The front row for Michigan will look awfully familiar, as it’s the same one we saw at Watkins Glen.
Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch are making starting up front together a habit. They did it last week at Watkins Glen, and they claimed the top two starting positions for the Consumers Energy 400 on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway.
Busch probably had the car to beat at The Glen if he hadn’t been done in by a fueling problem with his No. 18 Toyota. It’s Hamlin who will want to start finishing as good as he qualifies, as he’s still winless on the season, though in no danger of missing the playoffs as he’s ninth in Cup Series points.
The other eyebrow-raising team in Michigan qualifying was Richard Childress Racing. Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman will both start the race from Row 3. Kevin Harvick, meanwhile, was the fastest Ford and will start third, while the other member of the Big 3, Martin Truex Jr., will roll off seventh in his Furniture Row Racing Toyota.
Coverage of the Consumers Energy 400 from Michigan begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, with the green flag expected at approximately 2:46 p.m.
2018 Consumers Energy 400 starting grid for Michigan International Speedway
- Denny Hamlin – No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota
- Kyle Busch – No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota
- Kevin Harvick – No. 4 Busch Light/Mobil 1 Ford
- Erik Jones – No. 20 DeWalt Toyota
- Austin Dillon – No. 3 Dow We Are Innovators Chevrolet
- Ryan Newman – No. 31 Grainger Chevrolet
- Martin Truex Jr. – No. 78 5-hour Energy/Bass Pro Shops Toyota
- Ryan Blaney – No. 12 Menards/Knauf Insulation Ford
- Joey Logano – No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford
- Alex Bowman – No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet
- Aric Almirola – No. 10 Smithfield Ford
- Kurt Busch – No. 41 Haas Automation Ford
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford
- Paul Menard – No. 21 Earn While You Learn/NewFordTech.com Ford
- Jamie McMurray – No. 1 McDonald’s/Cessna Chevrolet
- Clint Bowyer – No. 14 Haas 30 Years of the VF1 Ford
- Kyle Larson – No. 42 DC Solar Chevrolet
- Brad Keselowski – No. 2 Discount Tire Ford
- Jimmie Johnson – No. 48 Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet
- William Byron – No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet
- Chase Elliott – No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet
- Bubba Wallace – No. 43 Medallion Bank/Petty’s Garage Chevrolet
- Chris Buescher – No. 37 Slim Jim Chevrolet
- David Ragan – No. 38 Louis Kemp Crab Delights Ford
- AJ Allmendinger – No. 47 Kroger ClickList Chevrolet
- Trevor Bayne – No. 6 AdvoCare Rehydrate Ford
- Ty Dillon – No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet
- Kasey Kahne – No. 95 WRL General Contractors Chevrolet
- Michael McDowell – No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford
- Matt DiBenedetto – No. 32 Harvest Investments/Properties Ford
- Landon Cassill – No. 00 Mane N Tail Chevrolet
- Corey LaJoie – No. 72 Schluter Systems Chevrolet
- BJ McLeod – No. 51 Jacob Companies Ford
- Gray Gaulding – No. 99 StarCom Fiber Chevrolet
- No. 15 Chevrolet
- Garrett Smithley – No. 7 Victory Lane Quick Oil Change Chevrolet
- Timmy Hill – No. 66 Rewards.com Chevrolet
- Jeffrey Earnhardt – No. 96 Xtreme Concepts/Project K9 Hero Toyota
- Blake Jones – No. 23 Tennessee XXX Moonshine Toyota
- Daniel Suarez – No. 19 Stanley Toyota