For an extra level of excitement NASCAR added the ‘choose rule’ which gives the driver an option of re-starting on the inside or out before the start. It is quite interesting as a car down in the field can wind up starting on the front row. Starting 3rd place Car 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Light Apple Ford won the 52nd Firekeepers Casino 400, his 54th win in 703 NASCAR Cup Series races. This is his 5th win & 18th Top 10 finish in 2020. This is his 4th win & 20th Top 10 finish in 39 races at Michigan International Speedway. This is Stewart-Haas Racing’s fifth NASCAR Cup Series victory at Michigan International Speedway. This is Ford’s 40th NASCAR Cup Series win at Michigan International Speedway – series-most. 2nd Place Car 2 Brad Keselowski Discount Tire Ford, started from 3rd place posted his 12th Top 10 finish in 22 races at Michigan International Speedway. It is his 16th Top 10 finish in 2020. 3rd Place Car 19 Martin Truex Jr. Auto-Owner’s Insurance Toyota, started from 12th place posted his 12th Top 10 finish in 29 races at Michigan International Speedway.
4th Place Car 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Knauf Ford, started from 11th place followed by 5th place Car 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Fudge Brownie Toyota, started from 7th place. 6th Place Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota, started from 2nd place followed by 7th place Car 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, started from 8th place. 8th Place Car 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford, started from pole followed by 9th place Car 43 Bubba Wallace Victory Junction Chevrolet, started from 24th place. Lastly in the Top 10 was Car 1 Kurt Busch Monster Energy Chevrolet, in 10th place, started from 10th place. Christopher Bell (13th) was the highest finishing rookie.
The race had 9 Cautions for 43 Laps: 1st Caution on lap 17 for Competition. 2nd Caution on lap 42 for Stage 1 Conclusion. 3rd Caution on lap 87 for Stage 2 Conclusion. 4th Caution on lap 94 for 17, 38 Crash on the Frontstretch. 5th Caution on lap 107 for #38 Spin Turn 4. 6th Caution on lap 132 for #38 Crash in Turn 3. 7th Caution on lap 144 for #8, 37 Crash in Turn 2. 8th Caution on lap 150 for #41 Crash in Turn 3 [Red: 00:05:45]. 9th Caution on lap 155 for #3, 6, 34, 95 Crash in Turn 4.
The race had 12 Lead Changes among 7 drivers; J. Logano 1-14; D. Hamlin 15; J. Logano 16-19; D. Hamlin 20-22; K. Harvick 23-43; D. Hamlin 44-49; R. Blaney 50-76; K. Harvick 77-106; J. Yeley(i) 107; K. Busch 108-111; K. Harvick 112-138; C. Elliott 139-147; K. Harvick 148-161.
Stages:
Stage 1 Top 10: 4, 11, 12, 1, 2, 20, 88, 9, 18, 47
Stage 2 Top 10: 4, 12, 11, 20, 2, 18, 1, 88, 14, 48
Starting with this weekend’s races at Michigan International Speedway, NASCAR will incorporated the ‘choose rule’ into the restart procedure for all national series races except those held on road courses and superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega). The rule made its NASCAR national series debut during the NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway last month. As drivers approach a designated spot on the track, they must commit to the inside or outside lane for the restart. The rule will add strategy and is especially important on those tracks that have a distinctly dominant lane on restarts; the drivers will have their choice of track position or the preferred lane as the race returns to green flag conditions.
In addition, beginning with the Daytona Road Course event, NASCAR will now use three competition-based performance metrics to determine the starting lineup – including the Busch Pole Award in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Cometic Gaskets Pole Award in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series – and pit selection order for each race, replacing the random draw procedure that has been in place for a majority of races since NASCAR’s return to racing at Darlington Raceway in May. NASCAR will reward both season-long and single-race performance to determine the lineup and pit selection, using owner points position and the finish and fastest lap from the most recently completed race.
NASCAR Cup Series Race Number 21
Michigan International Speedway – Brooklyn, MI – 2. – Mile Paved
Total Race Length – 161 Laps – 322. Miles
Finish Start Car Team Laps Status
| 1. 3. Car 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Light Apple Ford 161 Running |
| 2. 5. Car 2 Brad Keselowski Discount Tire Ford 161 Running |
| 3. 12. Car 19 Martin Truex Jr. Auto-Owner’s Insurance Toyota 161 Running |
| 4. 11. Car 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Knauf Ford 161 Running |
| 5. 7. Car 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Fudge Brownie Toyota 161 Running |
| 6. 2. Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota 161 Running |
| 7. 8. Car 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 8. 1. Car 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 161 Running |
| 9. 24. Car 43 Bubba Wallace Victory Junction Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 10. 10. Car 1 Kurt Busch Monster Energy Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 11. 23. Car 20 Erik Jones STANLEY Toyota 161 Running |
| 12. 17. Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Ally Fueling Futures Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 13. 29. Car 95 Christopher Bell # Procore Toyota 161 Running |
| 14. 19. Car 24 William Byron Axalta Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 15. 15. Car 21 Matt DiBenedetto #FordStrong Technicians Ford 161 Running |
| 16. 4. Car 10 Aric Almirola Smithfield Hometown Originals Ford 161 Running |
| 17. 20. Car 42 Matt Kenseth Credit One Bank Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 18. 14. Car 8 Tyler Reddick # Chevy Accessories Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 19. 9. Car 14 Clint Bowyer DEKALB Ford 161 Running |
| 20. 22. Car 17 Chris Buescher Fastenal Ford 161 Running |
| 21. 6. Car 88 Alex Bowman ChevyGoods.com/Adam’s Polishes Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 22. 36. Car 32 Corey LaJoie Schluter Systems Ford 161 Running |
| 23. 34. Car 13 Ty Dillon GEICO Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 24. 37. Car 96 * Daniel Suarez Toyota 161 Running |
| 25. 35. Car 37 Ryan Preece Honey Nut Cheerios Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 26. 26. Car 27 JJ Yeley(i) Ford 161 Running |
| 27. 25. Car 00 Quin Houff # CREEK Enterprises Inc. Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 28. 13. Car 6 Ryan Newman Coca-Cola Ford 161 Running |
| 29. 21. Car 34 Michael McDowell Martin Transportation Systems Ford 161 Running |
| 30. 30. Car 74 Reed Sorenson Fake Steak Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 31. 18. Car 3 Austin Dillon Dow Mobility Service Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 32. 32. Car 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kroger Chevrolet 161 Running |
| 33. 38. Car 66 * Timmy Hill(i) SBC Contractors Inc. Toyota 159 Running |
| 34. 16. Car 41 Cole Custer # HaasTooling.com/Jacob Co. Ford 148 Accident |
| 35. 33. Car 53 Garrett Smithley(i) Ford 141 Steering |
| 36. 31. Car 38 John Hunter Nemechek # Death Wish Coffee Ford 127 Accident |
| 37. 27. Car 15 Brennan Poole # Chevrolet 125 Engine |
| 38. 28. Car 51 James Davison Ford 103 Running |
| 39. 39. Car 7 * Joey Gase(i) Wisconsin Lighting Labs Chevrolet 58 Transmission |
Race Comments: Prior to the start of the race, the following vehicle(s) dropped to the rear of the field under penalty: Nos. 6, 17 (at-track penalty – spoiler), Nos. 7, 48 (multiple inspection failures). Failed to Qualify: None. Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 34 Mins, 55 Secs. Average Speed: 124.712 MPH. Margin of Victory: .284 Seconds. Caution Flags: 9 for 43 laps. Lead Changes: 12 among 7 drivers. American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Kevin Harvick, #4. Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Christopher Bell, #95.
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Next Race: August 9, 2020 – Michigan International Speedway
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