NASCAR is at Michigan International Speedway this weekend, the fastest track on the circuit, and time is running out for those looking to make the Round of 16 when the regular season ends on Aug. 28.
Joey Logano takes the pole for Pure Michigan 400 after posting the fastest time on Friday. The Sprint Cup Series took to the track for the Pure Michigan 400 knockout qualifying late Friday afternoon. Despite early practice on a green track where speeds hovered around 195 mph early on, speeds were up at the end. In the first round, nine cars topped 200 mph and it would carry over into round two where 18 turned the trick.
A dozen cars would make their runs for the pole with eleven topping the 200 mph mark and it wasLogano (No. 22 Ford) who will lead the field to the green flag on Sunday with a time of 35.697 (201.698 mph), about five mph off the track record set by Jeff Gordon in 2014.
“I was surprised after the first couple of rounds when we weren’t as fast as the last time we were here,” said Logano. “We were eighth going into the final round but great adjustments to find a little bit more speed out of this thing. I was down there waiting and Todd said, ‘Take it!’ So I said, ‘Yeah, I am going to take it.’ So I got pumped up and I had the attitude that we were going to grab it or we were going to crash. It worked out well.”
It was Logano’s 17th career pole, a good sign because he won the June race at MIS from the No. 1 spot. Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Chevy) will start on the front row alongside Logano.
“It was just an awesome day for this Lowe’s race car and this Lowe’s race team,” said Johnson. We keep stacking pennies and making this car better and better. My hat’s off to everyone at Hendrick Motorsports and all the hard work they’re putting into things. Great practice and great qualifying. We need some more practice sessions tomorrow and roll them into a good race.”
Logano has a chance to be just the third driver to win three straight races at Michigan, joining David Pearson and Bill Elliott.
“Anytime you can put your name with a Hall of Fame member of any sort is really special for me. That is crazy, that is a really neat stat,” he said.
PIT NOTES:
Defending champion for the Pure Michigan 400, Clint Boyer (No. 15 Chevy), never made it out of the first round and will start 27th.
Other notables that did not make the top-24 in the first round of qualifying were AJ Allmendinger (No. 47 Chevy), and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 17 Ford). Jeffrey Earnhardt (No. 32 Ford) did not make an attempt to qualify after crashing into the wall during practice and were still working on the backup car.
“We were really tight in practice,” Stenhouse said. “The Zest Fusion wasn’t exactly ideal. Our qualifying efforts lately haven’t been as good but our racing package has been better. Earlier in the year I felt like we qualified really well and then wouldn’t race as good. For whatever reason we haven’t been able to get them both dialed in together.”
Alex Bowman, who is in the No. 88 Chevy for Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished sixth in the opening round carrying the University of Michigan colors on the car. He doesn’t have a lot of experience on super speedways yet still found a way into round three. Bowman would finish 0.087 behind Logano and will start sixth on Sunday.
“I’m just so glad to be here with HMS (Hendrick Motorsports) and I hate that it’s under these circumstances (filling in for Earnhardt Jr.). Obviously we’re wishing Dale a quick recovery and hope he gets back in the car soon. I’m thankful for Axalta and the University of Michigan for putting some faith in me and letting me be here and drive their race car today.”
Chris Buescher is fighting for his life to land in the top-30 in points to make the Chase after a win at Pocono, made it into the top-24, but could not advance ito the final round and will start 21st.
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Here is the starting field for the Pure Michigan 400 on Sunday:
1 Joey Logano (No. 22 Ford)
2 Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Chevy)
3 Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Toyota)
4 Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Chevy)
5 Chase Elliott (No. 24 Chevy)
6 Alex Bowman (No. 88 Chevy)
7 Ryan Blaney (No. 21 Ford)
8 Jamie McMurray (No. 1 Chevy)
9 Carl Edwards (No. 19 Toyota)
10 Ryan Newman (No. 31 Chevrolet)
11 Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Chevy)
12 Kyle Larson (No. 42 Chevy)
13 Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Toyota)
14 Martin Truex Jr. (No. 78 Toyota)
15 Tony Stewart (No. 14 Chevy)
16 Kyle Busch (No. 18 Toyota)
17 Austin Dillon (No. 3 Chevy)
18 Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Ford)
19 Kurt Busch (No. 41 Chevy)
20 Paul Menard (No. 27 Chevy)
21 Chris Buescher (No. 34 Ford)
22 Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ford)
23 Danica Patrick (No. 10 Chevy)
24 Trevor Bayne (No. 6 Ford)
25 AJ Allmendinger (No. 47 Chevy)
26 Aric Almirola (No. 43 Ford)
27 Clint Boyer (No. 15 Chevy)
28 Casey Mears (No. 13 Chevy)
29 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 17 Ford)
30 Brian Scott (No 44 Ford)
31 Regan Smith (No. 7 Chevy)
32 David Ragan (No. 23 Toyota)
33 Landon Cassill (No. 38 Ford)
34 Matt DiBenedetto (No. 83 Toyota)
35 Sam Hornish (No. 95)
36 Michael Annett (No. 46 Chevy)
37 Cole Whitt (No. 98 Chevy)
38 Josh Wise (No 30 Chevy)
39 Reed Sorenson (No. 55 Chevy)
40 Jeffrey Earnhardt (No. 32 Ford)