2019 Michigan International Speedway, FireKeepers Casino 400

Kyle Busch picked up his series leading fourth win of the season this past weekend at Pocono. Right now the Gibbs teams are the class of the field each and every week followed by the Stewart-Haas stable and then the Hendrick bunch. The Hendrick drivers have made strides this year and are starting to show what they can do.

FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400

This is going to be another big week for the teams as they head to the Michigan International Speedway for the running of the FireKeepers Casino 400. Once again we are on a long two-mile track where speed will be at a premium. As I already stated, the Hendrick teams have gotten much better since the start of the season and can’t be ignored in this type of race any more this year.

Joey Logano: I am picking Joey to win this week’s race at Michigan and get the Penske teams back in the winners circle. Joey has finished in the top ten here in nine of his last ten starts including a win back in the spring of 2016. He looked pretty strong once again last week on the long straightaways at Pocono and bodes well for him this week.

Chase Elliott: Chase has been the best of the Hendrick drivers this season and finished second in his first three starts at this track. He has finished in the top ten in all six of his starts at Michigan and looks to be getting better every week. I think this is one of his best tracks and he should have a fast car all weekend.

Kyle Busch: Kyle never really ran well here until the last two years when he finished in the top ten in all four of those races. He has shown that he is a contender week in and week out this year and is trying to really add a lot of playoff points to his total and keep all of the other drivers from collecting them He will contend once again this week/

Kevin Harvick: Kevin won the race here last fall and has finished in the top five in seven of his last ten starts at Michigan. They won’t be using the new aero package this week, so he might be able to pick up that win that has been eluding him so far this season. He will be chomping at the bit to get back on the track after a disappointing week at Pocono.

Kyle Larson: Kyle won three straight races here during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Last year he didn’t fair so well with his best finish being seventeenth in the July race. This team has shown some speed this season, but they have really had some bad luck. I think they are looking forward to this week’s race where they believe they can get into the winners circle once again.

Martin Truex Jr.: After having engine issues which knocked him out of the Pocono race last week, Martin will be looking for redemption. He has four top six finishes in his last eight races here and we know he can get around this type of track. He would like nothing better than to win his fourth race of the season to get himself back into a tie with Kyle Busch for series wins.

Brad Keselowski: Brad really wants to win here as he considers it his home track. He has finished in the top ten in eight of his last ten starts here, but hasn’t quite gotten to the winners circle yet. He will do whatever it takes and fight as hard as he can this week to pick up his first win at this track.

Ryan Blaney: Ryan finished in the top ten in both of the races here last year and has looked good for the most part this year. He just hasn’t been able to put a whole race together and get to victory lane yet. We know the Ford’s should all have good speed this weekend and if they can keep up with changing track conditions and eliminate mistakes in the pits they could pick up a win this week.

Erik Jones: Erik looked very good at Pocono last week and that should boost this teams confidence heading to Michigan. He has finished in the top fifteen in each of his four starts at this track with a best finish of third. He is my dark horse pick for this week and if he can show a little patience early in the race this week he could come away with his first win of the year.

Clint Bowyer: Clint won this race last year and looked very strong at Pocono last week. The only qualm I have is that was his only top ten finish in his last seven starts at this track. Granted he wasn’t always on one of the elite teams during that stretch, but it is something to think about.

DRIVER GROUP GAME FANTASY NASCAR PICKS FOR MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Driver Group Game Group A

• Joey Logano
• Chase Elliott

Driver Group Game Group B

• Erik Jones
• Ryan Blaney
• Austin Dillon
• William Byron

Driver Group Game Group C

• Chris Buescher
• Ty Dillon

MY TOP-5 OVERALL AT MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

1. Joey Logano
2. Chase Elliott
3. Kyle Busch
4. Martin Truex Jr.
5. Brad Keselowski

Dark Horse: Erik Jones

Stay Away From: Jimmie Johnson

Big 18: Erik Jones