Sunday's 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway could be the darnedest throw-caution-to-the-wind race that we've seen all year.
With Jeff Gordon locked into the Chase for the Nextel Cup, and Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth getting closer to punching their ticket, more drivers will be willing to take some chances that they normally wouldn't.
Who to Watch
Jeff Gordon: Up on the chip last Sunday at Watkins Glen, Gordon has every intention of winning every week because he knows he's locked into the Chase for the Nextel Cup. So, he can take more risks.
Tony Stewart: Trying to figure out a way to wind up with the point lead to start the Chase, Stewart has definitely closed the gap in recent weeks. I'm sure that he and crew chief Greg Zipadelli think that they can get two more wins in the remaining four races. Bonus points have to weight heavy on their minds.
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NASCAR TV schedule and more |
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Programs of the week
Sunday, 3/22 on FOX
1:30 pm: Food City 500
This week on SPEED
Friday, 3/20
Noon: Cup practice
1:30 pm: N'wide practice
3:00 pm: NASCAR LIVE
3:30 pm: Cup qualifying
4:30 pm: N'wide practice
7:00 pm: Trackside
Saturday, 3/21
11:00 am: Cup practice
12:20 pm: Cup practice
Sunday, 3/22
11:00 am: NASCAR in a hurry
11:30 am: NASCAR Raceday
8:00 pm: Victory Lane
All times ET
Race Trax: Updates, live results
NASCAR on SPEED schedule
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Ryan Newman: Penske Racing South teammates Newman and Kurt Busch seem like they have found some speed in their race cars. You've got to keep believing that this could be the week for Newman to get his first win of the year.
Kasey Kahne: They're working and beating up their cars as hard as they can, but I wouldn't rule out one of the new Gillett Evernham Motorsports cars. Past Michigan winner Kahne and Elliott Sadler may be able to slide up there and make a strong run.
What to Watch
Fuel-ish games: The 18.5/19-gallon fuel cell has put a new wrinkle in the crew chief playbook this year. They've had to be a little more in tune with how many stops they've got to make. They've done a really good job of maximizing fuel mileage this year, but they've also had to rethink their pit strategy.
Adapt to the track: Adapting to a changing racetrack is key because Michigan is very heat-sensitive. If you don't have a tunable chassis, you're out to lunch. You carry so much speed around there that if a team hits the right setup, he will embarrass the field, and it will be a really long day. A lot of guys like to run the bottom, but the top is equally good if your car works well up there. As a crew chief, I'm going to use coilbinding to get the car to run the bottom, but if it's not quite right, then I need the right gearing and engine combination to slide up and run the top. Keep that momentum going and maximize speed on relatively flat banking with Michigan's big sweeping turns.
Chevy can snap streak: It's just a coincidence that Chevrolet hasn't won at Michigan since 2001 because the manufacturer is so dominant at every other racetrack. Michigan isn't much different than California, Kansas and Chicagoland, where Chevrolets have run so well. MIS has predominantly been a Ford track. As we move forward, we'll just have to wait and see which team will break Ford's stranglehold at this racetrack. The way Dodge has been running in recent weeks, it could wind up being a Charger winning for the third time in the last five races at the track.
Toyota's tough task: I really wish that I could say Toyota will challenge this week in Motor City because they need a little bit of a lift. Dave Blaney got a pole at New Hampshire, but they haven't been able to make it happen in race trim this year. The key to their success at Michigan will come through qualifying. They've got to get more cars in the race so they are more prepared for races. Week in and week out, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson are able to work on race setups and get a headstart on everybody. The Toyota teams have to stay focused on qualifying because they're missing the boat when they get ready to go racing, and they're never able to totally recover.
They've still got some work to do with their engine program to improve horsepower and the torque curve. I'm not throwing rocks at them because they're a new group in Nextel Cup.
They're running strong in the Busch Series, but that could be indicative of the 390 carburetor that they run down there unlike the big 750 and 830 carburetors in Cup. When you restrict engines, they perform a lot better. They've still got a lot of work to do in that area before they can feel confident that their program is on track. Don't look for anything strong out of them this weekend, and the other manufacturers are going to work extra hard to keep Toyota from getting on track, too.
Dale Jr. vs. Biffle for final Chase spot: In the Race to the Chase, keep an eye on Dale Earnhardt Jr. Not to knock Greg Biffle, but his team has been very lackluster this year. I'm a big fan of Roush Racing, but it looks like the No. 16 has lost an element. That element was crew chief Doug Richert. A lot of people at Roush Racing felt like he wasn't doing a very good job, but the record shows that they're missing an element over there, and I think it was him. They lost something when they lost him last year. Whether he's running in Busch or Nextel Cup, Greg Biffle has not been Greg Biffle this year. He's having one of those years that can really try a driver. When you've been able to get to Victory Lane on a regular basis, and you wake up and realize you're struggling, you have to deal with it. I don't look for Biffle to make a strong run at the end and challenge for that 12th position, but Dale Jr. and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. still have a lot of fight in them. If they keep those engines running, they've still got an excellent chance of making it happen. But don't overlook an upcoming variable, and that's Bristol.
FOX race analyst Jeff Hammond led Darrell Waltrip to two of DW's three Winston Cup championships as his crew chief. They also teamed to win the 1989 Daytona 500.
For autographed copies of Jeff Hammond's book "Real Men Work in the Pits" plus magnets, hats and more, check out www.dwstore.com.
For photos and appearances, visit Jeff's web site
www.jeffhammond.com.
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