Kyle Larson was able to push his way through to another NASCAR win at Michigan International Speedway in the Pure Michigan 400.
They race Sunday afternoon (8/13) began with Brad Keselowski starting on the pole and hoping to win for the first time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan. It looked as though he just might get that win as he claimed the stage one win and was also the driver with the most laps led for the race with 105 of the scheduled 200 laps out in front of the field.
However, as the race continued on other cars found ways to keep Brad behind them. One of those cars was driven by Martin Truex Jr. who captured yet more playoff points by winning stage two of the Pure Michigan 400.
There were only the caution periods at the end of the first two stages of the race and two other cautions for racing incidents early on in the race. Martin looked as though he was going to cruise to another 2017 season win when the fifth and final caution of the day came out late in the race.
That caution put the race under NASCAR’s overtime of a green-white-checkered finish. Kyle Larson lined up in the fourth position in the second row for the restart. When the green flag waived to start the race Kyle was able to rocket his car through an opening left between Martin Truex Jr.’s car and Erik Jones’ car on the front row to push his way to the lead of the race. Although Larson had been near the front in the top 10 all day, this was the first time he was the lead car in the race.
Larson was able to hold the lead for the last two laps of the race to claim his third consecutive win at Michigan International Speedway in NASCAR’s top division. The win was also his third win of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.
Martin Truex Jr. claimed the second place finish with Erik Jones finishing in third place. Ryan Newman finished fourth in the race with fifth place going to Trevor Bayne. See the complete race results for the Pure Michigan 400 here.
Martin Truex Jr. remains the point leader following the Michigan race. Kyle Larson moves back up to second place in the standings following his win. Kyle Busch is pushed back a spot to third with Kevin Harvick holding steady in fourth. Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski swap the fifth and sixth place spots for a third week in a row with Brad coming out on top in the fifth place. See the complete Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series point standings here.
There are three races and three positions left on the Chase Grid not filled by drivers with a 2017 win. The battle to make The Chase keeps intensifying with more drivers slipping into a “must win” scenario to have a shot at the championship.
The next chance to capture that win will come this week in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday night, August 19th.
By: Buck Stevens
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2017 Pure Michigan 400
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- BROOKLYN, MI - AUGUST 13: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, leads the field past the green flag to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 13, 2017 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
