Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing proved on Sunday that victory is possible in this year not only to "restrictor plate" and ovals are qualified after the third successful 2010 final for the Chase. The # 29 moulted at Michigan International Speedway on constant team a serious challenger to the Sprint Cup title.
Early in the race it looked at first rather like it, as if Greg Biffle to be the man to beat. In the Ford with the # 16 he appointed the first half of the race at will, and gave his first time after the plane crash again present, team owner Jack Roush is every reason to rejoice. The three successful teams of Roush Fenway Racing, # 16, # 17 (Matt Kenseth) and # 99 (Carl Edwards) substantiated then with a sealed top 5 performance that its manufacturer has caught up to the top again - even on the Intermediate ovals, where 1-2 years ago was still the class leader. Even David Ragan Ford the continually weakening with the # 6 with an eleventh place his second best result of the season put on rank 6 in Talladega on the tarmac.
Quite the contrary, the moment the power is in the team of Hendrick Motorsports. Although Jimmie Johnson could take over even in the first round, led by Kasey Kahne, the # 48 was the top spot again, but after going 15 rounds. Kahne led in spite of his pole position but not a single round, and thus went out with no bonus points. At Johnson currently dominates the problem that the car is tuned properly at the start of the race, but the handling of him during the race is increasingly slipping away. Strange that this successful team of Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus shows at once unersichtlich such gross weaknesses. More than 12th place in it was then, in consequence, not for Johnson and that he was the best pilot Hendrick.
Dale Earnhardt Jr saw a mediocre race and 19ter was unremarkable, without getting bogged down in skirmishes. This was achieved teammate Jeff Gordon, although he certainly did have a chance at a good result. After three quarters of the race, Gordon drove the # 24 from the 30's in third position to the front, but fell during a restart with Jeff Burton together and slit the left front tire. More than 27th place at the end of the lead lap in it was subsequently not marcelled car. A rank behind Mark Martin came to the finish in Watkins Glen was able to benefit from Clint Bowyer pitch to get back to the top 12 in the championship. Martin put the # 5 already in the fourth round in the short wall and complained the whole race a bad handling. The chase position, he has again lost to Bowyer, who was in Michigan 13ter.
If you have this vote Hendrick problems to chase again urgently get a grip, otherwise Jimmie Johnson his fifth title in a row make-up removal. Jeff Gordon is like the # 48 probably pretty safe to fight in the playoffs, but Mark Martin now has the three remaining races yet.
The second half of the race was more exciting than the first / Lots of exercise at the end of the race
Biffle's dominant phase was interrupted just before the race by half-time Tony Stewart, who after a series of "green flag stops" the lead but had to give 111 in round again to the eventual winner Kevin Harvick. Harvick was able to collect that but not the five bonus points for most laps led, then long for Michigan in the very turbulent final phase.
Up to this point the race was bored along, which again showed that the 500 miles ("only" 400 miles) are clearly too long sometimes. Although created such an atmosphere of long-distance, where it comes down to the end to keep pest-free. However, a 150-ründige gum route takes in the first three quarters of the race and the tension out of the Cup. Where I am on the "pest free": Kurt Busch is not able, or rather his engine. The fact was already high on lap 32, causing the first caution period. Busch lost the championship by just six ranks but still 215 points ahead of 13th place, which might be lost in three races to probably almost impossible.
Three caution periods between laps 148 and 172 were responsible for a lot of different strategies: Some teams put on four new tires, some took only two rubber and the very brave only tried with a new tank. This interim Elliott Sadler, Martin Truex Jr. and David Ragan were leading before Tony Stewart followed by Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin, the decisive phase of the race through the last restart of the day rang. Since less than 30 laps would be run, even the windows were all closed and gasoline obtained the final places for the final battle.
Denny Hamlin took on a lot of driving and overtaking one after Harvick and Stewart to take over on lap 178, the guide. This pushed the # 29 is identical with the previous "leader" over. Only eleven laps later, and thus succeeded in eleven rounds before the end of the race, Kevin Harvick then the decisive overtaking maneuvers in order to secure the victory. Denny Hamlin and crew chief Mike Ford reasoned that loss of performance later with electrical problems that made the # 11 to create even more this season. Since Hamlin had to shut down including the cooling fans for the tires, he had to contend with rising temperatures and waning grip. Whether he would have won the race without these problems, however, it was one not so sure - there are too many other sites, according to Mike Ford is currently at Joe Gibbs Racing .
The current distribution of power sees four teams at the top with championship chances
Of course these are not good omens for the chase, in which Hamlin had in common with Johnson currently the biggest lead through bonus points. Defeat as well as with Hendrick must be in these little gremlins Gibbs to complete in the final and decisive ten races at the height of his. Jimmie Johnson did before in the past four years, how to win a championship, as he and his team contributed little to no errors. Currently, this required constant work for the three teams of Richard Childress Racing and Kevin Harvick made the best with his third win of the season just to co-favorites for the trophy. What's more, that RCR has now proven not to be able to win on "restrictor plate" routes. Since half of the Chase races on intermediate ovals are held, it is of course important to be out here very well.
In addition to Hendrick, Gibbs and RCR but you have to keep an eye on the resurgence of Ford's Roush-Fenway Racing. The two single fighter in the Chase are then likely to Penske with Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing team its own. Outside the Chase are currently moderately starchy Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing, which had made this season earns respect individual and specially EGR had a little less bad luck can bring at least one car in the Chase. Richard Petty Motorsports, the last major four-car team after experiencing many changes in recent years, a true horror season, even Kasey Kahne is currently anybody. 2011, the whole thing looks even worse because you have after leaving Kahne, Sadler and Paul Menard is currently only AJ Allmendinger, by which the team should be set up next year.
Whether it's the Californians for this leadership position already experienced enough, I doubt it. He has no doubts about a lot of talent and may very well arrive sometimes in the top 5, but that role is clearly too early for him. On Tuesday, U.S. standing in NASCAR some big announcements, but this in the news at the end of the article more. Here only briefly note that RPM with the possible access of Marcos Ambrose (presumed announcement today) in 2011 just over two-car team like EGR stands for the great collapse.
In the championship chase, the internal spaces have been rolled properly mixed
The full race results can be viewed at Jayski.com, the most important positions but I have already mentioned in the analysis, I think. In the championship a lot of places have been changed: Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart were able to advance with their top 3 results on rank three and four in the championship, where they now already firmly behind Kevin Harvick qualified and the previously winless Jeff Gordon rank. Carl Edwards also has advanced and is currently in 6th place behind Jimmie Johnson unchanged. Springs had to be Jeff Burton (from 3 to 7), Kyle Busch (from 7 to 8) and especially Kurt Busch after his engine failure. He dropped from 4th place on the tenth. Matt Kenseth improved from tenth place to ninth and Greg Biffle is still to be found to rank 11th
To the last-ranked Chase argue in the remaining three races now really only Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin, who are 35 points apart. Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray are more than 100 points behind probably already too far gone without any major incidents in the "playoffs" to collect. As safe in the Chase participate in my opinion, for the current Top11, all of which have more than 193 points ahead of 13th place. The final decision is still on a Richmond, but the accompanying stress is likely to be rather bad this year. At this point, the link for detailed statistics on Jayski.com.
The Owner-score track # 26 from Bill Jenkins and the # 38 Front Row Motorsports still further away from the Top35, whose end is currently the # 71 TRG Motorsports, the # 34 and # 37 of FRM and the # 7 of Robby Gordon Motorsports at fairly short distance represent.
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Again a major restructuring at Front Row / The Bristol "entry list" is filled to the brim
With Front Row rookie Kevin Conway is despite earlier denials, the sponsor ExtenZe really get out of the # 34, which takes in Bristol Travis Kvapil. David Gilliland is sitting next weekend in the qualifying fixed # 37, while the # 38 Tony Raines will be piloted that replaced Conway in Michigan already in the # 34th I suspect that even though in Bristol "Long John Silver's" can be seen on two cars, only Travis Kvapil will drive through. The additional "sponsorship" is the close cooperation between "Yum! Brands "and Front Row Motorsports to be justified. Should I be right, then the team is hopeless without the Top35 placed outside the car to "start & park" use.
Conway, meanwhile, looks for a new cockpit, his sponsor, he will probably still be faithful. Are plenty of other under-funded teams are even, but who wants the inexperienced pilots a chance, who would have qualified without the guaranteed right to start for almost a race? Especially at the next race in Bristol could be difficult, because at the moment is no less than 50 cars are on the "entry list".
Among those present were Kevin Lepage in McClure Motorsports Morgan financed car with the legendary # 4 - after a long time again. In addition, there is Brad's brother Brian Keselowski in his own # 92, Mike Wallace has tried unsuccessfully to qualify at Daytona. Also, Jeff Green in the TriStar Motorsports car with the # 35 is back at it (also second attempt). The # 07 of Robby Gordon Motorsports is reported again. Here I would imagine that Gordon is trying just as in Michigan to qualify the # 07, could pass through while as Kevin Conway qualified the # 7 fixed with financing. Gordon qualified the non-Top35-car in his own words rather even, because he could not afford to present more car accidents due to the higher pressure in the qualifying mill. The individual time trial in Bristol on Friday evening, so now a TV or Internet Stream Tip of the weekend.
News
Update: Budweiser is Kevin Harvicks # 29 from 2011 for three years in 20 races + sponsors Budweiser Shootout all-star race. A picture of the new car is here.
In NASCAR USA is equal to several press conferences tonight:
- At 16 clock according to rumors, the change from Budweiser to RCRs # 29 and Kevin Harvick will be announced.
- When Richard Petty Motorsports at 19 clock, with the announcement of at least one Fahrer-/Sponsor-Paarung for 2011 is expected. Probably the change of Marcos Ambrose in the # 9 with funds from Stanley Tools. AJ Allmendinger will be again in the # 43 prize and its sponsorship of Best Buy, when the contract with the lender is because prolonged.
- The Texas Motor Speedway is his schedule for 2011, a night race is likely.
- On Wednesday published the NASCAR Cup calendar for 2011, the latest speculation and facts were always busy tweeting from us.
NASCAR has confiscated after the Michigan Cup Race 16 engines and will bring their own performance tests to Charlotte, each team is affected by this measure. This is to ensure that everything runs according to the rules. In addition, lead to greater differences in performance between the teams and manufacturers for the officials to be seen. The results are not expected to be published, as you know, NASCAR is always very secretive. But what so transpires, one can never know. The engines of Earnhardt-Childress Technologies are in the garage as the most powerful .
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