2017 NASCAR Week 23: Michigan

Pure Michigan 400

Michigan International Speedway

By Richard Tix

What to Watch For?

NBTW at MIS

• Seriously folks, I'll be in Michigan this weekend and will be at the track at least a couple of the days, if not all three (Fri, Sat, Sun). This is one of the top weekends every Summer for me because I get to travel from Minnesota to Michigan to not only catch the race, but hang out with some pretty awesome friends in the process who I normally only see once or twice a year. So, follow along on Twitter if you have one (@NASCARBTW) because I'll be posting throughout the weekend while at the track. It won't just be NASCAR related by the way, we also may hit up a brewery or two, check out the Twins taking on the Tigers, and some local town day's festivities. 

Brad Keselowski vs Kyle Busch

• The chances of these two actually having a run in at MIS are about as high as Kyle Busch actually confronting BK after WGI last week (hint: he didn't). However, I still like focusing in on things like this because they're an interesting storyline that even casual outsider fans can get into. If you missed it, these two once again got into a tangle at WGI and some "things" were said by Kyle Busch in frustration. I am sure much of it was heat of the moment, but lets be honest these two aren't exactly friends while they're on the track. So, watch for some hard racing when they're near each other this weekend.

The "Underdogs"

• Ok, some of these guys are big names so it's tough to classify them as underdogs, but without a win counting towards the playoffs and most of them on the outside looking in, they're underdogs for the playoffs in my mind. First up, Joey Logano: cucumber win and all, JoLo runs well at MIS and really, really needs a win because he is in win or go home mode. Next up, Dale Earnhardt Jr: Another driver who has a good track record here at MIS that is win or go home mode. Seriously, how huge would a Junior win be this weekend and how much would the crowd love it? Matt Kenseth: yeah, he is in as of right now on points, but not safely. A win this weekend would lock that up and he has done it three times before at MIS. Chase Elliott: Chase is also currently in on points, but Kyle Larson showed off last year at MIS in August with his first career win in Cup, can Chase do it this year? Each of these guys are fighting for a playoff spot and have a ton of success at MIS in the past, so will one of them get it done?

**This section is just a quick look at some of Cup drivers latest finishes. This is not a tool for fantasy purposes and NBTW only is looking at end results. No deep statistic's are involved, but rather it is just a quick way to get ready for the race and get caught up on who has finished well at each track**

The Good

• Chase Elliott- Is it finally his time? Chase has three straight second place finishes in his first three MIS starts.
• Kyle Larson- Who was Chase second to the last two MIS races? Yup, Kyle Larson who has won back to back times here.
• Joey Logano- Guess who Chase was second to in his other second place finish, yup JoLo.

The Middle

• Brad Keselowski- BK, a Michigan native, has yet to win at MIS his "home track." BK does have six top tens in his last seven starts here, though.

The Bad

• Kyle Busch- I expect Kyle to turn this around as he started to do so earlier this year when he finished seventh here, but before that he had seven straight without a top ten and only one top 15 in that same time.
• Aric Almirola- Zero for ten on top tens here at MIS in his career. More telling is that Aric only has one top 15 in those ten races and only six top 20's.
• Austin Dillon- Austin does have two top tens in ten career starts at MIS, but he also has an average finish of 17.6 in that same time.

About the Track: Michigan

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 20 times from the Pole position including the last race in 2015 at MIS by Matt Kenseth and the first stop in 2016 by Joey Logano.
• A MIS race has been won from the pole five times in the last eight races
• 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