2012 Quicken Loans 400 from Michigan Internatonal Speedway | NASCAR Classic Full Race Replay

she get International Speedway with long straightaways and wide corners it's one of the fastest tracks on the circuit these metal beasts were created to run free here powered by an engine that breeds fuel and air compressing and combustion gas to generate 850 horsepower they are the masters of the wheel who are here to tame it driven by the heart of a machine stupid a fire through their bangs pushing them 200 miles an hour side by side with danger that when the day is over they can say hi [Music] good afternoon and happy Father's Day from Brooklyn Michigan NASCAR on TNT proud to bring you coverage of the 15th race of the year in the Sprint Cup Series it is the Quicken Loans 400 the car is just about ready to roll off the pit lane here at Michigan International Speedway before they do that let's send it trackside one more time and hear from our pit reporters Ralph Sheheen leads us off Adam I spoke with Kevin Harvick just moments ago before he crawled into the car I said tell me what your thoughts are about these new tires he said when you go down into the corner the car normally feels like a touchdown into the racetrack now it just feels like it's up on top it's gonna make turn one for these guys a real challenge throughout the course of the afternoon Chris Neville well Jeff Gordon's 20 seconds in points 2012 has been engine problems tire issues contact on the racetrack but he's got two wins at Michigan and a total of 14 wins at the next three tracks if Jeff Gordon is going to turn this year around it's going to happen in the next month Matt Chris Denny Hamlin has always been able to count on Michigan as a nice momentum booster going into the hot summer months he's won here the past to juice races trying to make it three in a row then he was probably the class of the field in practice before the tire change now he's cautiously optimistic and Larry back the weather has once again changed now is probably the hottest we have seen it all weekend here at the Michigan International Speedway but Matt the buzzword all weekend speed 19 drivers qualified over 200 miles per hour but that was one lap of qualifying how about 400 miles of races what too fast and how long can they maintain no speeds and I think Marty Snider is with the crew chief that Myka dancer he was the fastest in qualifying yesterday absolutely Todd Parrott and obviously with his tire went a little bit slower about 195 miles an hour still quick but Todd can you really keep up that kind of pace all day long you know we're gonna work at it Marty you know we had a great qualifying effort you know to run 203 miles an hour here in Michigan is a pretty awesome but you know hour happy hour speed slowed down about you know almost two seconds from where we qualified so hopefully this Stanley Ford Fusion the guys in the pits and the team have made some good decisions it was kind of sketchy there to start that last practice with that new tire but uh hopefully we've got a good balance and we put this thing in winner's circle but Adam they certainly honored that speed look at the track president and they said he's a speed king a little cheetah for Marcus Ambrose for one 203 miles an hour he has been fast all weekend long Marty and now we get our Quicken Loans starting grid Marty just pointed it out on the pole Ambrose fastest man in NASCAR first career cut pole in the 2010 Michigan winter Kevin Harvick starting alongside Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle both hit one here at Michigan they're on Row three Ryan Newman qualified sixth he drops to the rear with an engine Tony Stewart trevor bayne sharing row for this afternoon Joey Logano mr. momentum one here yesterday one last week at Pocono in the Sprint Cup Series and Jimmie Johnson dropping to the rear the five-time champion looking for his first Michigan win this afternoon Denny Hamlin has won the last two June races at Michigan he's on row six with Regan Smith see if we can hear from this afternoon's pole sitter cow Marcus Ambrose is Cal Petty in the booth you got me Marcus this is Kalpana in a booth DAV [Music] so check back with Marcus in a minute maybe talking to the team you saw Juan Pablo Montoya they're in row 11 row 12 casey mears and scott riggs row 13 Kurt Busch's back after his suspension last week at pocono Brad Keselowski the hometown boy would love to win here at Michigan International Speedway Jeff Gordon two victories at this track but got a long way to go today he's in row 14 with Michael McDowell Mike Bliss Josh wise in row 15 Bobby Labonte 2000 champion three-time Michigan winner on row 16 with Landon Cassill who did a nice job at Michigan one year ago you want to watch some fun swatch Kyle Busch trying to ride through the field today he won here in August but he's got a long way to go this afternoon now we see once again if we can hear from the driver who's got the view from the front row Marc sent roses cow patty in the booth you got me because there's two speak up the line that's all there [Music] good Marcus this cow painting in the booth do you have me all right man I've been trying to talk to you for about three laps I guess I'm brain dead up here but how big a change is it going to be with a green racetrack in this new tire I believe it is our boss is gonna need all of it we care the cars pretty slick it's been raining I just don't know I do expect here though I'm gonna get up lunch I get a good start and do what happened well you're in the right place to be in this with this mess right now to be upfront and how much did the racetrack change from the other day when you were here with this tire to this time yeah definitely what's too fast and how long can they maintain no speeds and I think Marty Snyder's with the crew chief that might get answered he was the fastest in qualifying effort absolutely Todd Parrott and obviously with his tire with a little bit slower about 195 miles an hour still quick for Todd can you really keep up that kind of pace all day long you know we're gonna work at it Marty you know you know we had a great qualifying effort you know to run 203 miles an hour here Michigan is a pretty awesome but you know our happy hour speed slowed down about you know almost two seconds from where we qualified so hopefully this stanley ford fusion the guys in the pits and the team have made some good decisions it was kind of sketchy there to start for that last practice with that new tire but hopefully we've got a good balance and we put this thing in winner's circle but Adam they certainly honored that speed look at the track presented and they said he's the speed King a little cheetah for Marcus Ambrose for going 203 miles an hour he has been fat so all weekend long Marty and now we get our quickenloans starting grid Marty just pointed it out on the pole Ambrose fastest man in NASCAR first career cut pole in the 2010 Michigan winter Kevin Harvick starting alongside Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle both hit one here at Michigan they're on Row three Ryan Newman qualified sixth he drops to the rear with an engine change Tony Stewart Trevor Bayne sharing row for this afternoon Joey Logano mr. momentum one here yesterday one last week at Pocono in the Sprint Cup Series and Jimmie Johnson dropping to the rear the five-time champion looking for his first Michigan win this afternoon Denny Hamlin has won the last two June races at Michigan he's on row six with Regan Smith see if we can hear from this afternoon's pole sitter Kyle Marcus Ambrose is Cal Petty in the booth you got me Marcus this is Kalpana in a booth DME so let's check back with Marcus in a minute maybe talking to the team you saw Juan Pablo Montoya they're in row 11 row 12 casey mears and scott riggs row 13 Kurt Busch's back after his suspension last week at pocono Brad Keselowski the hometown boy would love to win here at Michigan International Speedway Jeff Gordon two victories at this track but got a long way to go today he's in row 14 with Michael McDowell Mike Bliss Josh wise in row 15 Bobby Labonte 2000 champion three-time Michigan winner on row 16 with Landon Cassill who did a nice job at Michigan one year ago you want to watch some fun swatch Kyle Busch trying to ride through the field today he won here in August but he's got a long way to go this afternoon now we see once again if we can hear from the driver who's got the view from the front row marks at roses cow fan in the booth you got me because there's a speak up the line that's all there [Music] Marcus this cow patty in the booth do you have me yeah all right man I been trying to talk to you for about three laughs I guess I'm brain dead up here but how big a change is it going to be with a green racetrack in this new tire elements are bold I just believe in this odd force is gonna need all of it with you these cars pretty slick it's been raining I just don't know I do expect here though I'm gonna get up so I get a good start and see what happens well you're in the right place to be in this with this mess right now to be upfront and how much did the racetrack change from the other day when you were here with this tire to this time yeah all right man well thank you for the Vegemite sandwich this morning on the countdown the green I appreciate that and I didn't get the keying anything for Father's Day so bring him home something all right man your idiot Marcus Ambrose first career pole it's gonna be bad fast down into turn one this afternoon now we get our Geico race analysis for the Quicken Loans 400 here at Michigan 400 miles 200 laps we should circle this right here pit road speed 55 miles per hour it was a big part of the equation last week Wally yes it was and I think I want to get back to what Marcus was saying go down and turn one you know he's the first one down there so I mean I don't that that's not the greatest spot to be and I don't know if it is or not cuz at least when you're following guys in there you can start seeing what their cars are doing and react but when you're the first guy down in there it's a Hail Mary yeah I think like we said an opening here I think the best spot to be is Jimmie Johnson Ryan Newman cars right now because these guys are gonna need plenty of room and we saw last week on the start of the race the 11th car of Denny Hamlin drive in and lose the nose and get up in the Carl and I think that's what these guys on the outside are worried about on the inside but it's only a groove and a half wide right now Paul sitter gets Lane choice Marcus Ambrose said put me on the outside we had a rain delay of nearly two hours but it's gorgeous now we are ready for a Father's Day edition of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing in the Irish Hills of Michigan front row Marcos Ambrose and Kevin Harvick our grain at Elias [Music] what Kevin Harvick got a rock start side-by-side to turn to a couple of guys trying to make it 3-1 Marcus Ambrose great start at the front that's Kasey Kahne right behind him then Matt Kenseth [Music] Kevin Harvick started on the outside of row 1 and as we complete lap 1 Harvick finds himself back in the fifth position here's Regan Smith inside of aric almirola right behind him Denny Hamlin working over Paul Menard trouble behind and that's Kurt Busch spinning down the back straightaway first caution of the down there you go [Music] loose like a right front flat [Music] at a caution lap one last week at Pocono lap two this afternoon at Michigan for the man who won the championship in 2004 and Kurt had his issues up here in practice I think he spun two or three times and animation gets in the nationwide cars so he's had some issues but you know when when Kurt talks about the right front being planted it's so loose that's what everybody has said how slick this racetrack you could see the smoke develop right there he was already into his spin but you see the marks so this thing got away from him he was pretty good ways from the wall whether he was outside the groove or not you couldn't tell from that yeah he's way up but the damage on the front he got it to somebody there right right there I think yeah he had to but you see how high he was he was he was pretty high right there compared to where these other guys that had started the race Kurt Busch third yesterday here in nationwide competition and there's a good look Wally trying to see who he gets it to there and can't labeled a bit of a brush it's like the David Gilliland machine that got him in the right side he wants up there hit the Y's reckon I'm hungry alright party just slow it down slow it down slow it down keep it straight there you go yellow is up that's so nice do what it's no nice how that papers down there you that used to be granted when that was grass oh my gosh he'd still be going yeah when a car would get down there it just picked up speed see they've done some damage repair to the 51 car of Kurt Busch and you could see from almost every one of those angles the rest of the cars were down he was up a good car length and a half her car Elaine and a half and there's just there hadn't been anybody running up there there was no grip up there Marcus Ambrose started on the pole he's led the first three laps here today your top five under caution Kasey Kahne Greg Biffle Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick we talked throughout countdown to green we mentioned off the top of the show here there will be a competition caution at lap 20 drivers certainly could pit here under caution but they cannot fuel the race car and we heard Kyle Busch talk about it I'll count down the green and on pre-race that the competition caution was good because these guys have built in some adjustments to these cars because of the tires and because of the rain so NASCAR that is a good call to let these guys so people don't go and start getting lapped 15 20 30 laps into the race it gives everybody an equal step up logon to nascar.com to experience TNT race buddy presented by frost brewed Coors Light the official beer of NASCAR race buddy has ten camera views special reports from Miss Coors Light and more lap to crash for Kurt Busch he has come down pit road made repairs return to the racetrack David Gilliland also received some damage he has made a pit stop look at the cautions through 14 races in 2012 80 of them that's the fewest since back in 1999 and a couple of early ones last week at Pocono we've got an early one here but the lights are out atop the Ford f-150 pace vehicle and we are set to put them back under green once again on the restart Marcus Ambrose who was the race leader is chosen the outside lane to his left will be Kasey Kahne row to teammates Kenseth and Biffle Logano and Harvick on Row three Bayne Stewart out Merola and Clint Bowyer complete the top five top 10 they are they've only wrote a couple laps but they got a lot more confidence right now on this restart that they did the start because they do have kind of have an idea what these cars feel like going down to one or two and I'm going to taste them here the outside of Marcos Ambrose but we saw on that restart a little bit most air gosh you see Marcus get that back down in the groove where the rubber is and just kind of power up off that corner interesting that we have seen guys on the outside this early in the race but it but it's interesting that Biffle got a little higher than where he wanted to be he was just a little bit so he had to have to give up that position but if we saw that restart you almost saw the bad car spin the tires and win I think that's why that inside lane is not as good right now and it's not because as you anticipate when that guy goes and you go the gas you're spending worse than he is what happened Harvick is exactly kasey kahne lost some ground on that restart you got me just look on Kairos sideways off the corner is just gonna say there's a lot of loose race cars like his stress starts and everybody thought they would be you know I don't think there was anybody that we spoke to in the countdown to green or the pre-race that didn't think this thing was going to be loose as we see Biffle just power to it to the inside of Ambrose because he loses that momentum getting up off turn 2 Biffle the new race leader and the man that went to Victory Lane a week ago Joey Logano right in the hip pocket of Marcos Ambrose right behind him Kasey Kahne working lap seven of 200 here at Michigan and off the pace Trevor Bayne team that had so much success here at Michigan the Wood Brothers 11 victories and all the gauges read good I think it was Adam that was bringing up the piece of engine problems today Kyle yeah these guys had a lot of laps on their engines out I don't know come on man we don't know how many laughs 21,000 we are joking about that but he said that you know plug wires something like that if you remember when the 99 car went out to qualify of Carl Edwards the reason he started in the back the secondaries didn't open up and are basically Afghan a carburetor that's the way of the B but as his throttle linkage was messed up a little bit that's why I only run 100 70 80 miles an hour they cut it off I said look I don't know if that was true XR somebody jumped way up the racetrack there trevor bayne was running seventh when he had the engine problems he's on pit road now what do you see with Ryan Newman Larry well what I'm seeing is a man that's on a mission going to the front remember had to go to the rear of the field because of an engine change were only on lap 7 with three caution laps he's already cracked the top 20 up to 19 so Ryan Newman making up some ground on track here's what teammate no--nor Tony Stewart was saying prior to today's race on the radio [Music] everybody else has figured this tire out but me so I'll I'll keep digging with it keep working on it I'll find something today here so bear with me for a little while thought figure down here that's confidence isn't it saw the big movers in this race Ryan Newman Kyle Busch among those that are moving forward quickly in the early portion of this afternoon's event what's the latest on a 14 Marty washer 20 say they were not [Music] new tire it really threw him for a loop Tony told me I never got comfortable with the tire and what happened to some moment ago he came on the radio and said hey how does this cars actually pretty good right now Josh wise going to bring out our second caution of the day much like trevor bayne he's up in smoke in the 26 car here this is a suit this kind of works at Johnson's favor and you know you talked about those guys starting to the back you know they get to run a few green laps and then make it up all this track time because of the cost of working at their favorite the guys start back second caution of the day Greg Biffle Marcos Ambrose Joey Logano Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth the top five [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] welcome back to Michigan live cover to the Quicken Loans 400 the American ethanol sweepstakes is happening now log on to nascar.com /ae suites for your chance to win one of three Chevrolet Silverados American ethanol American grown american-made powering NASCAR under caution for the second time today Josh wise lost an engine and this will not serve as the competition caution that NASCAR is planning on at lap 20 couple of drivers came down pit road here under caution we'll tell those stories when we come back to Michigan International Speedway on TNT [Music] the Quicken Loans 400 on TNT is presented by Quicken Loans engineered to amaze and brought to you in part by Sprint avoid a data dilemma with truly unlimited data go to sprint com forward slash speed by Toyota care cheering for you and your car by American ethanol sweepstakes enter for your chance to win one of three Chevy Silverados and by Red Lobster its back red lobsters for core seafood feast just $14.99 13 laps completed Michigan Greg Biffle is the race leader Marcus Ambrose Joey Logano Kasey Kahne Matt Kenseth are your top five Jimmie Johnson start at the rear today with an engine change they made a pit stop here under caution right now the five-time champion scored in 36th here's what he said on the radio to his crew a moment ago these guys the groove is so narrow that I'm a little cautious reluctant to do much I thought I had something worked in and then way way way sideways zone but car feels good and and that's interesting because I think we've seen that a couple of times in the race already that the groove is narrow narrow and narrow and you can't get out we saw the 51 to get outside the groove we saw the 16 try the nine on the outside and then give the position back they just don't want to press it right now [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] NASCAR on TNT back at Michigan several drivers of pitted er under caution Dale junior among those also Jimmie Johnson took four tires time now for our RAM no guts no glory risk versus reward Johnson pits here gets four tires can he managed some strategy when the competition caution comes out gas and go probably picked up about what 20 spots 25 spots you would think of wood so that that's probably a pretty good strategy if that's what his strategy is he's already said we heard his audio I got a pretty good car I just can't get around these guys I don't want to chance it so that would get him positions without him having to pass anybody on the racetrack no doubt Jimmie Johnson Chad can aus have that no guts no glory attitude one of the other drivers that came down pit road the man that restarts alongside Johnson Landon Cassill in the front row Greg Biffle Marcos Ambrose that's Biffle the race leader in the outside lane will put lap 16 on the board as we go back to area before got it done that time [Music] Denny Hamlin got hung out a bit in that outside lane lost several positions see him there on the outside of Jeff Burton making it three wide Bobby Labonte on the inside man Hamlin falling back a bit early in the run and on board with Ryan Newman who continues to drive forward he's he Burton got up there way high in that gray and when he lost a lot of ground and it continues to lose lock down like Kyle said a little bit earlier you know the groove is download you can see a lot of these guys run it down at the bottom of the racetrack right now that they're not as confident as one of that High Line yet you know I think it'll come but right now they're all fighting for that late in the half on the bottom yes I think I asked you to countdown to green Wally are we got to see the old Michigan where they fan out three and four one I think we've answered it they're getting pretty aggressive well I think a lot of these guys are winding up there anyway because they're sliding up there they're going down in the corners and like you saw Burton every time you get a car to run that high groove up it makes it a little bit better and better so yeah I still think we're gonna see it and they're aggressive down the straightaways when you're watching it because what they're doing is they're getting to the corners and are all slipping and sliding and somebody gets a good run it pulls out on everybody here Yocum the biggest gainer so far he's up to sixteen Newman says the car chatted the tires for about the first three or four laps after each restart the boy that thing is definitely a rockin Tony Gibson told me they felt like their car actually reacted better when NASCAR and good you changed the left-side tires they were pretty confident riding onboard here with Ryan Newman started 43rd because of that engine change up to 16th in the running order with 18 laps complete we will put 19 laps on the board here and we did get an update under that last caution when Josh wise lost his engine that NASCAR has shifted the scheduled competition caution from lap 20 to 25 and if you're wondering what's a competition caution and why NASCAR will do this from time to time the reason we've got one here today new left-side tire we had Raines who had a green race track this gives everybody an opportunity the teams Goodyear and NASCAR to check these tires and make sure we don't have any problems developing battle for third place of the racetrack Joey Logano has got it and Matt Kenseth coming up behind tell you what aric almirola running inside the top ten Marcos Ambrose started on the pole back both the RPM cars inside the top five right now that's the way they've been since Charlotte if we go back to Charlotte qualified on the front row running the top ten at Dover they've just been incredibly competitive and incredibly consistent for the last three or four weeks a lot of their success started happening when Mike Ford moved over crew chief that 43 I saw him in the garage area the other day I'm not sure there's anybody more focused I mean he walks on a feed line and he has got a plan this is matt kenseth kind of track long green flag runs patience is what you have to have to be successful and Kenseth right where he needs to be fourth in the running order Kenseth now to the inside of Joey Logano this would be for third on the racetrack and Logano lets him go by Kenseth faster in the 17 Ryan Newman we've documented on the move today running right behind Bobby Labonte let's write on board and see what driver 39 s looking like Wally well you can always kind of tell how the cars handling by watching the drivers hands on the steering wheel and I've been kind of watching keep an eye on on Ryan and looks like his cars handling pretty well I mean he seemed go down there to turn on and you can see it feed the stairwell but you don't see that his hands swinging to the right which means your car's really loose so it looks like like you know I believe was Matt some of those guys talked earlier that he's making his way through the field looks like he's got a pretty good handling car by that driver shot see Brad Keselowski sneaking into the picture he is scored right now in the 17th position that's Bobby Labonte in front of Newman in that bright green and blue car there goes Keselowski to the inside of Newman Newman made the early charge and now drifting just a bit as Keselowski makes the move to the inside and Keselowski one of those drivers he told this on countdown to green he said our car wasn't where we wanted it to be on the original tire they gave us those new left sides and our car reacted Brad now finds himself 16th in the running order updating the progress of some of those drivers pit started in the back and pitted there at lap 11 Jimmie Johnson up to 23rd as Tony Stewart looks to make a move on aric Almirola for position Dale Junior's 27 Jeff Gordon 26th and car Edwards who had issues in qualifying yesterday now finds himself closing on the top 20 he is 25th [Music] Tony Stewart started in the eighth spot took seventh away from Kasey Kahne and now opening the door for sixth on Eric on the roll in that yellow 43 can't quite get there into the corner well he's got a good run right there and when you look at the diverse background a Tony Stewart in his racing career you gotta love him but a place like this that's got new asphalt they're a bunch of question marks and you gotta like this guy - Mark Martin in the 55 to the inside of Kevin Harvick for position Martin is won here five times at Michigan you see that 29 get sideways getting in there and that's what that's the worst place to be loose in that Michigan is loose getting in and that's what look Harvick looks like right there these guys making a lot of adjustments these guys are no looser going to be making a lot of Justin's this is a great time to have that caution the competition caution coming at lap 25 or with 25 laps complete we just put 26 on the scoreboard they're top ten Greg Biffle Marcos Ambrose Matt Kenseth Joey Logano aric Almirola Tony Stewart unable to make the pass of Almirola is sixth Kasey Kahne seventh Mark Martin Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer make up the top ten this will be the first time drivers will be able to fuel their race cars when NASCAR sets a competition caution the rules say you can't get fuel prior to that time although you are allowed to come down pit road if you like teams to keep an eye on teams that have already come down pit road today they did so earlier Landon Cassill did it at lap 11 so did Dale Earnhardt jr. Kurt Busch made a pit stop at lap 15 and the big one is Jimmie Johnson he came down and got tires at lap 11 they're scored 22nd we thought they may play some strategy we'll find out right here and doing one thing about Jimmie Johnson is that he's got he said he had a good race car so if these guys just take fuel and go they can make up a lot of ground on these other guys because there's gonna be a lot of other cars making some serious adjustments and how about this it changed an engine you go to the back and within 30 laps you find yourself at the front of the field that is huge in regard to how you manage the rest of your day but it's huge and how they manage the first 25 laps of the race to it they didn't just fall in coming from the back to the front they had a plan here they come Ralph yep in the first one it is going to be Matt kids and he's got their first pit box off the turn number four they're gonna add I met your flight chassis adjustment he's awake resettled greg biffle took the lead on lap city six he says the car right now just a little bit free math you should just want him to do two tires and fuel on this step he's not gonna make any adjustments back Tampere told me this morning this was the plan absolutely almost beat Marcos Ambrose off pit road but I think that first pit stall will pay off for Ambrose and he wins off pit road at him yes he did Kenseth up to second Logano gains a spot big mover Mark Martin and Kyle Busch will reset the field after a break [Music] NASCAR on CNC back at Michigan won't be long before we go back under the green flag driver to keep your eye on Kyle Busch he's one of the eight drivers that pitted here under caution that took no tires good food for him after starting 34th he has jumped to sixth in the running order pit crew feels like they're doing exactly what they need to do if you want more NASCAR content go to twitter.com slash hashtag NASCAR the one to go signal being given now let's reset the top five after pit stops Matt Kenseth no tires is the race leader joining him on the front row for the restart will be Marcus Andros he too took no tires same for Joey Logano and Mark Martin then yet Kyle Busch and Greg Biffle the first of the drivers inside the top ten that took tires here Tony Stewart he's going to restart seventh in the other driver that took tires under caution will be Greg Biffle who when we go green we'll be in the sixth position and Kevin Harvick's made a couple of pit stops here tough break for this race team who started second today that's his third time down pit road under this caution so obviously whatever adjustments they were having to make while he pointed it out earlier that thing rolled in the corner sideways wiggled and he lost a ton of ground we saw the 15 of Clint Bowyer come up on me but that whatever adjustments they had to make obviously we're time-consuming adjustments a big not just yet big adjustments that's big adjustments because he came in on all three laps of this of this caution a to the top ten no tires guys surprised that surprised me I guess it surprised me 29 laps and they didn't really haven't run that many great but I did think that more guys we're gonna take some tires yeah I really did too just to get a good read on where the tires were because we've heard these guys say you know scuffs are putting a cycle on them was not bad well 15 20 laps on a cycle and that's basically all they had over those first 25 laps because they had cautions remember who's not a bad cycle it's all about taking the tires off and making sure they didn't have nobody talked about so I guess NASCAR can't look at that and they are gonna have another competition caution at lap 50 you cannot fuel your car until then we're gonna go back green as we complete lap 30 here at Michigan Matt Kenseth Marcus Ambrose out front here [Music] Ambrose in that number one pit stall great pit work and now the fight begins down into turn one for the race lead and you can see they're fighting a lot more than they did the beginning of the race so that you know the track is coming in and you see that time the inside lane got a really good start Matt Kenseth almost pulled it down into turn one but Matt's car jumped up a little bit he had to check up out of it you see Ambrose go to the front Jimmie Johnson getting that align he restarted back in the 20th spot so he's slowly but surely is coming to the front today again Jimmie talked about how good his car was he didn't want to chance it but I think humanity didn't want to chance it on the outside but he said he was all the way on that white line going in turn three so he feels a lot more comfortable about where he's at keep an eye on Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart they're the drivers that did take tires at lap 27 when they pitted of the drivers that restarted inside the top 10 here comes Matt Kenseth knocking on the door for the race lead inside of Marcos Ambrose Kenseth goes to the pointed Michigan this is an impressive early run by Matt because Matt tweeted last night after that final practice that they had lost the balance on that car and he was hoping the Jimmy and those guys found some magic and some of the adjustments that they needed to make so I don't think from reading his tweets and stuff and he was very optimistic last night but obviously they may they went the right way Tony Stewart just run around Kyle Busch he's now six Marty Adam as you mentioned two tires on that stop for Tony Stewart who was surprisingly fast earlier with that race car and here's what he had to say on the radio after a little focused in that first run and guys talking clearly moving forward those two tires not hurting it on Farah happy smoking in the early part of this race is Mark Martin he just went around Joey Logano he's up to third in the running order and while Marcus Ambrose lost the lead to Matt Kenseth he's not letting Matt get away keep onboard with Stewart here look at 2012 for the defending champion Tony Stewart some highs and some lows as he works over Joey Logano here and as loose as these cars are what you drive Don somebody like that especially getting into the corner it makes a car you're pulling up on even more leaves more loose we saw it yesterday in the Nationwide race with Dillon and when Danica spun around but Tony really is rolling into the corner and through the center free you saw how much he gained on Joey Logano getting into turn three the lap before he just closed up into the center picked up the throttle not full just a little bit and really closed up on joy and got that run on him down the front stretch and I made the point earlier these are the kinds of days that favor a guy like smoke who's been everywhere and driven everything on every kind of racetrack it's got a help doesn't it Kyle yeah I think it helps that I think the more experience you have on different facilities or different types of surfaces and stuff it's good but at the same time let's be honest we've seen Tony go to some of these places this year and it looked like he'd gone there for the first time that's how bad they ran and I think he and Steve have worked really hard to get back to where they were when the season started winning one two out of the first four or five races I think they lost their way a little a little bit there Denny Hamlin to the inside of Jimmie Johnson that's for the 17th position and back behind them in 28th is Kevin Harvick who made multiple pit stops under caution a few moments ago Ralph what's the story there it's a routine stop very rare that one of these would fall off you can see how they're fastened on to the car right here when that fell out they had to come back and put the new one back on and then they came down to third time just a complete tightening up the car pretty rare Kyle and Wally to see one of these come off the race car that is I ever have yeah I've seen him come off the rear when the axles will be to my right you know eight will beat you just constantly beat on him and beat him loose but up one on the front and that's where they appear to be working one on the front like that obviously it doesn't appear to be that it was tight when they when the race started and worked its way loose [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Michigan International Speedway is brought to you by AT&T the nation's largest 4G network AT&T rethink possible and by McDonald's I'm loving it happy Father's Day everybody from all of us here at NASCAR on TNT if you're just joining us and saying what only 43 laps have gone by well the reason we had some rain move through the Irish Hills in Michigan early afternoon we dried things out it's gorgeous now the race leader Matt Kenseth Marcus Ambrose Mark Martin Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart are the top five saw a spirited battle there between Brad Keselowski and aric almirola for the final spot inside the top ten so as we work on lap 43 Larry what do you notice well one thing I do notice when I look at our top 10 drivers right now Adam four of them did change tires I just think the reason the other drivers did not worry about changing tires they only had 15 laps on their tires and they know they've got that cost at lap 50 and remember what Greg Biffle told us in the countdown to green these things are treacherous when you first put them on with lower air pressure you know something we have not talked about a lot today but appears in some different situations to be playing a role is the draft here at Michigan a lot to suck up on the bumper of the guy in front of you yeah well you're running the speech these guys are you're definitely going to see it you always have seen it at Michigan another thing is this place when it gets cloudy it changes the racetrack we saw it sunny earlier now all of a sudden we got half the track is is is you know dark of the shade it changes the racetrack so I mean these guys are going to be an earther paycheck today trying to get these park to handle hey Chris six laps away from that competition caution at lap see what do you make of the tire go under that last caution the 16 was one of those car took right-side rubber and greg biffle was saying hey let's not take just stop right before he came to pit lane but Matt hue told him in the radio I want to put tires on the car I want to see what the right-side tires look like so I feel more confident later in this race maybe not taking tires Matt fuchsia right now telling Greg hey only a couple more laps we're probably just going to do pimples got a pimples got a fresh scar right there a hand Tony Stewart right now fourth and fifth and following the caution a while ago on the restart they were the two drivers in the top ten that had taken tires there are some others now that have jumped inside the top ten since the restart that also took tires back at lap 27 and two names that jump out to me in the top ten Brad Keselowski and AJ Allmendinger the teammates at Team Penske as Dale jr. goes to the inside of Ryan Newman for 12th Matt and the team that covered was most affected by the tire change Adam was the 88 of Dale Earnhardt jr. it's been a struggle ever since the swap over who was real edgy beginning of the race they pitted back on lap 11 they took the left rear off push the spring rubber in we made a track bar adjustment trying to get better balance the car was still tight back on lap 27 they made two more changes Steve Letarte asked him back on last 41 have we made inroads and Larry Mack jr. said yep the Fallas is really good yeah Matt I don't know if he's feeling like he made gains but when I go back remember he started in the 15th position he fell out the top 25 and I think with that change they made there on lap 11 and in two tires on lap 27 he's actually fighting his way to the top 10 what a turnaround for Dale Earnhardt jr. and you know it's amazing Larry he restarted 23rd at lap 31 so after that cycle of pit stops at lap 27 Dale Earnhardt jr. has put the whip on the rear his race car and he is driving it to the front Clint Bowyer having a nice day he's inside the top 10 in seventh talked about Kyle Busch picked up five positions on that cycle of pit stops while stabilized in the eighth spot aric almirola who spent time in the top five is now dropped outside the top ten is 11 and that's the next driver Dale Earnhardt jr. will see on track and the leaders are in trouble nicely done outside a kid struck out sideways he is that was cool man that was good Kenseth unhappy diapers up when you ran into this eye hey that was a good move on that broses part that when Matt went to the outside obviously Ambrose saw his car would stick and it did stick until he started up off the corner and had just enough of that shove in it did it slid up the racetrack I was horse shaking a look right now it's Ken Schrader in the 32 that they had to drive around Ambrose has taken over the lead there's Wally pointed out Mark Martin is there and so is Greg Biffle yeah that closed him up NASCAR calling for a competition caution at lap 50 and the next time the leaders come around we will complete 50 laps the one-quarter mark of this afternoon's 400 mile event at mission [Music] almost sounds like the old days worse like you can explain what you're playing with you're not just flat into it getting up like we saw and practice all week long like we saw in qualifying here's what's interesting Matt Kenseth leading Marcus Ambrose right with him Marcus Ambrose gets the lead clean air checks out it's definitely important definitely you know feet out front you'll always see the guy out front it's a little bit quicker most of the time there's our competition caution the second one of the day fourth caution overall as you look at top speeds from this afternoon Matt Kenseth dominated this stint in the race until he got into lap traffic Tony Raines in the tin ken Schrader in 232 Kenseth tries the outside Ambrose on the inside Kenseth had to check up a little bit when he went out on the high side and Ambrose had a pretty good run going see him slide it up there yeah pushed it in you see once he gets up there he comes back down the racetrack to get out of the way because he knew that was his fault you know I just made a move and I didn't give him enough room and I came back down the racetrack to get out of his way which was was pretty good the other good thing when you saw that they're passing Kenny Schrader who's probably got more laps on this racetrack than anybody else Kenny just held his line and that's important from a trust factor for of Matt Kenseth Kenseth or Marcus Ambrose to know that guy that they're passing is not going to do something crazy like we saw an old LeMans race but you know I'm saying I mean that there's a trust factor out there that all these guys having each other Tony Raines got the free pass under caution he was the first car one lap down last time they pitted lap 27 that was a competition caution put out by NASCAR number of drivers elected to take no tires so what strategies will play out here pit road is open this cycle going to happen at lap 52 Ralph Matt Kenseth has a bit of a vibration in the right front he also needs help getting that car to cheer in the end as he makes his pit stop they're just gonna take right-side tires making the air pressure just but take a little air out of those tires Chris Neville Ravel initially a 16 crew is just going to do fuel try and gain some track position but greg biffle same you slide the nose and then the car is snapped loose so right now they're going to right side tires try and tighten that car up a little bit Marty Chris plan for the beginning of the day Marco Santos will come down pit road take two tires here he said it lacks a little bit of grip early in the run but that's it he didn't have a small vibration just like Matt Kenseth little bit earlier he will not win the race off pit road this time Matt and Kyle Busch's service already complete his car just would not turn when he would try to get back in the gas so they made an air pressure change in the right front to free it up Adam Greg Biffle won the race off pit road Mark Martin Brad Keselowski Marcos Ambrose aric Almirola the top five [Music] [Music] welcome back to live coverage of the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway Marcus Ambrose Greg Biffle both running inside the top five when everyone came to caution both drivers took two tires and here you see the comparison of their time spent on pit road that's you look at the total the total is pretty significant when you start looking at that and and countdown the green we did the thing Wally and I on pit road speed and I want to go back after after Matt adds only 18 here back at KP the 18 of Kyle Busch is coming back down pit road first third visit before that stop he got into the wall a little bit a little more significant cosmetic damage than they had expected that's why they bit the bullet tried to fix it now brought him back down pit road for one more chance just to polish it up a little bit on the right rear corner you know it and Kyle Busch is one has seen pretty pleased with his car early on there when when they did an interview with him it and countdown it in her pre-race I want to go back to the 29 of the dust cap what what the dust cap does for these guys for people out there that don't understand what that piece of metal was and the hub goes up onto the spindle and you put the inner bearing in and then the hub and then the outer bearing in and you tighten it up you you have you pack it full of grease the the bearing is full of grease and then you pack that full bit of grease put the dust cap on to keep dirt out of the bearings let's update our AT&T fastest driver challenge Greg Biffle has the fastest time so far here today remember text fast 2 3 4 7 6 3 or visit ATT fastest driver comm you could win for cheese just by playing brought to you by the nation's largest 4G network 80 rethink possible we're going to get the restart as we complete lap 55 Greg Biffle is the race leader and he like we've seen throughout the day elects to restart in that outside lane Mark Martin strong as we finished that last run will restart second Brad Keselowski Marcos Ambrose and aric Almirola back in the top five he restarts alongside Dale Earnhardt jr. [Music] we get a late caution you know why it's gonna be big to win the race off pit road lane selection that outside lane huge today on restarts Wally yeah people got a good one there it's gonna be to see if he just checks out to watch it as fine he has been laying down some really good laps now he's out front see if any anybody's got anything for him jimmie johnson also has been running too very fast lap times and that's better than traffic johnson's 18th after starting at the back today saw Martin Truex Jr starting to come through the field he is 12 maybe some drivers to keep an eye out on this run the ones that took four tires in that last pit stop tony stewart did Joey Logano Kasey Kahne Kyle Busch Matt Kenseth strong on that last run but lost some ground on pit road he's saying on the radio that key I mean as hard everybody's wanted so good right now is typical past when you give up that kind of time and pit lane there's nothing more frustrating to a driver than that full tank of fuel but they only took two tires so that's where some of the confusion was when they took that full tank full tank of fuel he might as well have gone ahead and put four tires on and that's a bit of where the frustration was with math correct yep yes that's a good call Ralph Cosette's yeah if you're gonna put gas in it you may as well put four tires on it we talk about it every week all the other broadcasters talk about it it's the most disheartening thing in the world to work your rear end off for a few laps work your we ran out for a few lamps make that pass and then give it up a pit road you said Wally on the restart it'll be interesting to see if once Biffle gets the lead he pulls away the answer no Marcus Ambrose going nowhere and as he got up alongside Biffle for the top spot it allowed Mark Martin to close a bit and Dale Earnhardt jr. who restarted sixth a moment ago is fourth and he's right in the middle of this mix you're not out of the gas long not long at all not long at all I mean they let it roll down and just when it settles in they pick back up the gas and drive it through the center Jimmie Johnson 15th right now Chris but maybe some concerns in the 40 before he came into play the right side fires off blisters all the way around the center of the tire now this team was happy to deal with a lot of blisters on the left side of the car in practice all day Friday now they've got harder left-side tires that issue that they're dealing with with the handling of that car it looks like it might be migrating to the right side Chris can I went when he pitted early in the race and changed tires that they put stickers on gear in that time or did they put scuffs off you know two tires on that stuff a lot of times and Larry can speak to this and you know if we come back from break lair you can probably speak to this a lot of times that one heat cycle will keep a tire from blistering because that hardens it up and it changes the compound just enough The Cat in the Hat no sir [Music] we get a lake caution you know why it's gonna be big to win the race off pit road Lane selection that outside lane huge today on restarts wallet yeah people got a good one there it's gonna be to see if he just checks out I didn't watch it as fine he has been laid down some really good laps now he's out front see if any anybody's got anything for him Jimmy Johnson also has been one of two very fast lap times and that's better than traffic Johnson's 18th after starting at the back today saw Martin Truex Jr starting to come through the field he is 12 maybe some drivers to keep an eye out on this run the ones that took four tires in that last pit stop Tony Stewart did Joey Logano Kasey Kahne Kyle Busch Matt Kenseth strong on that last run but lost some ground on pit road he's 7th right now what's he saying on the radio [Music] get it done quicker you're not gonna be able to pass today hey that key I mean as hard at it everybody's one it's so good right now it is typical past when you give up that kind of time and pit lane there's nothing more frustrating to a driver than the full take of fuel but they only took two tires so that's where some of the confusion was when they took that full tank a full tank of fuel he might as well have gone ahead and put four tires on and that's a bit of where the frustration was with math correct yep yes that's a good call Ralph coz that's yeah if you're gonna put gas in it you may as well put four tires on it but yeah we talk about it every week all the other broadcasters talk about it it's the most disheartening thing in the world to work your rear end off for a few laps work your rear in out for a few lamps make that pass and then give it up on pit road you said Wally on the restart it'll be interesting to see if once Biffle gets the lead he pulls away the answer no Marcus Ambrose going nowhere and as he got up alongside Biffle for the top spot it allowed Mark Martin to close a bit and Dale Earnhardt jr. who restarted six the moment ago is fourth and he's right in the middle of this mix you're not out of the gas long not long at all not long at all I mean they let it roll down and just when it settles in they pick back up the gas and drive it through the center Jimmie Johnson 15th right now Chris but maybe some soup concerns in the 40 before he came into pit lane he told the right side fires off blisters all the way around the center of the tire now this team was happy to deal with a lot of blisters on the left side of the car in practice all day Friday now they've got harder left-side tires that issue that they're dealing with with the handling to that car it looks like it might be migrating to the right side Chris can I went when he pitted early in the race and changed tires did they put stickers on here that time or did they put scuffs off do you know two tires on that stickers a lot of times in Larry can speak to this and you know if we come back from break lay I can probably speak to this a lot of times that one heat cycle will keep a tire from blistering because that hardens it up and it changes the compound just enough The Cat in the Hat no stranger to success at Michigan Jack Roush is one year 11 times and his man Greg Biffle out front this afternoon in the Quicken Loans 400 [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] The Dark Knight Rises partner to create a custom paint scheme for the Diet Mountain Dew number 88 if you're a - and Dark Knight fan you can go inside Gotham City at new Gotham City comm where you can gain unprecedented access into Gotham City including content the dark night not only rising it's moving to the front Dale Earnhardt jr. closing on second place Marcus Ambrose your race leader is Greg Biffle but for more on junior who's trying to snap that 143 race winless streak let's go to Larry McReynolds at our Toyota torque car what's up Larry Adam this is why I think Dale Earnhardt jr. is in the best shape that he's been in in a long long time you think about he started this race in the 15th position he dropped like a rock all over that to the 27th spot Steve Letarte or lap 11 the car was too loose junior could not think about putting the throttle down Steve Letarte called him in they pulled the left rear tire off they took this spring rubber and they inserted it right here in the left rear spring that's stiff in the right of the spring now when jr. puts a throttle down he can stay in it and he's cracked the top five you know it's interesting came here on Thursday for two three-hour test sessions jr. one of the two drivers to go over 200 miles per hour in both sessions quick here in both practices on Friday as NASCAR began the official race weekend then they got a curveball with his tire and just one of the guys it wasn't sure as you see Marcus Ambrose going side by side with Greg Biffle for the race lead junior adjusting nicely to change that 88 is going to be right there in the picture right here he is because it catches that draught down the Backstairs boom slides up the race ball and there's junior in the second but junior was the most vocal guy after that last practice last night that he didn't like the way his car was Skinner report from Matt on Dale Junior's car Larry Mack talked about pushing in that spring rubber dramatic change for June then a slight track bar adjustment the car has absolutely come to life a little tight in the center at both ends the racetrack as he works all over the the biggest thing he says the prove is starting to widen a little bit it was so narrow and as you earlier on 88 moving to the front and Samantha's got it right the Batmobile has come to life but Dale Earnhardt jr. on the point of Michigan but he Wiggles off a turn for I was a morose gave a little bit of a break there yes he did but that was a power move up off turn two and down the backstretch he just powered by that he that's been impressive watching him come up through there you know it's interesting after Dover where he finished inside the top five he was very quick to point out weren't going to some tracks where history says we may not be very good we have got to get our act together for the summer Dale Earnhardt jr. answering the bell solid run all the week last week at Pocono top-ten finish and leading today here at Michigan and Greg Biffle who was leading a moment ago Chris has dropped back to third yeah Adam just saw him slide back to third now possibly going to slide back he just radioed crew chief Matthew said hey the car to bring you back he just hang on his next stop I'll get you tuned up party in front of them is Marcos Ambrose and actually kind of an odd thing these cars love his car is actually a little too loose when it's out by himself you know Wally sometimes you'll make these far as adjusted for running in traffic and when he gets in clean air it handles completely different well actually you're right Barney the peak if he could get close up to another car that makes his car push would kind of balances the car out Kyle and I were looking at what we're talking about that earlier on the break that it looked like his car was a handful when he was out front but it looked better when he was tucked up behind somebody I know it's early but Dale Earnhardt jr. is out front at Michigan trying to do what he did here four years ago nice save off the corner 88 [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] let's take an inside look and get unlimited access to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series brought to you by the NASCAR Sprint Cup mobile app and truly unlimited data on the Sprint network Jimmie Johnson big mover today 42nd - 13th get live in car audio and real-time stats the NASCAR Sprint Cup mobile Android app only from Sprint learn more at sprint.com/datashare [Music] six different leaders Dale Earnhardt jr. the man on point right now grab the top spot from Marcus Ambrose a handful of laps ago Marcus Ambrose Greg Biffle Mark Martin Tony Stewart are the top five Matt Kenseth who had some issues on pit road a moment ago as six Brad Keselowski is seventh not sure that we ever really talked about Juan Pablo Montoya who picked up 12 spots when it came down pit road a while ago he's in the top 10 as our Clint Boyer and Jeff Gordon and we're seeing some green flag pit stops here Denny Hamlin coming down for service Ryan true our Martin Truex junior also coming down at lap 78 tight from the center off that's been his biggest just trying to find more bread [Music] last time everyone pitted under caution at lap 52 that's 27 laps on this run [Music] the lead for Dale Earnhardt jr. 1.1 seconds over second place Marcus Ambrose Jimmie Johnson Jeff Gordon both started outside the top 20 Gordon because it didn't qualify well Johnson an engine change Gordon is in the top 10 in 10th and Johnson right behind him at 11th and Carl Edwards starting to make some things happen Jr's really been the first guy who's driven to the front taken the lead and driven away the other guy says as we saw the 16 car of Biffle are the 17 of Kenseth or the nine of Marcus Ambrose when you look at it they could just maintain AJ Allmendinger's car out of time in the top 10 he comes down and make a pit stop and while he's there we get a caution for debris a lot of damage on that right rear the 22 I don't and obviously got the wall or something but and don't know if it's a crush panel or something out of that race car that that's that has caused the debris on the racetrack you can see it just kind of sticking out there to the right Allmendinger spent a lot of time inside the top 10 there you see some foam blowing around on the back straightaway well that's out of probably all the car yeah yeah wonder where that foam came from that's that's that's it here we go right here we see what's already kind of laying already there that's a that's interesting on where that came from well they've been a lot before yeah if he had I can't talk he has a damaged tear or not well you'd think we would have been able to see that though with the words understand it came out of the safer barrier a scream yeah and then at certain angles you can see there's huge pieces of foam stacked between the sulfur wall right if we panned on around this corner you can see a little bit huge pieces of foam stacked down in those little openings that you see right there to the left inside the wall and one of them could have just come undone and just been drawn out by that by the force of the air coming by into the middle of the racetrack and maybe that's what happened to the to the toy TV could have hit it yeah yeah I hit it when the first time buyers something here they come for pit stops Ralph and was no tires on the first doctor Mark Martin two tires on the last stop this time it'll be poor and they'll be scuffed tires he's been a little concerned about the left rear and he's been a hair loose Chris while Greg Biffle still complaining that the car is way too loose sounds like they're going to make a wedge adjustment left rear four tires on the 16 man at the car was very neutral just trying to talk him off he loved her said he is full party that'll be four tires for Marco Santos very happy with a chassis a little bit of wedge in the left rear trying to make it better when it's out front down our junior winter race off pit road Ambrose will come out without friction phone several different strategies here some to some for the battle off pit road goes to Dale jr. big gainers Tony Stewart and Clint Boyer Jeff Gordon down the top-5 admission [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] happy Father's Day thanks for joining us for the Sprint Cup Series live at Michigan International Speedway TNT tonight the end is just the beginning from executive producer Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks television falling skies don't miss the two-hour season premiere it happens tonight 9:00 8:00 central only on TNT and for the latest you can like us on Facebook mccoshen came out for debris we saw AJ Allmendinger on pit road he definitely had some damage how did he get it here he is down the back straightaway at the wall oh yeah he just swung out when he got there he really kind of get an angle on the corner yeah just ran out of room AJ was in the 16th position I don't think that where all that damage came from that was just a brush yeah that was just more of a brush up in that fender well to do that damage that we saw when he was sitting on pit lane because it pulled the lower part of the quarter panel out and up so right now Allmendinger one lap down in 34th what are you seeing on tires after another pit stop Marty and I remember we told you that Marcos Ambrose had a bit of a vibration well this might explain at the left front off of his car and the first time we've really seen this this weekend down to the court and you can see on the very top of the tire where they measured it with a durometer only 17 you see a cross like 70 72 only 17 on the outside that's the left front tire for Marcos Ambrose we also heard a right rear tire blizzard for Tony Stewart Matt Marty absolute shock in the 18 pin of Kyle Busch Dover Pocono and now Michigan engine problems for the 18 of Kyle Busch he is taking a Snickers car back to the garage another huge blow but but Kyle taking a look at that left front if you're gonna have a tire blister I think that's where you want to have it the blister though but that wasn't really a blister it was yeah that was worn out right there's a difference in this I was gonna ask Matt or Marty Marty can you hear me I gotcha KP what's up Marty that tire that came off of indeed of his car how many laps was on that tire now that had been to be fair on since the beginning of the race but hey where everybody had been saying we can leave the left sides on forever we can go a couple of stops and not change left sides clearly crew chiefs are coming down here noticing now probably not a good idea for the rest of the day yeah and that's good that's good information but that's gonna be a look that's gonna be a little bit misgiving too because that's 85 laps on a settle that sounds like that's more than two stops yeah that's more than two stops and that was not a blister that was worn out Greg Biffle gonna restart seventh here Chris well we showed you the blisters on the 48 now we've got blisters on the 16 the right rear the 16 Greg Biffle was saying the car was very loose on that run when they pulled the tires off that car blisters all the way around the right rear those were scuffed tires prior to going on that car talk to Matt fuschia about that he said he is concerned they didn't do every wedge adjustment he's hoping that that helps with that situation also checked on the 48 the tires that came off the 48 looked good this time the coca-cola in-car camera on TNT race buddy lets you ride shotgun with a coca-cola racing family driver like Tony Stewart go to nascar.com and check out the coca-cola in-car camera on TNT race buddy Kurt Busch received the free pass under this our fifth caution of the day and you may remember Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr had come to pit road under green prior to the caution they get the wave around here they elect to take the wave-around I should say race leader Dale Earnhardt jr. as we get set to go back under green you see Stuart up Stuart up there and Marnie could probably touch on this it looked to me like Tony's car didn't come into later on in a run he will look like he struggled with the first part of the run I don't know what a judgment they've been making they actually obviously had a great pit stop there's a great restart had a good restart be it they're gonna see if he runs a little bit better on the get-go and I think the event restart also shows these guys are getting more comfortable with these tires because that's really the first time the inside line has been the way to go the inside line has always lacked back just a little bit from the first two or three restarts that we have that's one of the advantages to being upfront throughout the race you can experiment learn these things for later in the race Clint Boyer as good as he's been all day long third right down the running order Jeff Gordon we told you after a nice pit stop is up in the top five he's fourth Greg Biffle is fifth Marcos Ambrose right behind him give a call to Ryan Newman changed an engine started at the rear of the field today the two-time Michigan winner has put himself in seventh spot Jimmie Johnson did the same you see him right here in front of Matt Kenseth he is 16th in the running order yeah Jimmy's kind of been hanging around that spot it really hasn't made a whole lot of gains stuck a traffic back there it's time now for KFC fresh off the wire big topic of conversation this weekend tires Marty what can you tell us tires and Tony Stewart taking the lead these are the right-side tires that came off of Tony Stewart's car and you can see the right rear just completely chunked out that's all the way around that was 30 laps on these right-side tires and KP to answer your next question cuz I know ones coming they went on a sticker so they went all the stickers lasted 30 lat you see what happens what you want to see that's not what you want to see and that's one of the things these guys got into and I'm not sure Marty and those guys and the pits will have to check this but a lot of these guys and we talked about it in practice on Friday had stuck all their tires to prepare for this race when they brought new tires in and the left sides I'm not sure how many more laps they put on the right side tires or whether they scuffed them again but everybody talked about putting two or three cycles on a set of tires make the original tire here back mark those tires water fresh off the wire this weekend at Michigan for more fresh off the wire presented by KFC visit nascar.com Larry yeah all they're do when they scuff these tires they see you just have to run them one or two laps and just bring them up the temperature and then come in and let them cool completely down and it actually hardens them up a little bit which makes them just a little tougher possibly where they won't blister but give a call if they're that Austin Dillon's did a nice job to the 33 car right there Austin Dillon won the Truck Series championship last year figuring nicely into the nationwide championship right behind him Oh Johnson up yet you saw Kenseth slide up the racetrack and Jimmie Johnson had to give him room and boy when she got the great stuff you're done and you see he has to get all the way out of it man cleaning his tire yeah exactly now by the time he gets to the corner two or three cars have gone by and Annie's got to go in on the high side again which is not where you want to go when you've got dirty tires Kasey Kahne got by so did aric almirola and here comes Martin Truex Jr took the wave around after pitting under green prior to our last caution and here's the driver of the 56 knocking on the door of the top 15 I'll save that move when you saw Kenseth go down in the corner and slide up and almost slide into the 48 car of Jimmie Johnson these guys are driving right now and giving each other plenty of room and respecting each other's space right now you don't see that really hard sat beside you see these guys giving each other room Tony Stewart and the man out front he has a win at Michigan closing on halfway on this Father's Day edition of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series glad you're with us on TNT [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] four laps away from halfway at Michigan International Speedway this afternoon is Quicken Loans 400 on TNT Tony Stewart the race leader he's let 11 laps today he's seven tenths of a second front of Dale Earnhardt jr. Clint Bowyer Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle are the top five with 97 of 200 laps complete Carl Edwards back in the 24th position let's listen to what they're saying here's inside tracks [Applause] tires look good there but tires look good on us there are some cars having travel 48 and 16 the 48 were front tires the 16 was a right rear now I'm wondering the Barney what he gets I'm curious Marty and some of these guys that are blistering tires if they're telling the drivers are tires gonna talk to Addington in a moment but would you tell would you want your driver you know what you want to know if you're going for the lead if you're right where it might have been blistering the last star gets blistered if it's like a rear tire you get loose and and lusus okay when you're driving hard and all that but I don't really want to know what blistered tires unless it gets to the point where it happens early in a run and they tell you you have to change your driving time yeah exactly and tell that crew chief says look we've seen little blisters or we've seen these things and they're not going away you're gonna have to back it off a little bit right but for what where they're at right now these things are chunking and you and Marty talked about him just chunking out they're not really seeming to come apart yet so when you look at it like that yeah it's a concern but that driver knows in the back of his head okay we've had it we've had blistering problems this tank boom from one lap to the next I'm getting loose I've got to have a tire of somewhere to this so you back it down a little bit as a driver just past halfway tony stewart Dale Earnhardt jr. running one two and Kyle Busch finds himself in the garage once again score 30 physician Ralph yes and you're looking at Kyle Busch's car in the garage area they're working once again on the internals of that engine I spoke with Jimmy make car you might see him in the background the man in the baseball cap in the blue short sleeve shirt he's one of the head men the Racing operations for Gibbs and I said what's the problem he said this time we think the broken rocker are a very different situation and what they had a week ago at Pocono I asked what this has been the same problem he said nope something different every time that's a frustrated bunch and we should point out these the only three engine problems the Joe Gibbs Racing they've had all year they've had in successive weeks to the same driver yeah and as you see a tweet there from from Kyle's wife I'm gonna lost for words three weeks in a row but I think when you look at this that's incredibly frustrating for a team if you're knocking the Bairns out of something weekend wake out you know you've got a rolling problem if your braking valve springs you know you've got a bad batch of valve springs or something's come along whatever that may be but when you're chasing a problem through the engine there's more working components in there that you can't see and can't tell what happens to it and all you're doing is trying to figure out take the broken parts and say how did this happen and so you're always chasing a ghost and here's they wanted Richmond top-5 Talladega Darlington coke 600 now three straight weeks they're in the garage prematurely Marty Panama business all talk to Steve Addington finally got his attention and they did tell Tony Stewart Wally about the right rear see said he just wanted him to know I want to make sure he knew what was going on with the tires Bobby she told me not face by it at all he would on that restart to get the lead [Music] yeah God's just back to calm pushing at 18 team talking about three consecutive engine issues you think about Dover they had a reason to many rpm busted the tires they throw clown Springs last week Dave Rogers told me it was pretty much self-inflicted from a Nolen system issue and now a broke rocker arm probably definitely has him scratching their head to who's going to be scratching his head in a moment Tony Stewart because he's got company here comes Dale Earnhardt jr. yes the Dark Knight is rising through the standings in Michigan [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] 108 of 200 laps complete at Michigan International Speedway and the Quicken Loans 400 and there is a new sheriff in town and his name Dale Earnhardt jr. while we were away at Break Tony Stewart the race leader you Stewart said go on by you were faster my man Jr's back on point Tony Stewart running second you got Clint Boyer in third now they go McDonald's through the field Matt Yocum leads us all four years ago this week in the last time Dale jr. went to Victory Lane right here at mis the program just continues to improve five top five finishes this season more than the entire 2011 central junior says that the car covers out the three Sparky much more neutral on this run a tip free on entry party Tony Stewart and second took the lead for a while as he saw just lost it's Adele in her senior moment ago he says that in tight on entry in both one and three that's what his problem is remember earlier he said we're taking no prisoners today going for his 1st Michigan win since the year 2000 now here's one you didn't think you'd hear today Clint Boyer just said you know you may find this hard to believe cards feeling really good that was a laugh ago so sweet boy are pretty happy with the car right now Jeff Gordon's up next Jeff Gordon's made a good run from back in 20th but they've been just doing - suck - right sit on this Nick stop he needs four tires and he needs the car to be tightened up I looked at the teeth scuff tires over there they've got six sets of scuff tires at the 20 for the 16 they were way loose before that last caution just checked in with Matthews a sec now they're gone the opposite direction the car way too tight this team only two sets of stuff tires left by Ryan Newman started at the back now he clearly wasn't a sick position Ryan has documented at the beginning of the show one of those drivers trying to score another win to get him some insurance to lock in a wild-card spot the sun's back out brian says a little more positive the previous run Marty Joey Donna told me Tuesday his confidence is better than it's ever been in the Sprint Cup Series in the seventh position right now they were loose on the very first run of the day you see him trying to get around Ryan Newman they have made several changes they've been tight ever since can't get that tightness out of the car very close to green flag stops Ralph mark his father Julian back in August of 19 he's running his father's name on the door today his car right now still a little free mat but he's working it pretty good he's running inside - machine all the way up tonight he's the racetrack just 2/3 looking to make some big adjustments as we close in on the next round of pit stops Ralph Matt Kenseth Matt is another one right now he's inside the top ten as we get a little bit closer to another round of pit stops coming this way they're gonna try to get the fuel in that car but he working on saving fuel here Larry wrap the fastest man in NASCAR 25 years our pole-sitter Marcus Ambrose sat on the POAS led 13 laps but as Marty Snider reported because they had not changed left-side tires on his nine Carson's started the race four tires on that last caution lost the track position and he just can't seem to get anywhere he's sitting back there in 11th spot right now so Marcus Ambrose in the 11th position and while we were going through the field brought to you by McDonald's we did have a green flag pit stop Brad Keselowski coming down under green let's hear what he had to say on the radio I got a cop I got a cop he was running when he came down vibration was a blistered right rear for that Keselowski they came in not earlier than everybody else I'm walking up to the tire now not as bad as Tony Stewart was but again trunk all the way around for Brad Keselowski on that right rear tire tire blisters and what it does happen it it almost gives you feel like that tire is rock-hard yes it just it goes too loose no traction whatsoever so you know what you blister a tire everybody put it under caution at lap 82 here they come down under green at lap 115 Logano and Nolan get it started Matt starting at the back salad stop by the army guys Newman said the car is anything near the end cloud cover coming in maggots after the car just a tick on the free side party Joey Logano still tight life we talked about they go up going around on the track bar he too said I have a vibration they said bring it in right now don't worry about it it's gonna be four tires for joined igano coming down pit road right now is Tony Stewart also Jamie [Applause] his style he was type entry in the first the very end of the run he said I started to get loose off so they'll make an air pressure injection it will be four tires for them as well Marty it was four times of fuel for the 15 as I told you before to set up the way once Kevin Harvick is in as well all the fuel in there they can't everybody's watching that fuel mileage Matt brow further up pit road Denny Hamlin is one the past two June races here at mis in his pot he said the car was tight from the center off air pressure change for Hamlin 17 of Matt Kenseth is in all the way down right at the entrance to pit road quick chassis adjustments to the right Road part and as far as Kasey Kahne goes it is fuel and four tires on the number by the quickly me to the grill Kasey is off on her way well Jimmy Johnson saying that sometimes the car a little bit tight other times the car a little bit loose can reduce fuel entire slight air pressure adjustment bat and Dale Earnhardt jr. makes his way to his pit box remember the last time on pit row Steve Letarte went with a two-tire change track bar adjustment to tweak to balance this time they're going to vote for he's keeping the cycle of four to two to try to keep this car crisp on two tires now they're going to try and loosen up the 16 wedge adjustment at the left rear for tires fuel Marti Marcos Ambrose all the way at the end of pit road he said his car got a little too tight this time when he was in traffic it's going to be four tires forever - I've heard that pointed out never made his way back into the top ten Jr make toffee mafia starch is not consistent Chris - stops it's just been two right-side tires for the 24 this time they're going to do four tires on that bus card down to round [Music] Jeff will be getting his service at lap 119 and we have just about gone through the complete cycle of green flag stops as we have crossed past the middle stages of the Quicken Loans 400 one driver that has yet to come to pit road under green the man you see right here Juan Pablo Montoya has inherited the race lead and we have a caution sixth of the day and once again it's Kurt Busch down the back straightaway [Music] I think Kurt would like to go home right now yeah and you know he's already got damaged so he's got his hands full anyhow we've seen him in a couple of different shots with faster cars and him pulling down getting out of the way but that thing was was pretty much juking and jiving on him a few times it was yeah he was having a hard time but it was good when it was good field a little discombobulated with a cycle of green flag pit stops we'll get everything reset when we return as of now it's Montoya on point at Michigan [Music] [Music] [Music] NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Michigan International Speedway is brought to you by KFC come in today and taste white fresh is better by Sprint avoided a dilemma with truly unlimited data Curtis print.com forward slash speed by Geico 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance by American ethanol sweepstakes enter for your chance to win one of three Chevy Silverados and by Chrysler imported from Detroit the top two drivers that did not pit under green have now done so under caution Juan Pablo Montoya Carl Edwards Mark Martin got the free pass will set the field after a break [Music] [Music] welcome back to Michigan let's take an inside look and get unlimited access to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series brought to you by the NASCAR Sprint Cup mobile app and truly unlimited data on the Sprint network most laps led today Greg Biffle 35 circuits he's been out front this afternoon and get live in car audio in real-time stats on the NASCAR Sprint Cup mobile Android app only from Sprint learn more at sprint.com/datashare Maya and Carl Edwards they came in under this caution the driver that got the free pass was Mark Martin 21 drivers took the wave-around and now that we have reset the field the race leader will be Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt jr. who was leading when that cycle of green flag pit stops began will restart second and right behind him on track with Tony Stewart he restarts third and Boyer who was running in the third position when that cyclist stops began restarts in the sixth position well we got chance look at Jeff Gordon out front picks the inside lane haven't seen him there in a while team that needs a good break opportunity to get it done here outside lane Dale Earnhardt jr. didn't work great form awhile ago and he was the race leader we'll see what he does here as he restarts the runner-up the green goes goes in the air we complete lap 125 [Music] Montoya giving a little shove there to junior who goes around Gordon on the outside boy you're getting aggressive in the outside lane joey logano around hard into the back straightaway kasey kahne david gilliland on those that got damaged Wow hard to tell where that started that just saw the 20 cards come back across the racetrack the wrong way yeah you don't know if he got attacked or not but wow the damage on that Meccano trying to drive it he's going right into the wall with that damage he's got kasey kahne able to drive away but for the second consecutive week he's gonna experience disappointment tom little your screen Joey Logano in the orange car comes up off the corner he just turned down to avoid ya the 38 car and what he did it just got loose on him it got loose and then he overcorrected right around him 38 I mean yeah I can't says 38 car like he was gonna slap the 38 with his right rear and then drove right around the front of the 38 again it got way out in the racetrack and he's just Logano just went down to a point of it yeah Cole tires you know new tires is like Joey spins himself trying to keep from hitting somebody yeah two of the last three drivers to win and Sprint Cup competition involved in this accident Logano last week at Pocono a few weeks ago Kasey Kahne and the coke 600 and that 38 obviously pushed up the racetrack just like Wally said as he was on the hot side he really let off because those cars were really streaming buying on the inside there on board here with Ryan noon - outside my clothes off Proctor load the load hello I reckon over there a way to play with it give God one back see a 38 get a little loose slip up the racetrack he's sideways right there Joyce tries to to avoid him thinking he might come back at the worst part to do that because you got so much steering wheel already turned it to it Joey Logano tried to drive his car away to no avail he did climb from his machine go to the ambulance he'll make the ride to the infield care center talk as we open up our show today about how wild things have gotten in the wildcard standings let's stir it up a little bit more Jeff Gordon running inside the top five a win would get him involved in the wild card conversation and two drivers would already have victories inside the top 20 Kasey Kahne and Joey Logano having problems here today Larry hey Adam you might have a hard time convincing joy Logano Kasey Kahne or David Gilliland because it obviously didn't work out for them but think about those other 18 drivers that took a wave around that's exactly what they needed right there in fact a lot of them I think will come to pit road like Brad Keselowski remember he had been on pit road since lap 109 with a blister tired yeah he's the big beneficiary Larry because he pitted under green earlier than most drivers a lot of drivers were in that cycle of green flag stops that weren't too far off everyone else BK getting a huge break here tough times for Joey Logano David Gilliland and Kasey Kahne it's off to the garage for them [Music] welcome back to Michigan International Speedway where four of the last eight races been won on fuel mileage at this two-mile oval so let the strategy begin lap 1:28 number of drivers coming down topping off the fuel tank among them Brad Keselowski Ryan Newman Jamie McMurray aric Almirola Bobby Labonte David Ragan all coming down for service there at lap 128 of the drivers that stayed on track Dale Earnhardt jr. Jeff Gordon Juan Pablo Montoya Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart when you see those guys that stain out look what they're done yeah playing the fuel mileage game shut off the engine and save some fuel I be saving some tires however you do that how you gonna do that laughs that's good 129 of 200 complete today in the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan [Music] welcome back to Michigan International Speedway where four of the last eight races have been won on fuel mileage at this two-mile oval so let the strategy begin lap 1:28 number of drivers coming down topping off the fuel tank among them Brad Keselowski Ryan Newman Jamie McMurray aric Almirola Bobby Labonte David Ragan all coming down for service there at lap 128 of the drivers that stayed on track Dale Earnhardt jr. Jeff Gordon Juan Pablo Montoya Clint Boyer and Tony Stewart when you see those guys that stand out look what they're doing yeah playing the fuel mileage game shut off the engine and save some fuel I be saving some tires however you do that how you gonna do that man that's good 129 of 200 complete today in the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan [Music] 131 of 200 laps complete this afternoon in the Quicken Loans 400 for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series under caution for the seventh time today Joey Logano David Gilliland Kasey Kahne all involved in an accident on the back straightaway Logano went to the infield care center he has been checked out and released good news there and now we update our AT&T fastest driver challenge Greg Biffle running seventh right now as the fastest took some time so far of those drivers that qualified in the top four sign up next week by texting fast two three four seven six three or visit ATT fastest driver comm AT&T rethink possible Chris LGF Gordon having a good run sitting second right now just checked in with crew chief Alan Gustafson he said they can do it in one more stop and no issue with tires on that car they've looked good coming off the 24 all day the 16th back the 16 back in seventh they can also do it one more stop but they are concerned about tires Matt Ryan Newman back in 15th they topped off on left 128 at this juncture they are good to go on one more stop the question on the previous run he had a blistered right rear when we had that segment Marty where we had Sun and shade we want to show you the blistered right rear from Brad Keselowski Matt and we said it wasn't too bad but we didn't see what was on the bottom a huge blister that came off a couple of stops ago the common threat we found these are all sticker tires that have been blistered so this may be a race of tires to the end Adam will complete lap 132 Marty when the green flag goes back in the air Jr Jeff Gordon the teammates at Hendrick Motorsports sharing the front row and Tony Stewart getting out of line early as we go down into turn one Stewart able to drive around bond toy and it's Dale jr. who Bradford the point off a turn to greg biffle Manette myths [Music] Curren really really slipped slipping us where to go see my toy yo and handling down on the apron into the grasp it damage for the 11 caution is out for the eighth time today and I was just getting ready to say these cars are really slipping and sliding on on new tires they go down in the corner and go straight up the racetrack it just looks like the top of it it's incredible he was running in the 14th position when he got sideways off the corner Hamlin has won the last two races here in June and that's things on fire he's gonna probably want to get out of that pretty quick I'd say real quick [Music] there's a great onboard shot find the find the fireman so you got Kyle Busch who went to the garage area with engine troubles he's back out and running but more than 40 laps down Joey Logano in the garage and now you got Denny Hamlin crimen out what problems do so much stuff hook to your helmet and everything these days it takes a little time and they sprayed so much of that fire extinguisher in there he probably couldn't breathe that well because it's just being sucked up into the car with him he wasn't as concerned about the fire as he was the extinguisher Hamlin walked away fine crewmembers there to help Matt look like yeah it's good to see some of the other crew guys from Kyle Busch's group over to help Denny get out [Applause] here's the replay on the inside of Truex Harvick to the outside Newman to the inside just one room down there yeah look did he get tagged by third I don't think he got tagged and look at look at the 39 I don't know look at the 56 watch in front of this accident the 56 all of a sudden goes up the racetrack I don't know that he it's almost like he was like the 22 you see right here he's down on the inside 39 right there yeah yeah it was loose and it he corrected it and I think he and he got into the 56 you see the 56 watt wobble and get into the car in front of him you see that one puff of smoke that might have been the 48 of Jimmie Johnson probably lucky we didn't have more guys involved in that accident that was likely there for wide and all four cars touch it's what it almost looks like you see it this would be a good shot right here before anything organized until now Denny Hamlin Matt and he is catching his breath a lot of fire retardant stuff going off are you okay first yeah yeah definitely there's a lot of good safety stuff a lot thank all the crew guys that hauled ass over there you know and got me out so it was just you know a tough day you know we just didn't have the track position got caught twice with that with those cautions when we pitted and just a tough day for our FedEx office car but I thought we had Carly could run you know top three or four times at times but just didn't have a great day and this on fire is not a good way to end it all right when you're inside that car and the fires going on the extinguishers are going off you're trying to compartmentalize and get that car to a stop what's it like inside that car I've never I actually never been in that position before I'd seen it with other guys but I never know what it's actually like but it gets hot I thought from the for a second there I was okay it was just in the back and then something exploded in the front and and caught on fire but thankfully we got everything that we have safety wise and messed up 16 pit box but you're just one of those data be glad to get at Michigan another example of NASCAR safety innovations throughout the years so what it looked like inside the cockpit here's the onboard camera with Denny Hamlin make sure you got break here stop right here and get on the fire get out of it that's out the back [Music] get out get out it feels like an eternity yeah yes you're trying to find your radio chords and everything else - just get out I told you it's been a tough day for Joe Gibbs Racing Joey Logano has come from the care center Ralph yeah he is and he's been patiently waiting for us here Joey's so much great success last couple of weeks today the other side of the racing game tell us what happened not really sure haven't seen a replay of it but we were just restarting there I was on the outside behind the 17 it looked like we're gonna be all right and there's a slower car on the outside and I was trying to turn that underneath them and I think I just got loose or I got tapped from behind not really shirt and overcorrected and I got in the fence there so yellow frustrating for us we had a top 10 maybe a top 5 car there you know we're really making improvements with our Home Depot car so you know we're not gonna let this get us down you know we've been on a roll lately we're gonna keep that going next week in Sonoma that's not gonna dent the confidence he's had lately that's for sure and they're speaking out on Twitter about the rough day for Joe Gibbs Racing just one dog left in the fight now that dog is spinning referring to Denny Hamlin you can be involved in the conversation it's twitter.com slash hashtag NASCAR back to Michigan after a break [Music] week three on t gonna be a fun one next Sunday we head west a wine country for some road racing in Sonoma our coverage begins 2 p.m. Eastern Time with countdown the green followed by the toyota Save Mart 350 it is without a doubt one of the best dates on the NASCAR calendar it has that mean it it's been a good race for the last couple years Denny Hamlin's car caught on fire came down pit road they extinguished that and a number of teams having to work on their pit areas to make sure all the debris and liquid is gone Larry Adam let's go into Larry max2 box and let's take a look at Col Edwards the 99 cars they remember he started back in the 40th position get our old touch screen to work here and he came in here outside the top 10 in points but as you can see he started making games throughout the day now they have made for pit stops but the key pit stop was running here about lap 52 when they went with two tires but the real key was right here on about lap 120 when just remember all drivers except Montoya and Carl Edwards had made their green flag pit stops and now Carl Edwards has cracked the top ten but the big deal guys right there tenth in the points that's going to be huge for Carl Edwards if he can stay up there that is a nice circle Larry I think he does it as maps of the state yeah that is not that grass look again yes Michigan's grass looks about like my stomach I'm a bit about it's just gradually guiding hungry well you got to give a nod to the guys over at a 99 bunch and a special thanks to Bob Osborne Carl and that entire crew for letting us ride along today via inside tracks it's always great to be able to go on board with them here's Paul Menard getting set for the restart Dale Earnhardt jr. leading he's led more laps than anybody today 41 of the 138 complete next on that list Greg Biffle at 35 there you see Jeff Gordon in second right in front of this guy Clint Bowyer now a look at Tony Stewart all these guys inside the top five Greg Biffle in the fifth position there's the guy that's pulling them all around Dale Earnhardt jr. another great day this afternoon [Music] Tony Stewart started eight today spent some time out front in fact smoke has led 18 laps this afternoon and probably feeling pretty good right now Marty yeah I remember we talked about the beginning of the day he was worried about these new tires kind of through this scheme for a loop but we finally figured out why Tony is so good today take a listen aren't you glad you took that second half today you up a bit aren't you glad you got that second man today yeah amazing with that they aren't half did for me oh yeah and that's what got Tony so good Adam I thought the key for our broadcast today was when Wally slept from lap zero at about 100 I thought that was a bit key for a while I didn't agree Adam not to mention the two hours when it was raised a good there was a lot of piss up here in the booth wonder wallet great booths tonight he slept from the start of the race lap 100 he's been eating french fries since lap 120 nothing wrong with that nothing wrong with that he's not the only P in that pod we're getting down to it here at Michigan been an interesting day [Music] rain delay of a couple hours earlier this afternoon all the weather is gone sunshine gorgeous Father's Day here in the Irish hills of Michigan and if you are just joining us so glad you were here may see the big one for Dale Earnhardt jr. hasn't won in four years but he's out front right now going to choose the outside lane on the restart Jeff Gordon inside of him Clint Bowyer Tony Stewart Greg Biffle Juan Pablo Montoya the front three rows Larry talked about Carl Edwards today he restarts alongside his teammate the championship leader coming in Matt Kenseth 60 laps to go when we go green and that's right now dal Joong grabs the point on the restart and Tony Stewart strong again look at Jimmy Johnson moving out of line trying to get inside of Ambrose and he does it successfully oh oh yeah Carl and mad about got together in front of it I think it may have killed their momentum because Johnson's looking for more yeah definitely killed the 99 of Carl Levin would definitely killed his momentum how about Jimmie Johnson started this day in the tail of the field with an engine change they worked hard all day to get to the front right now he scored in the 8th position Johnson never won here at Michigan one of five tracks where he's yet to go to Victory Lane got to get a call to Montoya in his sixth and he has been in the top ten most of the day I mean he's they've just kind of hung in there and we've documented over the last you know couple of weeks but even on doing other stuff how the Ganassi teams just enough performed this year like they have in the past teammate Jamie McMurray back in the 13th position right now six of the top ten in this race represented by Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway now Junior leading the way teammate Jeff Gordon his third Jimmie Johnson is eight Roush Fenway organization has a Greg Biffle running fifth Matt Kenseth seventh and Carl Edwards in the night position you look at the aforementioned Jamie McMurray who's looking for a top-10 finish today Harvick had all those problems with his race car earlier and he's knocking on the door of the top ten right now yeah you know earlier we thought he was making some major adjustments he was not making adjustments at that point in time they were had had that dust cap cover that there was an issue and that got him way out of track position and has taken him a little while of passing cars and working through the cycles to get back up to be a top 10 or 15 car saw Matt Kenseth go around Juan Pablo Montoya Jimmie Johnson looking for his chance as they come off turn four after Denny Hamlin talked to our Matt Yocum moment ago on pit road he did have to go to the infield care center he's gotten checked out and been released closing on the 3/4 mark in today's event here in Michigan Dale Earnhardt jr. who's led four laps than anyone has a 2/10 of a second advantage over Tony Stewart Jeff Gordon one point three seconds behind his teammate Gordon and third Boyer and Biffle complete the top five and behind them there's the battle Kenseth Montoya and Johnson sixth seventh and eighth right now you know Marcus Ambrose he's a rope horse guy there's no doubt when we go to Sonoma next week he'll be one of the drivers everybody's got their eye on he's won at Watkins Glen so we know how strong he is but started on the pole today and he's been in the top 10 most of the afternoon until right now that's Mark Martin going around for the final spot in the top 10 you know Ambrose has looked good on a lot of ovals me he's really good at Bristol he's great at Martinsville you know they they keep putting runs like this together he's gonna get it all the way yes he is and you know his cars seem to be better on a longer run we saw it early on he wasn't with the first five or six laps Biffle just makes a power move on the 15 car of Clint boy but I'm impressed with Quinn when you you look at it with Michael Waltrip Racing it's a Toyota in the top five and it's Michael Waltrip Racing which is pretty big Clint some of these places Clint just latched onto in Michigan was one of those places really when you start looking at it from from when he came here he liked this place working with a new crew chief with a new team in 2012 top 10 in points have been very consistent although a lawyer did just lose and that last time around Biffle found himself 2.9 seconds behind the race leader and that is Dale Earnhardt jr. just over 50 laps to go at Michigan [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] let's take an inside look and get unlimited access to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series brought to you by the NASCAR Sprint Cup mobile app and truly unlimited data on the Sprint Cup Network fastest four tire pit stop today Tony Stewart's bunch twelve point four seconds get live in car audio and real-time stats on the NASCAR Sprint Cup mobile Android app only from Sprint learn more at sprint.com/datashare the man in charge right now he's led more laps than any other 55 circuits he has been out front this afternoon yeah but he's checked this fear quite a bit right now because he's looking at that 14 up in the mirror he's not pulling away from as he was earlier last time around he was three tenths of a second in front of Tony Stewart as we close on the end of this one let's go through the field presented by McDonough a lot of breathing room as you mentioned Junior says the car barely too snug in the middle of the corners at both ends of the racetrack over the past 142 races it's his last win his second six different times maybe today is the day he revisits Victory Lane Marty now let's say Tony Stewart is stalking back there he just said on the radio to his team he ain't going anywhere talking about Dale Earnhardt jr. he's hanging right where he wants him to be probably about 10 laps or so from a stop Stewart riding the momentum of force freight Michigan top tens trying to make it 5 the row and get a win Chris G up Gordon trying to get that monkey off his back today they look to be in pretty good shape that team has not had all day long they'll be coming in for a pit stop probably in the next 10 laps they had issues early they put a spring rubber in the left rear that car working a lot better now and that team really pressing the pit box here for that final pit stop this eleven car caught on fire [Music] is what it's all about the spotter and the driver the spotter telling the driver just keep hitting your marks that's what the word is the Clint Boyer right now after we get 10 to 15 laps in you're gonna start to pull away he's encouraging his dryer and he's telling him to just stay the course do over Tony in safe fuel we got a fast race car as far as the 17 all this play for mention he too is feeling pretty good about his race car he also he's just one more stop for fuel Chris and the 17 can go to the end Jimmy Johnson had to start at the back today that he's marched his way all the way up into the top ten sitting seventh right now but we have seen tires which this car throughout the day right now Chad Knaus telling him take it easy I am got the tires especially on that last stop Jimmy Johnson say the tires just aren't digging into the track the way they show it party five years ago today Carl Edwards won this race today started 42nd currently running 8th considered he gets back to the gas the car snaps loose now they also have a little bit of paper on the right side of the grill that's a little bit of a concern with oil and water temperature Ralph this is the 53rd Michigan start for Mark Martin in car 55 he's won here five times and he's got a good enough race car to get the job done today Matt he also only needs one more stop for Gil his balance is good Juan Pablo Montoya just trying to hold on to a top 10 finish at this point his car is on the free side no change in the last stop they plan on making their last scheduled stop on that 160 for Larry Mack yep Matt we call it mister where did he come from Kevin Harvick in that 29 car set up the outside of the front row but remember Ralph reported on that first competition cost that left 25 they had to come back to pit road three times to replace that front hubcap but now Kevin Harvick here with 43 laps to go sitting in the 12th position yeah Larry he's a driver that has overcome adversity today and the big mover early in this race was Ryan Newman right now the rocket man back in the 15th position we look at where some of the top runners are in regard to their strategy Dale jr. last pitted lap 118 Stewart a couple laps before that Gordon at 119 Biffle and Boyer both at lap 122 and you hurt our pit reporters the various strategies and Larry what are your observations as we close on the last 40 laps well Tony Stewart would be the one that should have to hit pit road first and he's sitting there running in second he pitted last the left 116 we noted a fuel window is somewhere between Lent 32 and 39 38 laps but remember guys since all these leaders pitted we have had 20 caution laps I have to believe what these guys are trying to do is go three or four more laps that would make it where they can make it to the end after this next green flag stop well this is especially with it front two guys you've got to get everything you can yep to that first pit lane because they're so close right now I mean positions could swap right here on these pit stops and a lot of us got do that although with the pit stop but get into your pit box and then getting back up to speed the leanest of course a green flag it's not the advantage for jr. last time around three tenths of a second certainly will monitor where they are in that regard prior to the pit stop so we can follow up after they make green flag pit stops unless we were to get a caution between now and then take two weeks in a row for the 48 team last week caught speeding on pit road twice went a lap down deep in the field rallied through for a top five today that lost engine start at the back and come all the way through and now these seventh right now could get boyar 4/6 and don't rule him out before this day is over but you totally expect from this team all the time that's 48 guys I mean that they bill hot problems but these guys always seem to fight their way back into the top seven or top ten no matter what goes wrong during the race talked earlier about Montoya they add a little strategy play early with two tires as many other drivers did gain 12 positions to put him in the top 10 they've been there all day he's tenth right now you see this doesn't seem like the 48 can get out of a certainly a he's got his line he runs and if he gets out of that line he slashed dad he rolls in pretty good and picks up the gas pretty good but he needs the rest of the racetrack to be able to go where to use it you seen right there well here's coming to Jimmie Johnson last time he came down pit road lap 117 scheduled green flag service for the five-time champ Chris [Music] yeah he's gonna have to make one more stop after this summit seems were hoping to stretch it 40 laughs obviously Jimmy Johnson not going to be able to do that a few tires or four tires here right now let right side tire looks like you're doing chassis looks to me like we're only going to do right side tires and pack that car full of fuel on this stop pitstop for Johnson lap 162 and here come the top two Dale Earnhardt jr. gives up the race lead right behind him Tony Stewart let's go to Matt Yocum and Dale Earnhardt jr. trying to close the deal scores first win in four years in the black 88 car now you heard him say we're doing her through the field I told you the junior sent the car just a touch tight at both ends of the racetrack the right side tires going on route they're good to go at this chopped and it was just two tires for the 17 American chess and a fuel bill water fuel he should be good running short a little bit loose off the corner fuel to make sure they got it full he's a little bit loose they went down half the RAM on the front bar he loses a little bit of ground apparently to Delon hundred sitting on pit road the 88th bunch temp we had a little bit better stop Carl Edwards has gotten his service as has Kevin Harvick Martin Truex Jr was in for a green flag stop not sure if we touched on Jeff Gordon Farkas and Rhodes the pole sitters been inside the top 12 most of the day here he comes at lap 164 Marty the 39 of Ryan Newman said his car is the tightest has been all day they noticed some trash in the grille they also told Ryan do not slide your tires right sides party Marcos Ambrose had been begging to come with Hitler he said that set of tires really bad for his chassis it's going to be two tires he was extremely tight with two tires 12 fuel Chris Matthews Chatel and greg biffle don't fly the tires coming into pit lane there's a little bit of a wedgie because of all that oil and fuel it was down because of the 11 car but they're just going to do two tires Ryan to tighten this car up a little bit those real quick stop here Matt toyatte just trying to end the day with a silent finish score his second top ten finish of 2012 is trying to tweak the balance slight air pressure change the second can if you like so many others just trying to keep the cycle of tires right so early for the 42 route he's on pit lines here he comes Clint Boyer down pit road this is going to be guests only for the 15 as they talking into the box crew is ready to go they no changes of the the grill one kid is in here comes the second one gotta pack it all in there Mark Martin running inside the top ten has also made his pit stop for service in lap 166 Austin Dillon doing a great job this afternoon in the 33 car for Richard Childress Racing making a green flag stop here as we close on the latter stages at Michigan Jamie McMurray the race leader after everyone else had pitted now he will give up the top spot and come to pit road Dale jr. has cycled back up to eighth in the running order here comes McMurray Marty I've had a pretty good day Adam McMurray told me before the race started that the new tire really helped out their chassis cut up a bunch and a loose car for much of the first half of the race but it's been better here in the second half the race from the running on the 12th division for much of this run will be right-side tires and full fuel they tried to clean they didn't get all the debris off that grill Adam Brad Keselowski Jeff Burton the only two drivers that have not pitted in this exchange under green Dale Earnhardt jr. back up now running in the third position as things continue to cycle through and what's Brad and Jeff Burton make their stops it will be Jr Stewart Biffle Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson the top five and based on the numbers were seeing right now Johnson would have picked up two positions in this exchange of stops Bradley to his home track but he's gonna have to pit in the moment back to Michigan after [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] the Quicken Loans 400 on TNT is presented by Quicken Loans engineered to amaze and brought to you in part by frost brewed Coors Light the world's most refreshing beer by the amazing spider-man in theaters July 3rd by 5-hour energy hours and hours of energy by coca-cola it's time to refuel coca-cola open happiness and by AT&T the nation's largest 4G network AT&T rethink possible when we went to break here at michigan brad keselowski Jeff Burton running one two they have made their scheduled green flag pit stops and that puts Dale Earnhardt jr. back in the race lead with 27 laps to go when the cycle of stops began he was eight tenths of a second in front of Tony Stewart he now has a second and a half lead and he's actually gained a little bit of that in the last three or four laps when they came out he was about a second ahead of Stewart but like you said now he's a second than half he's the only driver this season why to complete every lap he's got 11 top-ten finishes in 14 races he hasn't won since we were here four years ago that that that top stat only driver all year with that's an impressive stat that truly is because the two of you know how difficult it is to bring it every week yes we talked about earlier at Pocono that you keep putting those runs together you're gonna win a race of that believe Matt Kenseth out of shape opens the door for Jimmie Johnson this is the battle for fourth Jimmy come up and he manages at that 17 go free Johnson grabs the position and Jimmy's a little faster right here the 17 as we noticed earlier had worked his way around one then the 48 had to work his way and there was a huge separation of 48 of run the 17 back down and want to confirm for Jimmie Johnson fans he made that pit stop at lap 162 under green he is good to go the distance on fuel day you can't say enough about that the way that team battles through adversity who touched on the top 5 Earnhardt Stewart Biffle Johnson and Kenseth Clint Boyer now in the eighth position Ralph getting enough fuel the car is one thing getting the driver comfortable is another boyer wanted tires on that left waste of time lawyers not happy about it listen to the radio conversation because at some time it's a crew chief to just have to make the call and that's loose full of diversity like that when he sounds like that yeah Boyer is hanging on to 8th right now but he's working for every bit of it 23 laps to go and then jr. is the man on point at Michigan [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] 19 laps remain NASCAR on TNT live at Michigan International Speedway they're watching live cover to the Quicken Loans 400 and as we count down the laps we reflect back to what happened here four years ago the last time the Dale Earnhardt jr. went to Victory Lane and Sprint Cup Series competition his only win for Hendrick Motorsports been a while for his crew chief Steve Letarte since he's won a race and I'ma tell you though man this thing is on a rail he's got to keep it on a rail for 18 more laps but it has been they filtered this all year long I don't care this has been building since they left Daytona it really has they've had solid runs solid weeks week in and week out and last week at Pocono Larry said it'll only count down the green that was the first time Larry really felt like that was a place that they were just going to dominate they made that call at the end and that's the way it was but this is two weeks in a row that he has had one of the dominant cars here's what has impressed me though through thousand twelve for Dale jr. we had another case of it this weekend when things haven't been good they have fought through the hard times and made them better case in point fast on Thursday in the test session fast on Friday and practice decent qualifying effort they changed left-side tires he was unhappy in the practice last night weren't great early as far as back as 37th in the running order and here he is Wally you know like Kyle said if you watch this car through the corner right now it's just solid yes they haven't had any tire issues today which is a big bonus you know Stewart's been really really fast but those guys have been blistering tires so I mean like you said Kyle all he's gotta do is keep flicking off these laps and he's gonna get it yeah we talked about the 88 and how impressive that team's been I think I've been more impressed with junior this year his head has been in the game all year long from the time they got the Daytona I mean he was committed to winning races and committed to taking his team to another place and and he's been doing it week in and week out he's just been there and he's been disappointed it's good to see him when a race is over with when he run fourth he mad because he run fourth you know and that was really big and I think it's showing it has shown more and more and more and you see it today I mean he's right now at least just over 2 mile per hour faster than the second-place car Tony Stewart but he is flying right now Dale Junior's led over 200 laps in 2012 80 of them coming here today that's the most he's led in the season since back in 2008 when he won right here at Michigan and you can hear when he rolls out of the throttle he gets right back in that throttle nice and smooth you don't hear him float in the FATA like we have heard other guys earlier today that's what do you don't race cars work I've just listened to that throttle and how he's working it yeah we heard before earlier you listen right here he rolls out right back to it he's wide open right here yeah and that car is sticking and he's just driving it and you know we heard Biffle earlier go to it come off of it go to it come off of it early in the race but as this racetrack has changed and they've kept up steamie Letarte has done a great job of keeping up with the adjustments we saw heard and was documented they put the rubber in the left rear early in a race and when they put that rubber in the left ear this car came to life and it's been just right there rock steady ever since while other guys have come and gone 13 laps to go and his advantage over Tony Stewart 4.6 seconds he's not just leading he is absolutely runner up smoke Jimmie Johnson the next guy in live in the third position Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle the two drivers out of the Roush Fenway organization complete the top five montoya and Ambrose have spent a lot of time inside the top ten today they've got the final two spots there right now Ambrose in the tenth position and you see Montoya right in front of him tonight Kasey Kahne involved in that accident he's back out and running now he's 42 laps down but you take him out of the equation and he had been pretty strong you got Gordon Johnson and jr. all out of the hendrix tables running inside the top six good race here for ninth and eight nine nine to Dan scuse me I think we talked about it early I think Ambrose's parts just worked better behind somebody else yes yeah it seems to it was that way in and the beginning and and and he's and he's worked a little bit better on longer runs he's come from farther back and moves up three or four positions every time every time we've had a caution coming to ten laps to go here this afternoon Larry well just looking at Dale Earnhardt jr. what a difference a year has made with this 88 team and driver Earnhardt because we talked about what he did at Pocono if he can lead these last 11 laps and those two races he would have led 131 laps he only led 52 laps total last year and if he can close it out with a top-ten finish today and it looks like he will he'll match his top tens total from 2011 big championship implications here Dale Earnhardt jr. entered today 10 points behind Matt Kenseth for the championship lead and he gets that victory which means bonus points when we come toward the chase yeah but here's the championship implications the championship implications are he can win races and win a championship you know I mean everybody's talked about it can he we know he's can make it he can make points we've seen him make points we've seen him do that for the last couple of years to be in the chase but he needed to step over that broom into that area will you say yeah I can win races and win him on a regular basis he could have theoretically be sitting here going for his second win in a row well he's finished second seven times since he last one here four seasons ago and you think about some of the moments last year's coca-cola 600 coming to turn four runs out of gas Martinsville when Kevin Harvick got him in the closing laps he smelled the front just hasn't been able to get there there's a pass for position Matt Kenseth driving to the inside of Jimmie Johnson to grab the third spot on track these two guys have gone at it for about the past 25 laps they've not letting each other get more than about a car length or two from each other [Music] now on our jr. down to turn one some lap traffic there to the inside of Travis Kvapil that thing just Rosa rail yeah it just rotates to the center when he picks up the gas it changed directions it changes directions and it just drives up all together and sticks and step again so when you get out of gas you want the thing definitely stick it like you said it drives straight up again you look at him he's right off that bottom line about a car length two car lengths and a half we just saw Jimmie Johnson and the 17 racing they go in and let him slide up a little bit and then get it gathered up and go again and it only takes that split second to gather it up and go again but juniors car has rotated through that the center corner he and Tony Stewart we spoke of it earlier right here when it changes direction yeah they're two cars were the better cars there Steve Letarte he plays a couple of roles sometimes the calming influence other times he's the cheerleader and as Jimmie Johnson loses another position that's Greg Biffle getting by for fourth in the running order Jimmy's got his loss of something either that or he's worried about his tires with six or seven laps to go he must be maybe feeling something in his tires that he's just trying to bring a home now jr. across the start-finish line six laps remaining to his first win and 143 starts when you think about Dale Earnhardt jr. and what he's meant to the sport over the years today his four hundred and fiftieth start in NASCAR's top series he's been around a good while [Music] Dale Earnhardt jr. very much aware of the fact that he hasn't won in a while as he comes around here and sees five laps remaining inside the race car Wally that right there is what you want to hear I mean you've got five seconds your car's working great you get five laps to go I mean basically you're on cruise right here just don't make any mistakes but the biggest thing is he's not being pressured so yeah if he had someone right in his rear view mirror you could understand feeling the pressure thinking about the long win the streak and maybe having your hand forced into a mistake when you got a big lead that's got a help yeah but I don't think Jeter's ever really thought about the long window streak he just taught about winning the race and getting to where he said you know he's always played at all and I don't think he played it off as much as he he truly truly felt that believed that that he was gonna win again [Music] Jr off of turn two and down the back straightaway when he comes around this time it will be three laps remaining I know but he doesn't want to see his a car yeah I was just looking to see where Jimmie Johnson was to see if he was having an issue but he's kind of fell in to a pretty good rhythm at Jimmy's trying to stay ahead of the 24 car of Jeff Gordon but he's way off the pace way on it his last lap was 184 - three laps ago he's 188 now Jimmie Johnson changed engines came from the back to the fifth position Ryan Newman did the same he's one lap down in 17th and Carl Edwards who had to start at the rear of the field after qualifying problems yesterday finds himself 11th in the latter stages I hate they paint Michigan to be honest with you because these fans are gonna burn this place down when we get to that point it was just gonna be a big old waste of money but jr. has yeah I mean this has been a great day for these guys not as they have dominated this would be the 93rd lap he is led as we get to in the Quicken Loans 400 you're on board with Dale Earnhardt jr. looking out that steering wheel how steady that is [Music] [Music] but no white he just needs to get back to this yeah then it won't matter if we get a caution because the green white checkered situation will be Dale Earnhardt jr. gets the white flag he sees it right now the victory for Dale Earnhardt jr. is the crowd stands and cheers here at Michigan oh my god I wish people at home could be here to see these people in the grandstands in the hyrum we're up here at the TV TV booth and you can hear these people [Music] Jr down the back straightaway into turn three for the final time there is going to be a party in jr. nation tonight babe I waited boy and the streak is over Dale Earnhardt jr. in Michigan bang right [Music] yeah I don't take a look at the 500 we really wanted a job and I knew you guys are bill a no-talent fellow I am [Music] see that monkey fly off his back yeah you know but I think his voice set it off when he said I really don't know what to say after all that time listen to the crowd after all that time he expected him and I think that said it all he hadn't been able to celebrate in a while turn it down Dale jr. after 143 races without a win he's making the donuts on the front straightaway [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] a win for the driver and I'm sure the crew chief is smiling as well let's check in downstairs wladim there's hugs there's tears down here and everything in Stevie a lot of big wins in your career where does this one rank among them this one's up there a long ways that's one thing everyone involved on 9news Chevrolet National Guard we couldn't do without them but HMS Dale jr. he drove a great race and this crew it's about a long time since they've won they really deserve it I know it's hard not to be emotional when you think about the emotion is it all the work that went into it that makes you emotional yeah a lot of close calls a lot of seconds good to finally win one now this one's off her back looking forward to chase if you aren't planning on using that engine again where you know I can't thank Hendrick in just enough we ran way over I live it in practice that was 200 beautiful laps that their ages are unbelievable how happy are you for him I can't say enough him he's done everything I'm asked him to do I know he's take a lot of criticism his career but I've never seen one ounce criticism he deserves for me he's driven the wheels off of every lap and it's just been fun it's been a lot of fun the day she wondered if this would ever happen yeah I'm sure there was but these guys kept my heads up my wife my family mr. Hendrick pay up now it's keep important in the right direction I believe we're about to have a celebration Adam what do you think I think it's on Marty it is well underway in the grandstand and when Dale Earnhardt jr. climbs from that racecar his team going to celebrate with him they've been close so many times you heard Steve Letarte talk about the runner-up finishes today they definitely received the fruits of their labor this the second consecutive week we've seen a long winless streak come to an end Joey Logano got it done last week at Pocono today it's Dale Earnhardt jr. let's go to Victory Lane and Matt Yocum and over the past four years Dale Earnhardt jr. has been his second seven different occasions this year they said they were gonna take it to a whole new level and right now he's on the phone talking to the boss man mr. H Rick Hendrick special day for the entire organization long time coming and what a party it's going to be for junior nation special colors this weekend he helped design and fitting end drive them to Victory Lane [Music] [Applause] down the leading day jr. welcome home to Victory Lane what the boss mr. HS oh you just upset he couldn't be here that's a great race I want to thank my sponsors National Guard Diet Mountain Dew great to have the Batman on the car today we just had a really good car and Chevrolet was real fast just pretty amazing I was those last those last 15 laps our longest laps ever and I don't know what to think about it just yet you know me Junior it's been four years your fans are stuck behind yet this guy right here Steve Letarte Steve Letarte stuck behind you what's the most satisfying part of this victory to do it for my fans they stuck behind me for all these years and you know exactly what they've been thinking about and how long they've been wanting us to get it rigged Lane and so this one's for them appreciate their loyalty and their support and we wouldn't have made it back in victory lane without it so that's who we gotta get all credit to you look at today opposed so many challenges new crew chief is smiling as well let's check in downstairs wladim there's hugs there's tears down here and everything in Stevie a lot of big wins in your career where does this one rank among them this one's up there a long ways that's one thing everyone involved I'm not new Chevrolet National Guard we couldn't do without them but HMS Dale jr. he drove a great race and this crew it's about a long time since they've won they really deserve it I know it's hard not to be emotional when you think about the emotion is it all the work that went into it that makes you emotional yeah a lot of close calls a lot of seconds good to finally win one now this one's off Rebecca looking forward to chase if you weren't planning on using that engine again were you no I can't thank Hendrick engines enough we ran way over I live it in practice that was 200 beautiful laps that their engines are unbelievable how happy are you for him I can't say enough him he's done everything I've asked him to do I know he's taking a lot of criticism his career but I've never seen one ounce Kurtis and he deserves for me he's driven the wheels off with every lap and it's just been fun it's been a lot of fun the day she wondered if this would ever happen yeah I'm sure there was but these guys kept my head my wife my family mr. Hendrick they uh you point in the right direction I believe we're about to have a celebration Adam what do you think I think it's on Marty it is well underway in the grandstand and when Dale Earnhardt jr. climbs from that racecar his team going to celebrate with him they've been close so many times you heard Steve Letarte talk about the runner-up finishes today they definitely received the fruits of their labor and this the second consecutive week we've seen a long willis streak come to an end Joey Logano got it done last week at Pocono today it's Dale Earnhardt jr. let's go to Victory Lane and Matt Yocum and over the past four years Dale Earnhardt jr. has finished second seven different occasions this year they said they were going to take it to a whole new level and right now he's on the phone talking to the boss man mr. H Rick Hendrick special day for the entire organization long time coming [Music] and what a party it's going to be for junior nation special colors this weekend he helped design and fitting end drive them to victory lane [Music] [Applause] dominating day Junior welcome home to Victory Lane what the boss mr. HS oh you just upset it couldn't be here that's a great race I want to plate my sponsors in a cigar Diet Mountain Dew great to have the Batman on the car today we just had a really good car and Chevrolet was real fast just pretty amazing I was those last those last 15 laps are the longest laps ever and I don't know what to think about it just yeah you know me junior has been for years your fans are stuck behind yet this guy right here Steve Letarte Steve Letarte stuck behind you what's the most satisfying part of this victory to do it for my fans they stuck behind me for all these years and you know exactly what they've been thinking about and how long they've been wants to get the big lane and so this one's for them appreciate their loyalty and their support and we wouldn't have made it back in victory lane without it so that's how we got your all credit to look at today opposed so many challenges new tracks surface the tire change the weather itself what was the biggest difference was it the change that Stevie made on the second stop with the spring rubber yeah we change well yeah we I don't know what do you what all he did but he made it right and things real fast I want to also thank you sprint they do a good job supporting our sport don't get enough credit for it I appreciate what they do the track service is great today the tire was was a tough one a little bit of curveball but we didn't have any trouble we got to put on a race and thank NASCAR and good year for for the work they did like those prolific poets from England once said the new boss looks a lot like the old boss Dale jr. back in victory lane you get the feeling now that he's won one floodgates could open oh yeah yeah I'm telling you he could be after last week he could be sitting here two in a row and is prolific poets from England said yet I don't know something that he said finally the wait is over Dale Earnhardt jr. back in victory lane we continue with our post race coverage on TNT a thoroughbred [Music] we're season from here NASCAR fans get your 2012 American salute diecast at the nascar.com superstores I've worked hard to build my family and also to build my career so I'm not about to ollie okay let's roll right into our post race for today's 44th annual Quicken Loans 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race here it welcome back to the NASCAR on TNT post race show reminder coming up at 6:30 here on TNT at Sherlock Holmes and make sure you're with us at 9:00 p.m. Eastern tonight on TNT it's a special two-hour season premiere of falling skies again that's at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time and Dale Earnhardt jr. celebrating in victory lane receiving congratulations from a number of drivers the man who finished right behind him today Ralph Sheheen with Tony Stewart Tony Stewart getting a quick drink of coke here boy from where you guys were yesterday working to get the car to second here today was a monumental effort tell me about that run yeah it really was I mean we we were 27th quick on the sheet yesterday so you know we had a lot of curveballs thrown our way but I was really proud of Steve Addington and these guys it's a man it's amazing what one night and those guys thinking what what they came up with it just was a totally different race car today I'm really proud of them well Matt Kenseth made a nice run there at the end you got around Johnson you almost got to Stewart how close were you to getting around him I just couldn't quite get around him he was tight so he was running low so i couldnt get any air underneath them and i was too loose to run down lower on that less banking and too tight to run behind them so it was a good day for the 17 car we were able to work our way back up through traffic and finished third and congratulations Dale jr. they've just been running awesome this year and nice to see him stand over there Victory Lane relations on a nice top five thanks well Jeff Gordon finishes six today and chap that middle part of the race you look so strong in there weren't tire issues with the 24 I just looked at the right rear corner and you got some blisters I knew something happened in that last run we took off there and it was really good and boy it just went away fast got really really loose oh yeah that's unfortunate man what a great day for Hendrick Motorsports and junior and Stevie and all those guys on on that 88 team so proud of them proud of my guys to you I mean we fought hard to come from 28th it was not easy and you know we we had a really good race car today so happy Father's Day I know - Rick especially happy Father's Day to you Rick I know that was a great Father's Day give and you know I'm just glad we had a solid day as well something to build on Greg Biffle you had a fast race car today why couldn't you get it to the front yeah I just couldn't use the repent on the right you know I couldn't use any more gas we were chunking right rears and you know I had my car a little bit too free I guess and you know I could run fast lap times but the right reared come apart so I just had to pace myself kind of like I had to do it in me a few years back you know just I couldn't drive it any harder than you know so hard but I want to say Happy Father's Day to all the father's out there including mine and you know I'm very excited for junior what a great day for him to win on there's been a lot of pressure on him and he's a great driver I'm so glad he won persistence paid off for Greg doe he gets a force that's good points well Jimmie Johnson hangs on it ain't hangs on for a 5th place finish today man that looked like a rough ride on that last run yeah we were coming we were really flying and then I blistered the right rear again and had to just hang on and let some guys go and then I ran out of fuel going into turn three and coasted around hit that the fit is wide so you know just a tough day but a good finish so we'll take that and I just couldn't be more happy for my teammate juniors been chipping away out of it and it's been so close to victory and I'm real happy for him and for Stevie and what we haven't going on in Hendrick Motorsports especially inside the 48 88 shop is really special and I could be more proud of everybody involved yeah we're doing the interview from Victory Lane because you bolted straight over here to say congratulations yeah I had to get over here quick this is I know how much I know how hard he's been working on this how bad he's wanted it and how good this is gonna make him feel and the confidence it's gonna give me and that raises him for the rest of the year and for time to come so just super stoked for him considering all he went through it's a fifth not bad for Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Johnson in the top five but it's his teammate Dale Earnhardt jr. who gets the trophy 19th win of Dale Junior's career in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series so what did that do to the driver standings Kenseth still on top but Dale jr. cuts six points out of his lead he's four behind with 15 races complete and Greg Biffle stayed third Jimmie Johnson Denny Hamlin complete the top five Tony Stewart's solid day 74 points out of the lead back in H Brad Keselowski stayed in the top ten now the wild card picture Carl Edwards still 11th two behind the top ten Kyle Busch has wildcard position number one Ryan Newman the second wild-card spot Joey Logano Kasey Kahne 15th and 16th respectively both drivers have a win in 2012 and certainly a part of the wild card equation it's been a long day for all of us here NASCAR on TNT special thanks to our producer Jeff Randolph our director Mike Wells for Larry McReynolds Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach I'm Adam Alexander next Sunday NASCAR on TNT heads out west to Sonoma coverage begins at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time with countdown to green followed by the Toyota st. mark 350 tonight at 9:00 p.m. on TNT it's the two-hour season premiere of falling skies coming up next at 6:30 on TNT at Sherlock Holmes head over to nascar.com now for the NASCAR on TNT post race show congratulations to Dale Earnhardt jr. he's a winner again in the Sprint Cup Series this telecast may never be reproduced retransmitted reused at any form without the authorized written consent from bhaskar broadcasting and NASCAR would like to thank all of our loyal fans for your continued support and we hope you enjoyed today's broadcast

Channel: NASCAR

Views: 70,507

Rating: 4.9078536 out of 5

Keywords: NASCAR, motorsports, racing, stock car, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, chase elliott, fantasy sports, fantasy fastlane, glass case of emotion, ryan blaney, crash, wreck, pileup, pit road, penalty, race track, super speedway, highlight

Id: 4b79IQXoBD4

Length: 211min 52sec (12712 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 18 2020