Event statistics following the 23rd race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan.
Kevin Harvick led a race-high 108 laps to earn his series-leading seventh race victory of the season, once again breaking a tie with points leader Kyle Busch in terms of most wins in 2018. Harvick led Brad Keselowski, in his home race, by 3.233 seconds to the checkered flag, also earning his 11th top three and 17th top five in 23 races. Busch finished third, ahead of Daytona 500 winner Austin Dillon and Keselowski’s teammate, Ryan Blaney.
Race Statistics
Consumers Energy 400
Michigan International Speedway – Brooklyn, Michigan
- Winner (starting position): Kevin Harvick (3rd)
- Top Five: Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney
- Full Results: Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Clint Bowyer, Erik Jones, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman, Paul Menard, Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Alex Bowman, Chris Buescher, Jamie McMurray, A.J. Allmendinger, Darrell Wallace Jr., Matt DiBenedetto, Michael McDowell, Kasey Kahne, David Ragan, Jimmie Johnson, Landon Cassill, Blake Jones, B.J. McLeod, Garrett Smithley, Gray Gaulding, Trevor Bayne, Ross Chastain, William Byron, Timmy Hill, Ty Dillon, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Corey LaJoie
- Average Speed: 140.474 mph
- Laps Completed: 200
- Race Leaders: 9
- Lead Changes: 15
- Laps Led: Kevin Harvick (108), Martin Truex Jr. (25), Kyle Busch (22), Denny Hamlin (13), Jimmie Johnson (13), Ryan Newman (12), Austin Dillon (5), Joey Logano (1), Jamie McMurray (1)
- Pole Position: Denny Hamlin (202.794 mph; 35.504 seconds)
- Hard Charger: Daniel Suarez (+29; 40th to 11th)
- Margin of Victory: 3.233 seconds
- Car Count: 40
- Cars Entered: 40
- Cars Running at Finish: 34 (of 40; or 85 percent of the field)
- Drivers to Finish on Lead Lap: 21
- Cautions: 8 for 37 laps
- Stage Winners: Kevin Harvick (1), Kevin Harvick (2)
- Winning Manufacturer: Ford
- Manufacturer Breakdown: Chevrolet (19); Ford (14); Toyota (7)
- Weather at Start of Race: 83 degrees Fahrenheit, partly cloudy, winds NE 12 mph
- Weather at End of Race: 84 degrees Fahrenheit, partly cloudy, winds NW 11 mph
Notes of Interest – Race/Weekend Recap (Michigan International Speedway)
- This marked the 99th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway.
- This is Kevin Harvick’s series-leading seventh NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season. He now has 44 career Cup Series wins, tying him for 17th all-time with Bill Elliott, father of the most recent race winner, Chase Elliott (Watkins Glen International).
- Harvick now has 105 victories in NASCAR’s three national series (44 in Cup; 47 in Xfinity Series; and 14 in Truck Series).
- Harvick’s seventh victory marks the most he’s had in a season. He had five wins in 2006 and 2014, his championship season.
- This is Harvick’s second victory at Michigan International Speedway; he also won the second race at the track during the 2010 season. He had finished second six times since his last win at the two-mile oval.
- Harvick’s 44th Cup Series victory came in his 633rd race. He has won 6.96 percent of his career races, and 30.43 percent of races in 2018.
- Austin Dillon finished fourth, his best finish since winning the Daytona 500. Dillon was the highest-finishing Chevrolet driver.
- Denny Hamlin finished eighth, his 12th top-10 finish of the season.
- Hamlin scored his second pole position of the season, both of which have come in succession (also started from the pole at Watkins Glen International). Hamlin now has 28 career poles. This is his first pole at Michigan, and the first time he’s sat on the pole in back-to-back races since the 2013 spring races at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway.
- Hamlin is the seventh driver to earn at least two pole positions this season, joining Martin Truex Jr., who has a season-high five; Kyle and Kurt Busch, with three each; and Kevin Harvick, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson with two apiece.
- Daniel Suarez made up a race-high 29 positions, finishing 11th after starting last.
- A total of nine drivers led the race, and traded the lead a total of 15 times.
- A total of 21 drivers finished on the lead lap.
- A total of 34 cars finished the race for the second consecutive race.
- A total of 19 drivers improved on their starting position in the race.
- The next Cup Series race will be Saturday, August 18, with the Bass Pro Shops/NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
Additional notes and statistics forthcoming.
No comments:
Post a Comment