Sunday, June 14th at Michigan International Speedway there were two winners in NASCAR‘s Quicken Loans 400 Sprint Cup race. The first winner was Mother Nature and as a result, the second winner was Kurt Busch.
With rain all around the track in Michigan when the race began drivers and teams knew that the weather would be a factor in the race. The only question was when would it come into play. That question was answered rather quickly.
The green flag waived and the first of five caution periods was issued on lap 12 of the Quickens Loans 400. The red flag was issues just two laps later due to rain on the track and the cars were parked on pit row for just over 59 minutes. The cars would roll off pit lane under the yellow flag only to be brought back to pit lane and parked again under the red flag on lap 20. This delay would last just over 34 minutes.
After the Air Titans did their job drying the track, the cars would get back to racing for another short run of 14 laps before the third red flag would be issued for rain. The TV broadcasters noted that one fan asked via Twitter if the Air Titans were eligible for the bonus point for leading the most laps in the race. Since the drivers did not declare themselves as Sprint Cup series contenders prior to the start of the season that bonus point would go to Kevin Harvick who led the most laps (63) out of the 11 different drivers to lead at least one lap during the race.
This red flag period would last just under 36 minutes before NASCAR could get the drivers back on the Michigan International Speedway trying to get 200 laps completed. However, that goal would not be attained.
Two yellow flags would be issued over the next 87 laps with racing resuming after each. The cars began pitting under the green flag as the race neared 120 laps complete. With most of the field on and off pit row rain again looked like it would bring the race to a halt. This time it appeared it could be for the final time since the race had passed the half-way mark which by NASCAR rule would make it an official race.
Kyle Larson needed to pit for fuel soon, but his crew chief decided to leave him on the track and gamble that the rain would come before he ran out of gas after the re-start. Kyle held the lead on old tires following the re-start on lap 130. However, just a couple of laps later Kyle was forced to pit before he ran out of fuel. That turned the lead of the race over to Kurt Busch who had beaten Dale Earnhardt Jr. to turn one on the re-start.
Just three laps later the rain began falling again on the track bringing out the caution flag followed by the red flag. This time the rain was very heavy and appeared would remain on the track for a significant time. The NASCAR officials ultimately decided there would not be enough time and daylight (Michigan International Speedway does not have lights) to dry the track when the rain ended to complete the scheduled 200 laps.
With 138 laps of 200 completed Kurt Busch was declared the winner of the race gaining his second win of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. claimed second place with Martin Truex Jr. in third. Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth place respectively. See the complete race results in the rain shortened Quicken Loans 400 here.
Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. remain at one and two in the point standings respectively following the Michigan race. Joey Logano (3rd) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (4th) both move up a spot in the standings. Jimmie Johnson slips back two spots to fifth place in the points. See the complete NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings here.
With four wins in 2015 Jimmie Johnson remains the top seed on the Chase Grid with Kevin Harvick holding steady as the second seed with two wins. Kurt Busch jumps up to the third seed as the only other driver with multiple wins so far this season. There are still a total of 10 drivers with at least one win to be all but locked into the Chase for this year. That currently leaves six spots filled by drivers based on points. See the Chase Grid as it looks following the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway here.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers and teams will get Father’s Day Weekend off before heading to the first road course of the year Sunday, June 28th at Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota-Save Mart 350.
By: Buck Stevens
