Tuesday, August 11, 2015

2015 Week 23 Preview: Michigan

Pure Michigan 400

Michigan International Speedway


By Richard Tix

It is that time of year again, the time where I get to head back to Michigan International Speedway and focus on the race in person and not behind a TV and computer screen. There is nothing like going to a race in person and it never gets old even after attending year after year. Every time I go to MIS it is different as you continue to meet new fans and create new memories.

It's not just the race either, it's the whole weekend and experience. Michigan International Speedway has one of the best fan experiences around. Track president Roger Curtis (@MISroger) does a fantastic job not only promoting how awesome the MIS experience is by ways of social media, but also reaches out to fans attending the track (PS: If you follow him on Twitter he is great at interacting. Also, every 1,000 new followers he gets he gives a once in a lifetime NASCAR giveaway).

I have yet to meet him, but I have heard many good things from fans who have. I have heard he runs around the infield and the camping sites sharing his great attitude with fans who have made the trip from all over (including a lot from Canada). I have also witnessed him give away some great fan experiences over Twitter to lucky fans like the above mentioned. All because he cares about the fans experience and it gives him a way to give back.

Looking past Roger, even he will admit he isn't the reason the track is great all by himself, the whole staff, helpers, and track volunteers are top notch. They always reach out to help you get where you are going and keep you in a good mood.

After all of that you are still left with a fun track that is one of the fastest around that is housing your favorite driver for the weekend. I have always recommended the trip to MIS for anyone interested for every such reason just mention, but also you should plan a trip to any track near you within reason.

The best part about NASCAR is how great each track experience can be and how unique they are. I have yet to make another Cup track as it is not an easy feat while living in MN in my current standing, but soon I hope to start branching out and also hitting other stops during the year.

Fan's tend to focus too much on the negatives that come with going to a race like prices of tickets, hotels, and airfare. To be honest, there are always a way around many of these obstacles if you look hard enough. If you plan a head you can get great tickets for a reasonable price. Some hotels may jack up prices but if you look a bit further out (45 min-1 hr) you can still find great deals. It is not always doable, but if it is within your means and you are a NASCAR fan try and get to the track. The race day experience is what it is all about and MIS brings it! So, what are you waiting for? You still have time to go to MIS this year and pick up some great tickets!

Now, lets get back to our regularly schedule weekend preview!




The Good
  • Joey Logano- JoLo won this very race back in 2013 which really seemed to get him on the fast track to where he is now. Since then he has finishes of 9th, 3rd, and 5th (5 straight top 10's total). Since switching to Penske Joey has been a front runner race after race, in fact Penske has been the new RFR in the past few years at MIS (not to the full extent obviously).
  • Kevin Harvick- Michigan wasn't always one of Harvicks tracks, but since 2013 (5 races) he has four 2nd place finishes. Earlier this year was his lone blemish in the five race span, but I would expect him to get back on track this weekend and start a new top 10 streak.
  • Clint Bowyer- What current Cup driver has 9 straight top 10's at MIS? If you answered Bowyer you would be correct. Now, he only has 1 top 5 in that span so he might not threaten for the win. The fact remains, no other driver has more than 5 top 10's in that 9 race stretch.
  • Extra Credit- Paul Menard (4 straight top 10's, 5 in his last 6 starts)
The Middle
  • Brad Keselowski- Middle? Lately he has been more on the borderline good category but lets be honest. these categories all have there flaws based on opinion. Since BK has been in the #2 he has 5 top 10's, 8 finishes of 13th or better, in 9 total races. He has three straight top 10's so the same statement holds true for this Penske driver, they have been better than RFR here for a few years.
The Bad
  • David Gilliland- Sorry David, no pass for being on a small team. 18 races without a top 10 is rough, but considering his small team the 18 races without a top 15 is worse. Actually, he only has two top 20's and four top 25's in that time.
  • Trevor Bayne- Trevor actually did fair well in his first MIS race with RFR earlier this year, so I want to point that out first. But, before that he had only one top 15 and two top 20's in 8 races. RFR will want to see more from him like they did in June (9th place finish).
  • Kyle Busch- Let's start here, you don't ever count out a guy like Kyle. However, his last four races have been terrible here. He has four straight finishes of 30+ and a string of bad luck. Over his career he has had a few streaks like this (not to the extent) at MIS, and he always bounced back. Look for Kyle to be a candidate to be taken off this list next year.
About the Track: Michigan International Speedway
Track Stats
  • Cale Yarborough won the first race at MIS in 1969 and also two of the first three.
  • The furthest back a driver has started a race from and won was 32nd in 2009 by Mark Martin.
  • A MIS race has been won 17 times from the Pole position, mot recently was three races ago won by Joey Logano.
  • Most cautions was 10 in 2006 and the race was won by Matt Kenseth. This is also the only MIS race that had double digit cautions in 89 races.
  • David Pearson has the most career MIS wins with 9. Cale Yarborough follows with 8
  • Cale Yarborough has the most top 5 finishes with 21 followed by Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon (19).
  • Mark Martin has the most career top 10's with 31, followed by Bill Elliott with 29.
  • David Pearson has 10 career Poles at MIS (Cup leading)
Track Info
  • Length: 2 miles
  • Banking
    • Turns: 18 degrees
    • Start/Finish: 12 degrees
    • Backstretch: 5 degrees

Michigan International Speedway
Race
Date
Cars
Winner(s)
St
Make / Model
1969-24
6/15/1969
38
Cale Yarborough
4
'69 Mercury
1969-37
8/17/1969
44
David Pearson
1
'69 Ford
1970-19
6/7/1970
40
Cale Yarborough
4
'69 Mercury
1970-34
8/16/1970
40
Charlie Glotzbach
1
'69 Dodge
1971-23
6/13/1971
40
Bobby Allison
1
'69 Mercury
1971-36
8/15/1971
40
Bobby Allison
2
'69 Mercury
1972-14
6/11/1972
40
David Pearson
3
'71 Mercury
1972-22
8/20/1972
40
David Pearson
4
'71 Mercury
1973-16
6/24/1973
40
David Pearson
2
'71 Mercury
1974-15
6/16/1974
36
Richard Petty
4
'74 Dodge
1974-22
8/25/1974
36
David Pearson
1
'73 Mercury
1975-15
6/15/1975
36
David Pearson
3
'73 Mercury
1975-20
8/24/1975
36
Richard Petty
4
'74 Dodge
1976-15
6/20/1976
36
David Pearson
8
Mercury
1976-20
8/22/1976
36
David Pearson
1
Mercury
1977-15
6/19/1977
36
Cale Yarborough
4
Chevrolet
1977-20
8/22/1977
36
Darrell Waltrip
3
Chevrolet
1978-15
6/18/1978
36
Cale Yarborough
3
Oldsmobile
1978-20
8/20/1978
36
David Pearson
1
Mercury
1979-16
6/17/1979
36
Buddy Baker
3
Chevrolet
1979-21
8/19/1979
36
Richard Petty
5
Chevrolet
1980-16
6/15/1980
37
Benny Parsons
1
Chevrolet
1980-21
8/17/1980
37
Cale Yarborough
2
Chevrolet
1981-16
6/21/1981
37
Bobby Allison
4
Buick
1981-21
8/16/1981
36
Richard Petty
7
Buick
1982-15
6/20/1982
37
Cale Yarborough
4
Buick
1982-20
8/22/1982
38
Bobby Allison
10
Buick
1983-15
6/19/1983
37
Cale Yarborough
9
Chevrolet
1983-20
8/21/1983
37
Cale Yarborough
7
Chevrolet
1984-15
6/17/1984
40
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1984-20
8/12/1984
40
Darrell Waltrip
7
Chevrolet
1985-14
6/16/1985
37
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1985-18
8/11/1985
40
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1986-14
6/15/1986
41
Bill Elliott
8
Ford
1986-19
8/17/1986
42
Bill Elliott
3
Ford
1987-14
6/28/1987
40
Dale Earnhardt
5
Chevrolet
1987-19
8/16/1987
40
Bill Elliott
3
Ford
1988-14
6/26/1988
41
Rusty Wallace
5
Pontiac
1988-19
8/21/1988
42
Davey Allison
4
Ford
1989-14
6/25/1989
40
Bill Elliott
2
Ford
1989-19
8/20/1989
40
Rusty Wallace
2
Pontiac
1990-14
6/24/1990
40
Dale Earnhardt
5
Chevrolet
1990-19
8/19/1990
41
Mark Martin
5
Ford
1991-14
6/23/1991
41
Davey Allison
4
Ford
1991-19
8/18/1991
40
Dale Jarrett
11
Ford
1992-14
6/21/1992
41
Davey Allison
1
Ford
1992-19
8/16/1992
41
Harry Gant
24
Oldsmobile
1993-14
6/20/1993
41
Ricky Rudd
2
Chevrolet
1993-20
8/15/1993
41
Mark Martin
12
Ford
1994-14
6/19/1994
42
Rusty Wallace
5
Ford
1994-21
8/21/1994
41
Geoffrey Bodine
1
Ford
1995-14
6/18/1995
42
Bobby Labonte
19
Chevrolet
1995-21
8/20/1995
42
Bobby Labonte
1
Chevrolet
1996-14
6/23/1996
40
Rusty Wallace
18
Ford
1996-21
8/18/1996
41
Dale Jarrett
11
Ford
1997-14
6/15/1997
43
Ernie Irvan
20
Ford
1997-21
8/17/1997
43
Mark Martin
2
Ford
1998-14
6/14/1998
43
Mark Martin
7
Ford
1998-21
8/16/1998
43
Jeff Gordon
3
Chevrolet
1999-14
6/13/1999
43
Dale Jarrett
6
Ford
1999-22
8/22/1999
43
Bobby Labonte
19
Pontiac
2000-14
6/11/2000
43
Tony Stewart
28
Pontiac
2000-22
8/20/2000
43
Rusty Wallace
10
Ford
2001-14
6/10/2001
43
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
2001-23
8/19/2001
43
Sterling Marlin
15
Dodge
2002-15
6/16/2002
43
Matt Kenseth
20
Ford
2002-23
8/18/2002
43
Dale Jarrett
8
Ford
2003-15
6/15/2003
43
Kurt Busch
4
Ford
2003-23
8/17/2003
43
Ryan Newman
2
Dodge
2004-15
6/20/2004
43
Ryan Newman
4
Dodge
2004-23
8/22/2004
43
Greg Biffle
24
Ford
2005-15
6/19/2005
43
Greg Biffle
25
Ford
2005-23
8/21/2005
43
Jeremy Mayfield
11
Dodge
2006-15
6/18/2006
43
Kasey Kahne
1
Dodge
2006-23
8/20/2006
43
Matt Kenseth
3
Ford
2007-15
6/17/2007
43
Carl Edwards
12
Ford
2007-23
8/21/2007
43
Kurt Busch
15
Dodge
2008-15
6/15/2008
43
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
3
Chevrolet
2008-23
8/17/2008
43
Carl Edwards
27
Ford
2009-15
6/14/2009
43
Mark Martin
32
Chevrolet
2009-23
8/16/2009
43
Brian Vickers
1
Toyota
2010-15
6/13/2010
43
Denny Hamlin
7
Toyota
2010-23
8/15/2010
43
Kevin Harvick
8
Chevrolet
2011-15
6/19/2011
43
Denny Hamlin
10
Toyota
2011-23
8/21/2011
43
Kyle Busch
17
Toyota
2012-15
6/17/2012
43
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
17
Chevrolet
2012-23
8/19/2012
43
Greg Biffle
13
Ford
2013-15
6/16/2013
43
Greg Biffle
19
Ford
2013-23
8/18/2013
43
Joey Logano
1
Ford
2014-15
6/15/2014
43
Jimmie Johnson
7
Chevrolet
2014-23
8/17/2014
43
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
2015-15
6/14/2015
43
Kurt Busch
24
Chevrolet


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