The 2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series Playoffs are just around the corner, with just four races left in the regular season. This weekend’s race – the 2017 Pure Michigan 400 – is set to be a very hotly-contested one given the number of drivers who have some great history at the track and are currently in fine form. Let’s check out those top drivers’ odds of coming away with the checkered flag this weekend.
Truex picked up his series-leading fourth win of the season last week at Watkins Glen. The 37-year-old has been in outstanding form recently, with two wins and four top-five finishes in his last five races.
Truex, the current runaway points leader, will obviously want to keep all that momentum entering The Playoffs, and getting a first-ever win at Michigan might be just the morale booster he needs to get him past the final stretch of the season. Truex has come close to victory at the track a few times, though. He had back-to-back 3rd place finishes back in 2015. He also went 6th earlier this season at the FireKeepers Casino 400.
With the way he’s been driving this season, it shouldn’t be the least bit surprising if Truex finally breaks his duck in Michigan this time around.
Busch doesn’t have a particularly great record at Michigan International Speedway. Prior to this season, he’d finished 30th or worse in five of his last seven races at the track. However, he did pick up a respectable 7th-place finish at the track earlier this season at the FireKeepers Casino 400.
Busch finally snapped his long winless run a couple weeks ago with a win at Pocono. And if it wasn’t for an accident with Brad Keselowski, he could’ve made it two wins in a row last week at Watkins Glen. Busch is clearly driving well, so look for him to be there in contention this weekend.
It’s been a rough last three races for Larson. After back-to-back second place finishes, Larson has slumped to three consecutive finishes way down in the 20s, which has seen him give up second place in the points standings to Busch.
But if Larson could’ve asked any track to help him recover from his recent slump, he’d probably pick Michigan. Larson already won at this track earlier in the season, as he started on pole and led for nearly half the race. He is also the defending champion of the Pure Michigan 400 and finished third in last year’s FireKeepers Casino 400, which just goes to show how much Larson is at home at this track.
Despite his recent struggles, Larson is definitely a name to strongly consider to win this weekend in Michigan.
It seems incredible that Elliott is still in search for his very first series win. It’s even more incredible when you realize that Chase has actually come so close to getting that much-awaited win at Michigan not once, not twice, but three times already. That’s because Elliott has finished second in all three of his career races at the track, which is an amazing feat.
You’d have to think that it’s just a matter of time before he finally captures that checkered flag, and it’d be all the more fitting if he does it at the track where he’s come so close one too many times.
McMurray hasn’t come close to sniffing victory in any of his past races, as he’s got just one top 10 finish in his last six races. However, top 10 finishes have been pretty easy for McMurray to come by in Michigan. In fact, he has four of them in his last five races, including a fifth-place finish earlier this year.
Maybe he’s getting some tips from teammate Kyle Larson on how to own this track. Or maybe their team just knows how to get their cars right for this track. Whatever the case may be, McMurray looks like he’s capable of giving his teammate a run for his money.
Writer’s Prediction
Busch (+300) outduels Truex to claim his second win of the season.
