It’s been three days now so it’s safe to say we can talk about the race right? Sunday, started off looking not very promising. Rain was in the forecast, and NASCAR decided to try and move the start time up to beat the weather. Well, the pre-race broadcast started and the rains came. So, instead of an early start time, we got a late one. Enough about the weather, let’s talk about the race. We saw some team implosions, a winless streak snapped, and the playoff picture shook up just a little bit more. Michigan sure gave us a lot of talking points.
Let’s Talk About the Toyota Implosion
The Toyota camp came into Michigan from an outside perspective ready to put on a show on Sunday. However, it didn’t take long for the first causality of the team to occur. When an early strategy call by Kyle Busch’s crew chief brought the two-time champ down pit road when the competition caution was thrown at lap twenty. That decision put his driver way back in the pack. That strategy choice caused Kyle to be right in the middle of a massive accident on lap twenty-six sending the M&M’s Camry to the garage.
Fortunately there for a little while, we didn’t see another misfire from the Toyota camp. That was until Christopher Bell, would come up the track into Ross Chastain and pretty much end his chance at the win. Thing’s where still looking good though for the team. Denny Hamlin who arguably had the fastest car on the track Sunday was still in contention. Well, I guess you know what happened next if you watched the race. Heck at this point you could probably take a wild guess that Denny got a pit road penalty putting him to the tail end of the longest line. His team sent too many men over the wall and NASCAR caught them. You’d think they’d realize after the DQ at Pocono, and every other penalty they’ve gotten this year that NASCAR was watching. I guess not though.
Either way, believe it or not, Toyota still had a chance with Bubba freaking Wallace. Unfortunately for Bubba and Toyota, he got into a battle with the five and twenty-two on the last restart. Bubba just ran out of laps even though he was closing in on the leader and finished second with his team owner finishing just behind him after the recovery from the penalty. Toyota’s dismal day was easily salvaged some could argue minus a win.
The Closer
Well, as I called in my pre-race piece you should’ve kept an eye out for Kevin Harvick. Yes, he hasn’t been competitive all season, but he’s the closer. All it takes is one good thing to go his way and you can about guarantee he won’t screw it up. After some pit strategy fell his way late. Harvick had control of the race and could do what he does best. Close it out.
Kevin Harvick grabbed his fifty-ninth career win Sunday, which has done nothing toward closing the playoff picture. If anything this win just kept it even more wide open heading to Richmond this weekend. Then to a road course and superspeedway to wrap the regular season up. So, let’s talk about the playoff picture on the final lap.
White Flag
It’s about that time again race fans. It’s time to wave the white flag on racing at Michigan. We saw just about everything I kind of expected to see. Long green flag run to finish the race, and some well-timed pit strategy calls for putting winners in contentions and taking others out of contention. What should we expect going forward? Honestly, a whole lot of anxiety and stress for Blaney fans. If you are a fan of anyone else fighting for a playoff spot. Well, then it goes one of two ways. A whole lot of frustration, or a whole lot of excitement.
These next three races are going to be nothing but easygoing. We have had fifteen different winners this season, and I’m willing to bet we will at least see one more before the regular season wraps up. Truex is historically good at Richmond, and Watkins Glenn. As for Daytona, that’s the wildcard we could see someone along the like of Bubba Wallace win, or we could see a complete and utter surprise. Or Maybe Ryan Blaney can go shut down the playoff picture this weekend. It is seriously anyone’s guess. So finally let’s talk about watching these races. I suggest you take a seat because the boys are about to have at it race fans.
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