2008 SPRINT CUP RACE 23: 3M Performance 400 @ Michigan

NASCAR made its second stop at Michigan, now four races from the Chase cutoff. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the June race at Michigan, but could he go 2 for 2 as many predicted? Ok, ok I won't leave you hanging, no he did not, in fact Junior finished 23rd. In qualifying, Brian Vickers continued his hot streak by scoring the pole over Brickyard 400 winner Jimmie Johnson. The race only had a half dozen cautions at the most but at one point after a restart around the midway point, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Reed Sorenson were four wide and Johnson made contact with his teammate and may have damaged the #24s right front. A few laps later, Gordon did in fact cut his tire and hit hard in the wall. He finished 42nd while Johnson finished as the last car on the lead lap in 17th. So who won? Well Carl Edwards managed to fend off a possible pass for the win in the final couple laps from Kyle Busch. Carl crossed the line first winning his fifth race of the season with the winningest driver so far of Busch finishing right behind. Five Fords (all Roush), two Chevys, two Toyotas, and one Dodge got Top 10 finishes, four of those five Fords in the Top 5. Polesitter Vickers ended up 7th after trying some pit strategy earlier to get in the lead. He fell back but ended up with a solid finish nonetheless.

The Top 10:
1. #99 Carl Edwards (Ford)
2. #18 Kyle Busch (Toyota)
3. #16 Greg Biffle (Ford)
4. #6 David Ragan (Ford)
5. #17 Matt Kenseth (Ford)
6. #8 Mark Martin (Chevrolet)
7. #83 Brian Vickers (Toyota)
8. #29 Kevin Harvick (Chevrolet)
9. #19 Elliott Sadler (Dodge)
10. #26 Jamie McMurray (Ford)