Michigan 400 Race Preview

Michigan International Speedway -- 06/15/08

Author: Becca Gladden

Published: Thursday Jun 12 2008 12:57am

Another 2008 Cup race, another track that the COT has never competed on.
NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow/Today was only utilized in 16 of 36 races last season, and Michigan International Speedway wasn't one of them.

Michigan is a two-mile "D-shaped oval" (no oxymoron intended), with 18 degrees of banking in the turns, 12 degrees along the frontstretch, and 5 degrees on the backstretch.

It is frequently described as a sister track to California Speedway, where Carl Edwards (+485) posted his first win of the 2008 season back in late February.

Though there may be similarities between the tracks, drivers will tell you that every track has its own unique qualities and quirks.

MIS is a track that many drivers enjoy because of its expansive feel and multi-groove surface that has traditionally lent itself to easier passing than many other tracks.

In a word, what drivers love about Michigan is the fact that it presents options. They can choose different grooves at different times during the race, even in the corners.

A few driver comments on MIS:

Mark Martin (+2850): "Michigan is one of my favorite tracks on the circuit. It's big and wide and you can really pass there. If you are able to get your car set up right, you can do a lot of passing, which can make for a pretty fun day at the race track. I've had a lot of success there over the years, but we had an off year there last season, so we'll be looking to rebound from that this weekend."

Casey Mears: "Michigan is a really fun racetrack in general. The racing surface is really wide so it gives you, as a driver, a lot of options. You can usually race the top, middle or bottom groove. The Impala SS is tough in heavy traffic, and you can't follow real close behind the car in front of you. So, having options like we will this weekend is really important."

Jeff Burton (+2850): "Michigan is a great race track. I think the racing will be good with the new car. The options that the drivers have are pretty unlimited - running up by the wall, running down on the white line, and everywhere in between. I think that has the potential to make great racing. Being able to run different lines is really important. With the new car, I think you’ll see a lot of drivers getting the high line to work real well."

One of the most notable statistics about Michigan is the relative lack of success by Chevy drivers in the recent past, particularly compared to other tracks where the manufacturer dominates.

In fact, you have to go all the way back to June of 2001 to find a GM driver in Victory Lane here - Jeff Gordon (+1150) - in one of his two Michigan wins.
Since that time, six Dodge and seven Ford drivers have taken home an MIS trophy, including Ryan Newman (+4050), Kurt Busch (+2550), Greg Biffle (+800) and Matt Kenseth (+955), each with two wins, and Kasey Kahne (+1150) and Carl Edwards with one a piece.

Prior to 2001, Mark Martin accumulated four wins at MIS, Bobby Labonte, three, and Tony Stewart (+1150), one.

Carl Edwards won the June race at Michigan last season and boasts the best average finish among active drivers with a 7.3. Edwards has made seven starts at MIS, accumulating a win, four top 5s, six top 10s, and 137 laps led.

He leads all drivers in points accumulated here over the last five races. Edwards is followed in that category by Dale Earnhardt Jr. (+1050), Jimmie Johnson (+765), Matt Kenseth, and Casey Mears.

In addition, Edwards leads the series in a number of loop data stats at Michigan, including overall driver rating, average running position, average green flag speed, percent of laps run in the top 15, and quality passes.

Other drivers with respectable average finish stats include Kenseth with a 9.7, Hamlin, 10.0, and Gordon, 10.5.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief Tony Eury Jr. predicts that fuel mileage and track position will be key factors again this weekend: “The biggest challenge with the way the races have been going here lately is a lot of fuel mileage calculations," he said. “I think at Michigan, being the first time for the Impala SS, fuel mileage is going to be a big deal. You don’t want to get taken out of the race by being on the wrong sequence with somebody … This car is a lot more aero-dependent. The track is plenty wide - guys can get away from each other - but it’s going to stir the air up so much you’re going to have a hard time. Track position is going to be key there. If you’re out front, you can get in clean air and run about three to four-tenths faster than the guy that’s in second. That’s going to be a big deal.”

Meanwhile, Kasey Kahne, fresh off his Pocono victory, hopes to carry his recent success to Michigan, where he won in June of 2006. "Michigan has always been a strong track for us, and we're looking forward to keeping the momentum going. Everything is clicking for this team right now. It would be great to get back-to-back wins for Gillett Evernham."