Penske Racing drivers Kurt Busch, Sam Hornish Jr. and Ryan Newman finished 21st, 22nd and 42nd respectively in Sunday’s 200-lap LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). Busch used fuel mileage and pit strategy to make up a lost lap to finish just outside the top 20 in the No. 7 Miller Lite Dodge. Hornish Jr. experienced a day of “firsts” as the No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge driver celebrated his first Father’s Day as a new dad, made his first Cup start at MIS and led the race twice, while Ryan Newman and the No. 12 Alltel Dodge team suffered mechanical and engine failure.
Qualifying for the 400-mile event was rained out on Friday and the field was set according to 2008 NASCAR Cup Series owner points, which saw Newman start 14th, Busch start 22nd and Hornish start 35th.
It was an afternoon of highs and lows for Busch, who had an ill-handling racecar at the drop of the green flag, resulting in a spinout in the exit of turn 2 while running 36th on lap 103. But as the race continued, Busch’s bad luck turned into good fortune. Running a lap down to the leaders, the Pat Tryson-led team began to “bank” extra fuel mileage by pitting on the “one-lap-to-go” circuit before restarts. The team’s strategy paid off as Busch got the “lucky dog” free pass back onto the lead lap on Lap 146 when the fourth yellow flag fell. The Miller Lite Dodge finished 21st and Busch climbed two spots in the 2008 NASCAR Cup Series driver points rankings, up to 19th.
“We were really fortunate to finish that high,” said Busch, who had posted a dominant win at Michigan in the most recent Cup race last August. “We came in here looking at the big picture and that’s what we’re faced with from now on until we get to Richmond in September.”
Hailing from nearby Defiance, Ohio, Hornish considers the two-mile D-shaped oval his “home” track. After starting the race in 35th, Hornish made steady gains through the field and on lap 142, pit stop strategy gave Hornish the lead for the first time in the Mobil 1 Dodge driver’s NASCAR Cup Series career. Hornish’s No. 77 entry was running strong and he was able to pass then-leader Jimmie Johnson on lap 162 – his first green flag pass for the lead of a Cup Series event. Johnson retook the lead on the next lap with Hornish running a solid second until rising water temperatures caused by debris on the grille forced him to pit under green on lap 178. Hornish suffered a late spin but still wound up finishing 22nd as the top rookie in the race.
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