Sprint Cup 2012: Race 15: 200!!!

200 MPH!!! It’s not an illusion, but take a look now because chances are no one will see this again for a long time, the top NINETEEN qualifiers for tomorrow’s Quicken Loans 400 at the Michigan International Speedway all had lap times over 200 mph with Marcos Ambrose topping the leader board at 203.241. 200 mph has always been considered a dangerous threshold in NASCAR racing for the aerodynamic properties that start to develop at such a high speed keeping cars from getting airborne in touchy situations on the track as had been seen to tragic results at Talladega and Daytona hastening the era of restrictor plate racing at those tracks and a completely different style of racing.

What NASCAR will decide to do will be influenced by tomorrow’s races. Certainly, there will be discussion whether restrictor plates should be implemented at Michigan; however, before taking such a drastic step that could be overkill at the two mile oval, perhaps there are some engineering tweaks working with aerodynamics and down force that might do the trick if necessary. Long time fans will not forget that driver Ernie Irvan almost lost his life in a horrible practice accident and Michigan, and Bobby Allison’s younger son, Clifford, was killed in a practice mishap a year earlier in what was then the Busch series. The myriad of safety improvements after Dale Earnhardt’s death at Daytona in 2001 has not addressed potential 200 mph racing. In recent years, competition has only flirted with 200 mph hitting that speed on some straight-aways like Texas and Atlanta.

Repaved race tracks introduce many new variables and the predictions based on past performance are tossed away. Surely, last week’s Pocono competition benefitted tremendously from the new surface and remembering the recent calamity that befell Kasey Kahne and Elliot Sadler, the safety improvements are most welcomed.  However, given the Pennsylvania track’s long straight-aways, many were looking ahead to this weekend and the possibility of some stunning speeds.

After an early practice, Tony Stewart, a veteran of many forms of racing noted how it seemed the faster the car drove the more he felt a sense of comfort likening it to his experience with Indy Car racing on oval tracks. Certainly, those used to the “beatin’ and bangin’”  style of driving will be at a loss in a brave new world tomorrow afternoon; however, Michigan, traditionally a fuel mileage race, can yield some amazing finishes one of the most memorable being Dale Jarrett’s first victory dueling Davey Allison in the 2^nd Michigan event in the summer of 1991. The track would seem to favor competitors including Stewart, the Hendricks and Roush boys, and engineering focused drivers like Ambrose and Ryan Newman.

Two drivers whose seasons have fallen far short of expectations delivered frustrating results in qualifying. Jeff Gordon who is struggling to reach the top 20 much less dream of the chase starts in a mediocre 28^th while last year’s championship contender who lost the cup by a whisker, Carl Edwards, attempting to stay close to the top 10 in a still winless season is buried in the back-of-the-field trash heap at 42^nd. Kyle Busch who has also had rather undistinguished results in 2012 check in at 34^th substantially behind NASCAR’s most hated driver, his brother Kurt, who will have the evil eye trained on him in 26^th.

Michigan also takes on special significance as being essentially the home track of the American auto industry with Detroit being the nearest major city. The races at this track are seen as the manufacturer’s cup giving GM, Ford, or Chrysler bragging rights on home turf or now Toyota, whose production cars ironically are the most completely “made in the USA” wheels, the right to be spoiler. Let’s look forward to the added excitement of the many degrees of uncertainty to be resolved tomorrow.

Starting Lineup:

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POS	CAR#		DRIVER	MFG	SPEED
1	9		Marcos Ambrose	Ford	203.241
2	29		Kevin Harvick	Chevy	202.037
3	16		Greg Biffle	Ford	201.816
4	5		Kasey Kahne	Chevy	201.720
5	39		Ryan Newman	Chevy	201.472
6	17		Matt Kenseth	Ford	201.461
7	21		Trevor Bayne	Ford	201.444
8	14		Tony Stewart	Chevy	201.370
9	20		Joey Logano	Toyota	201.247
10	48		Jimmie Johnson	Chevy	201.179
11	11		Denny Hamlin	Toyota	200.882
12	78		Regan Smith	Chevy	200.725
13	15		Clint Bowyer	Toyota	200.686
14	55		Mark Martin	Toyota	200.591
15	43		Aric Almirola	Ford	200.390
16	56		Martin Truex Jr.	Toyota	200.384
17	88		Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevy	200.317
18	27		Paul Menard	Chevy	200.133
19	1		Jamie McMurray	Chevy	200.111
20	22		AJ Allmendinger	Dodge	199.944
21	42		Juan Pablo Montoya	Chevy	199.612
22	33		Austin Dillon(i)	Chevy	199.540
23	23		Scott Riggs	Chevy	199.474
24	13		Casey Mears	Ford	198.555
25	2		Brad Keselowski	Dodge	198.473
26	51		Kurt Busch	Chevy	198.238
27	98		Michael McDowell	Ford	198.118
28	24		Jeff Gordon	Chevy	197.922
29	19		Mike Bliss	Toyota	197.780
30	26		Josh Wise #	Ford	197.699
31	47		Bobby Labonte	Toyota	197.395
32	83		Landon Cassill	Toyota	197.087
33	31		Jeff Burton	Chevy	197.055
34	18		Kyle Busch	Toyota	197.028
35	38		David Gilliland	Ford	196.829
36	36		Dave Blaney	Chevy	196.818
37	87		Joe Nemechek	Toyota	196.770
38	34		David Ragan	Ford	196.673
39	93		Travis Kvapil	Toyota	193.107
40	32		Ken Schrader	Ford	190.638
41	10		Tony Raines	Chevy	188.216
42	99		Carl Edwards	Ford	0.000
43	49		JJ Yeley	Toyota	195.117

Failed to Qualify:

44	30		David Stremme	Toyota	194.295
45	74		Stacy Compton	Chevy	193.606

Final observation, having witnessed the Indy Car competition from Milwaukee on ABC, clearly NASCAR would do well to reduce the number of cars allowed to start the race. Once again, the Indy field showed true competitors from top to bottom with every car having something to prove. Certainly the sport could be more exciting where fans get to focus on real racing and not having to pick it out through the clutter. No car should start what the driver doesn't expect to finish. The status quo in NASCAR is such an insulting afront on anyone who appreciates true top tiered professional sports that's supposed to represent the best in its form of competition. Today's Sprint Cup races are like watching baseball with beer-bellied softball hacks playing first base and center field. What's wrong with that picture?  Then without any mention from the broadcasters after the first inning, those positions are standing vacant WAKE UP NASCAR!!!!!