A recap of Carfax 400 Michigan- favourite Jeff Gordon starts at 36th position
The race in Michigan was initially thought by the drivers to be one where fuel needs to be reserved and the car needs to be pampered to see it through the cheque flag. However, on the day of the Carfax 400 it was totally different and none of these aspects was focused upon. The race saw some drivers save fuels and make pit stops at cautions and some left it to the very end and just managed to reach the end of the race.
The race was not as spectacular as some of the other events in the series. The top drivers either finished at the spot where they were or shuffled a little down after the final restart.
Michigan is track known for the numerous amounts of opportunities it provides to the drivers like different lines to overtake. Some of the restarts at this track have also been most memorable, making the race a lifetime experience.
The driver who grabbed and pounced on every opportunity provided was Kevin Harvick. Harvick looked confident before the start of the race when he was in the ESPN pit crew and expressed what he felt about the Michigan track. He said that Michigan was without a doubt one of the worst tracks in the calendar. Harvick added that he didn’t have an astounding record here but this time he knew he would win. The 400 miles that he drove proved to be the best out of the rest of the drivers. His pre-race confidence, perfectly executed strategies skilful driving and pinpoint saw this fabulous driver standing on the top of the podium.
With Harvick finishing in the victory lane, he managed to get hold of a place in the 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup. The win was a huge confidence booster for the driver, as he managed to come up with 10 bonus points with 10 races left. Although Harvick is still behind drivers like Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson but with the 10 races remaining, it looks as if he might be able to catch them.
Some of the big names in the race finished in pathetic positions. And others that were regarded as favourites to come out on top like Jeff Gordon couldn’t manage anything, as he had a terrible qualifying that put in him at 36th position at the start. Although Gordon started way back but he had the determination and desire to win and suddenly it looked as if he would manage to pull off something spectacular. But nothing happened, and in between the race the pit spots proved to be the real flaw and the race ended in a hard and well fought battle by Gordon, which could have been better, according to race critics. However, after colliding with Jeff Burton and puncturing his front tire, Gordon’s chances of a sound finish were over.
Another favourite driver competing in the race was Carl Edwards. He was unable to win the race, although he managed to get ahead of the rest of the pack but later the race proved to be troublesome for Carl. The competition witnessed some lucky ones who were able to gain momentum, while few others who were not able to shine in the event. However, no bonus points were awarded to the drivers this week.
With positions from one to six extremely close on points, the 185-point game could be shortened even further in the upcoming race, which is another tight race. What remains to be seen is that whether or not the leaders extend their lead, lose it or just carry on maintaining their current standings.
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