Brooklyn, Michigan – high speeds, harassed restarts and high pressure decisions will be exhibited during the Cup of today’s Cup in Michigan International Speedway.
Today’s race is the 15th of the season. Eleven races will stay in the regular season after today. The green flag is scheduled for 2:19 p.m. HE on bonus.
Here is an overview of what to monitor in today’s race:
Restart, restart, restart
Today’s race will mark the third for Christopher Bell with the new Spotter Matt Philpott, who took over after Stevie Reeves left the team after the Bell stars victory last month at North Wilkesboro.
Leave Bell, which starts 25th today, explain what Philpott will face by identifying the race today:
“It is in a brutal awakening on this race track, let me tell you, because the restarts here are probably the most intense restarts that we obtain all year round,” said Bell to NBC Sports. “Mass races of recovery. Many ways to choose where to go.
“He has studied a lot. He also does a great job. I think that to be thrown in the middle of the season, he did everything you could ask.
“For my part, really, there were some clearly tight clear. I had my incident with a Ty (Gibbs) teammate in Charlotte who embarrassed his race, so it was a disappointment, but we worked through it. It’s just me by understanding his language and knowing his tone of voice, things like that.
“I think that Adam (Stevens, team leader) had a little direction for him, but he does a very good job every week and really took care of our car and made us finish the shopping. He does a very good job.”
As Bell noted, the restarts are a key element in the race for Michigan due to the width of the track, allowing drivers to use different tracks to move in cars.
Of course, it can also create calamity accidents and several cars. Seven cars were involved in an accident shortly after a restart of last year’s race which eliminated Bell, Kyle Larson and Joey Logano.
A new winner today?
Six of the top 10 starters for today’s race have not yet won a race this season.
These are Chase Briscoe (starting first), Kyle Busch (second), Chris Buescher (sixth), Ty Gibbs (eighth), Bubba Wallace (ninth) and Zane Smith (10th).
Briscoe on another pole: Hope Trawer Two Time’s the Charm
Chase Briscoe talks about winning his third consecutive post in the series of Cups, this time for the Firekeepers Casino 400 in Michigan International Speedway, and transforming his Saturday on Saturday on Sunday.
Briscoe begins on the post for the third consecutive race. Busch is without victory in his last 71 cup races and finished fourth in this race a year ago. Buescher won here two years ago and finished sixth last year despite his involvement in an incident. Gibbs finished third in last year’s race.
Four of the last five races have seen a pilot mark their first victory of the season. These drivers were Ryan Blaney (Nashville), Ross Chastain (Coca-Cola 600), Joey Logano (Texas) and Austin Cindric (Talladega).
Wait now or wait later
With stands of stands capable of changing four tires faster than a fuel can not fill a gas car, crew managers find themselves with the decision to have their driver on fuel or leave when the tires have changed and with less gas.
Fuel often plays a key role on this 2 -thousand track.
Although the restarts are essential, winning the track position with a faster standing stop can also prove the key. Look when the teams expect fuel and when they don’t do it in today’s race.
