Categories
Driver Group Game

2018 Michigan International Speedway, Consumers Energy 400

Congratulations to Chase Elliott, who won his first ever Cup race at Watkins Glen on Sunday afternoon. His father was up with the spotters to watch his son fight off Martin Truex Jr. to win the road course race easily when Truex ran out of gas on the final lap. I don’t think it would have mattered because Truex wasn’t going to catch Chase anyway. Chase made one mistake in the last thirty plus laps on the second to the last lap, but Truex couldn’t capitalize there either.

CONSUMERS ENERGY 400

The win gave Chevrolet their first non-restrictor plate victory of the season. The question now is, can the Chevrolet teams win on one of the intermediate tracks? Chase showed a lot of speed at Watkins Glen. Is it just the speed or are they still lacking aerodynamics on the intermediate tracks? If you want to win a championship you have to be able to win on this type of track because that is what most of the playoffs are based on and the final race of the year is on an intermediate track.

Some of those questions will be answered this week as the series heads back to the Michigan International Speedway for the running of the Consumers Energy 400. This is a two-mile D-shaped speedway that has long sweeping turns. Drivers need to carry a lot of speed through the corners, so they can carry that speed down the long straightaways at this track. That means your car needs speed, handling, and great aerodynamics if you want to have a chance to win here.

Kevin Harvick: I am going to go back to Kevin winning his seventh race of the season this weekend. He has been fast all season and has been stellar at this track over the past eleven races. In those races he has finished second six times including the race here in June. He also has two other top five finishes in that stretch. I’m still not convinced that the Chevy drivers will have the speed they need to win here this weekend, but Kevin will.

Martin Truex Jr.: Martin is still looking for his first career win at this track. He has led laps in four of his last five starts at this track and has finished second or third in three of his last seven starts here. He also won the race at the Auto Club Speedway earlier this year which is a track very similar to this one. He led laps in his last three starts at that track and all of that information on car handling will carry over to this track.

Kyle Busch: Kyle is a little bit of a different story at Michigan. His lone win came here back in the 2011 season and he finished fourth here in June. For some reason he doesn’t run as consistently well at this track as he does in California. He has three straight top ten finishes at Michigan, but he has finished in the top three in five of this last seven starts at Auto Club. Which type of handling and speed will he have this weekend.

Chase Elliott: So, Chase picked up his first Cup win and got that monkey off his back. He has been showing improvement on the intermediate tracks lately too. He has run five races at Michigan and has never finished outside the top ten. In fact he finished second in his first three starts here. He will come into this weekend with a lot of confidence now, but won’t be able to make any mistakes if he wants to go on a winning streak.

Kyle Larson: Let’s not forget about this Kyle at Michigan. His three race winning streak at this track was broke in a rain shortened race here in June. He has led laps in each of his last five starts at this track and has been the only other Chevy driver besides Chase to show any inkling that they might be able to win on an intermediate track. I look for his to run that high line once again this weekend and get a good run off the corners.

Erik Jones: Erik has been very hot lately. He won at Daytona and finished fifth at Watkins Glen this past weekend. This team has a lot of confidence right now and is showing they can compete on all types of tracks. He has only run three races at Michigan, but has never finished worse than fifteenth and he finished third in this race last season. Plus he has finished in the top twelve in both of his starts in California.

Jamie McMurray: This might come as a surprise to you, but Jamie is the only driver other than Chase Elliott to finish in the top ten here in each of his last five starts. Combine that with top ten finishes in two of his last three California races and that tells me this team has something figured out at these tracks. I don’t know if he’ll be in contention for a win this weekend, but another top ten is definitely within reach.

Brad Keselowski: This is the track Brad wants to win at more than any other track on the circuit. Brad is from Michigan and considers this his home track and he has been very good here during his career even though he is still looking for that elusive win. He sat on the front row his last two races here and has finished in the top ten in seven of his last nine starts here. I think he has another good showing this week.

Joey Logano: Joey has been even more consistent than his teammate, Brad Keselowski, has been. He has finished in the top ten in ten of his last eleven starts here including both of his wins at this track. Couple that with five top seven finishes in his last six starts at California and you have the recipe for a team capable of winning the race here this weekend.

Kurt Busch: Kurt got his last win here in June of 2015. He has finished in the top twelve in six of his last seven starts since that time. He could come away with another top ten finish here this weekend because we know how much speed the Stewart-Haas drivers have had all season. If everything goes right he could be looking at getting his first win of the year.

DRIVER GROUP GAME FANTASY NASCAR PICKS FOR MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Driver Group Game Group A

  • Kevin Harvick
  • Martin Truex Jr.

Driver Group Game Group B

  • Chase Elliott
  • Erik Jones
  • Jamie McMurray
  • Aric Almirola

Driver Group Game Group C

  • William Byron
  • Darrell Wallace Jr.

MY TOP-5 OVERALL AT MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

  1. Kevin Harvick
  2. Martin Truex Jr.
  3. Joey Logano
  4. Chase Elliott
  5. Kyle Larson

Dark Horse: Jamie McMurray

Stay Away From: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Big 18: Joey Logano

59 replies on “2018 Michigan International Speedway, Consumers Energy 400”

Jeff I’m looking at 4 18 78 14 41 with 42 in the garage… may trade the 14 out for the 22? what you think?

I would replace the 14 and the 41 with the 2 and 22 and probably put the 2 in the garage.

By Post Author

I may just go with your top 5 the but also add the 18… so 4 18 22 42 78 & 9 in the garage… Chase has ran we’ll here during his short Career & as of late this season coming off his 1st career win! how does that look? I still have 3 uses on the big 3 with 4 races to play by the way… I will not be using them next week at Bristol though with that ALWAYS being a wild card & will still be able to use them for the final 2 races of the fantasy season!

I’m going with Truex over Harvick for A driver, Lagano over McMurray for B driver, and Byron as my C driver. Thoughts?

Not sure what game you are playing. Logano isn’t in the B group in the DGG.

By Post Author

bowyer won & kurt busch dominated last time at michigan but neither in your top 4. mistake.

It was a rain shortened race and Harvick actually led more laps than Busch. I stick with my top 5.

By Post Author

If you could only use Kyle Busch only one time in Mich. Bristol or Darlington, which would you pick? Also for Byron? Thx.

I’m in serious start divining in my fantasy live and looking for a couple of dark horses. Do you like any on the 1,24,88,or 21?

Thanks Jeff

McMurray has five straight top ten finishes here and Byron finished 13th here in June.

By Post Author

Hey Jeff again my league requires me to be able to use 1 driver every 10th race and I’m trying to save the 42 for Bristol so I’m stuck between the 22 the 41 or possibly the 20….I’m open for any other suggestions I’m in the top 5 in my league now so I need a good showing this week….thanks Jeff

I would use the 42 here and the 22 at Bristol. Then you will have the option to use Larson again at Texas.

By Post Author

Picking last in my league this week

Drivers left are the 47,95,6,37

Who do you like in what order

Thanks

Practice still come but have

Logano Kez ( saving 12 starts amongst big 3)

Almirola, Busch Elliott, Bowyer ( enough starts left in B, just need wise picks)

Bowman Byron ( will need others to help for a few races)

Thats my lineup barring someone really surprising in practice.
Elliott and Byron just didnt look good in practice or Q

I have only 1 Harvick left and plenty of Kyle Busch and Truex.
I picked Harvick and Larson as my starters and wanted to ask if I should save Harvick for another race and/or for qualifying points.
Thank you. Enjoy your weekly comments.

I would definitely save Harvick for qualifying points and probably wait to use him until the Phoenix race. Larson should be okay this week.

By Post Author

The only one I would change in my top five after practice would be dropping Elliott and putting Jones in that spot.

I am starting Harvick, Jones, McMurray, and Byron

By Post Author

Hi Jeff, I only have one more years left 4 Truex Jr, which of the remaining races would you use him for?

I would save him for either Vegas, Kansas, Texas, or Homestead. One of the mile and a half tracks.

By Post Author

Did something break on Erik Jones’s car at the end of happy hour? Is he going to the back?

Hi jeff…I have the 42, 4(3)..1(8),10(7),20(4),24(4) in B….88(4), 24(3)…I was thinking of going 4,10,20,88..Not sure what to make of the possible problem with the 20?. Any word? And who would you go with? Thanks very much

I haven’t heard anything on Jones. If it is something bad, you might consider starting the 1.

By Post Author

Jeff, need to pick one out of boyer, larson or jones. Also need to pick one out of elliott, suarez or mcmurray. Whichever of the 2 I pick , I have to stick with them till after the indy race. Thanks for your help.

Comments are closed.