Kevin Harvick became the first driver to lock down a position in the championship Chase after winning Sunday’s CARFAX 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
Harvick gambled on fuel and tires when he opted to stay on the track, while most of the leaders pitted for the final time during a late-race caution. He passed Denny Hamlin with 11 laps remaining and then beat Hamlin at the finish by 1.7 seconds for his third victory of the season and the 14th of his Sprint Cup Series career. Harvick also won at Michigan for the first time in his 20th Cup start here.
Harvick recorded his first Cup win on a non-restrictor plate track since November 2006 at Phoenix. He also gave RCR its first Cup win at Michigan since Dale Earnhardt did it in 1990. MiamiHerald.com
Roush Fenway Racing drivers Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth claimed positions three through five. Stewart, Juan Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., Elliott Sadler and Joey Logano completed the top 10.
“The biggest concern I had was the tires,” Harvick said of the call to stay out.
“Once we got through those first three or four or five laps, the new tires kind of evened out. Our car was so good up on the top. We were a little off on the restarts, but what a great day. This hasn’t been the best track for us.”
Harvick’s pass of Hamlin represented a 20-point swing in bonus points to start the Chase. Harvick now has 30, 10 for each win, and prevented Hamlin from adding to his 50-point total. The bonus points will kick in after the Chase field is set Sept. 11 at Richmond. NASCAR.com
“It’s a lot of fun coming to the race track now,” said Harvick. “Everybody is doing a great job of not only continuing to press, but to put better things on the race track and ... at the shop. You’re going to have the flat tires, the miscues, stuff happens. It’s just a matter of how you rebound.
“Today we didn’t have to do anything.”
He said studying tapes of how Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has a victory and four top-fives at Michigan, uses the high line at Michigan was key in figuring the track out.
Harvick gave Richard Childress Racing its first victory at Michigan since Dale Earnhardt Sr. won in 1990. Harvick hadn’t won at Michigan in 19 tries previous to Sunday and didn’t make the Chase last season.
“(We) were embarrassed last year,” he said. “We’ve really been running pretty well since probably the last six or eight weeks of last year. It just didn’t happen today. SunHerald.com
Hamlin, who is third in points, looked like he might have something for Harvick in the closing 50 laps, leading 12 laps in total in the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota.
“This is the kind of run we needed to get back in the swing of things,” said Hamlin. “But we still have to get better. The No. 29 (Harvick) was strong down the straightaway and so it was hard for us to beat him. But it was a good battle. I haven’t had that much fun racing someone for the win in a long time.”
Four-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports) continued his winless streak at MIS, finishing 12th in the No..48 Lowe’s Chevrolet. Detroit Free Press
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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Carfax 400 at Michigan - Race Results
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