Thursday, August 18, 2011

Driver Chassis Selections for the Pure Michigan 400

Note: Not all teams post their chassis selections in their press releases

Edwards and Busch each had top-5 Michigan finishes in June
1. Kyle Busch: Coming off second top five (third) in 13 starts; 13.1 average finish in seven starts with Joe Gibbs Racing; 3.0 average finish and 210 laps led in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 315) that he finished 10th with at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last month.

2. Carl Edwards: Leads all active drivers with a 6.2 average finish; Two-time winner; 12th-place finish in 2010 June race is only finish outside top 10 in last nine races; 5.5 average finish and 30 laps led in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 765) that he finished fifth with at Kentucky Speedway last month.

3. Jimmie Johnson: Coming off third finish outside the top 20 (27th) in the last five races; Last of seven top 10s in 19 starts came in the 2010 June race in sixth; Has combined to lead 441 laps in last nine starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 669) that he recently finished third with at Kentucky Speedway last month.

4. Kevin Harvick: Defending event winner; Win was third top five in 21 starts; Led 60 of his 149 laps led in that event; 14.7 average finish; 7.5 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 373) in the Pure Michigan 400.

Kenseth is using his winning Texas chassis this week (Getty)
5. Matt Kenseth: Coming off 11th top five (second) in 24 starts; Last of two wins came in this event in 2006; 9.5 average finish; 3.0 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 741) that he finished fifth with at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last month. (The car also finished runner-up in June's Michigan race and won at Texas)

6. Kurt Busch: Coming off an 11th-place finish and second pole with Penske Racing; Won this event in 2007 with Penske; 20.9 average finish in 11 starts with Penske; Posted one win in previous 10 starts with Roush Racing; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 744) that he last finished 10th with at Texas Motor Speedway in April.

7. Jeff Gordon: Respective finishes of 27th and 17th in last two races snapped streak of three consecutive top fives; Last of two wins came the 2001 June race; 11.6 average finish in 37 starts; Second among all drivers entered in this weekend's race with 900 laps led.

8. Ryan Newman: Coming off first top 10 in five starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; 19.8 average finish with SHR; Two wins in previous 15 starts with Penske Racing; 5.5 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011.

Junior hoping for good fortune at Michigan again.
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr: Site of last win in 2008; 12.6 average finish in seven starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Posted five top 10s in previous 17 starts with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

10. Tony Stewart: Has finished seventh or better in five of his last seven starts; 8.4 average finish in five starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; 10.0 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 564) that he last finished seventh with at Michigan in June.

11. Clint Bowyer: Coming off third top 10 (eighth) in 11 starts; 7.5 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 368) that he finished 13th with at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July.

12. Denny Hamlin: Coming off second win in the last three races; Win was fifth consecutive top 10; Ranks third in average finish (10.0); Has combined to lead 146 laps in last five starts.

Greg Biffle led the most laps in June's Michigan race (Getty)
13. Greg Biffle: Has finished 15th or better in five of the last six races; Last of two wins came in the 2005 June race; 13.0 average finish and 68 laps led in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011.

14. Brad Keselowski: Has yet to finish in the top 20 in four starts; 27.5 average finish; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 753) that he won the pole and finished 19th with in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.

15. Paul Menard: Coming off first top 10 in 10 starts; 23.0 average finish; 10.0 average finish in the two races on 2-mile speedways in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 326) that he finished fourth with at Michigan in June.

16. AJ Allmendinger: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in eight starts; Best finish came in the 2010 June race in 11th; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 742) that he last finished 28th with at Kentucky Speedway.

17. Joey Logano: 18th-place finish in June snapped streak of three consecutive top 10s; 14.0 average finish in four starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 319) that he won the pole with at Pocono Raceway earlier this month.

Martin won at Michigan in 2009
18. Mark Martin: 17.0 average finish, including one win, in five starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Previous four wins came in the 90s with Roush Racing; 13.5 average finish in 51 starts.

19. Kasey Kahne: Finished 28th in June in first track start with Team Red Bull; Last of six top fives in 15 starts came in the 2010 June race; Won the 2006 June race with Evernham Motorsports.

20. Juan Pablo Montoya: 30th-place finish in June raised finishing average to 23.0 in nine starts; Seventh-place finish in this event last year marked second top 10 in nine starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1108) that he raced at Michigan in June and was caught up in an on-track incident.

- compiled by Jeff Wackerlin, MotorRacingNetwork.com

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