The Chase is getting closer and closer. Just three races remain in the NASCAR Sprint Cup regular season, with drivers eager to build momentum ahead of the Challenger Round. They’ll get their next chance to do so in the Pure Michigan 400. Current Sprint Cup points leader Kevin Harvick has been consistently strong at the track, but can he overcome the challenge of Joey Logano, among others?
Check out our complete preview of this upcoming NASCAR race below. And to get a sense of how much the drivers stand to make out of this race, check out our Pure Michigan 400 prize money breakdown here.
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At long last, Kevin Harvick finally snapped his long winless run last week in Bristol. The win has helped Harvick open up a 27-point lead atop the Sprint Cup standings with just three races left in the regular season. And now, the 2014 Sprint Cup champ has a very good chance of making it back-to-back victories in Michigan.
Harvick has had a lot of success on the track over the past few years. He’s finished in the top five in six of his last seven starts, and has been the runner-up five times. That excellent track record suggests Harvick will be right there in the mix in Michigan this weekend.
Look for Joey Logano to be Harvick’s biggest rival for the checkered flag in Michigan. The Team Penske driver already tasted victory at the track last June as he won the FireKeepeers Casino 400. Not only did Logano win pole, he also led the race for 138 of the 200 laps in a truly dominant drive.
That win was Logano’s second in the past six starts at Michigan International Speedway, and he will be a very good bet to make it three in seven on Sunday.
It’s been quite a while since Martin Truex Jr. has even come close to winning a race. He’s failed to crack the top five in each of his last seven starts, the only driver currently in the top 10 of the Sprint Cup standings to do so during that span.
However, Truex has had a fair bit of success in Michigan. He finished third in both of his races at the track last season. He was also second in qualifying in the first race this season before finishing in 12th place.
Michigan hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Jimmie Johnson. The No. 48’s average finish on the track in his last three races on the track has been a dismal 24.7, which includes a 16th-place finish in June. That’s why J.J. won’t be considered one of the top contenders this weekend.
But sleep on the six-time Sprint Cup champion at your own risk. Johnson does own a win in Michigan, which came in 2014. He also showed he’s still dangerous on two-mile intermediate tracks like Michigan, as he won in California earlier this season.
Chase Elliott’s brilliant rookie season has hit a bit of a wall, as he has finished no better than 13th in his last eight races. But that disappointing run could finally come to an end in Michigan. Elliott finished second in his very first race at Michigan International Speedway, and is his best finish to date in his NASCAR career.
It’s admittedly a long shot considering his recent form, but Elliott should still be a dark horse worth considering in Michigan this weekend.
Writer’s Prediction
Harvick (+600) holds off Logano and gets the win in Michigan.
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