close the deal yet this season. Heading to a track that he has so much confidence and success racing, perhaps this could be the week he finally gets a win for 2018.
When the green flag waives to start the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sunday, June 10th at 1 PM central time (2 PM eastern time) at Michigan International Speedway we will find out if Larson will win or another driver will finally get to celebrate in the shadow of the automaker’s headquarters.
By: Buck Stevens
