Parks Race Reactions: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan

A favorite of many NASCAR competitors, the Michigan International Speedway always provides great racing and a lot of strategy.

Sunday was no exception. Every lap there was a battle for position, and usually the following lap the same drivers would continue to make moves. You had cars that started near the back move up, while others slipped on occasion.

The action on the track was exactly what is to be expected when it comes to racing at Michigan.

With that in mind, let's get to my reactions from the race.

I will start off by once again praising the return of the spoiler. Usually, we discuss drafting when it comes to Daytona and Talladega. However, people forget when it comes to tracks like Michigan, the draft plays a huge role.

With the wing, there was too much drag on the back of the car, making it harder to close up and make sweeping passes.

With this spoiler, it returned to the way Michigan was in 2007 and before. Cars could run in different lines, and then get an incredible burst of speed to slingshot past the car in front.

It made for great side-by-side racing as well because the cars could get great side-drafts. The battles for third and back were some of the best racing all season.

Praise the spoiler once again, because it brought back more of what made NASCAR great.

My next point is going to be on the teams that needed strong runs. Specifically, they are the drivers who finished second, fifth, and seventh.

It was Kasey Kahne leading the Ford camp this weekend as he finished runner-up. I said weeks ago that beginning with the All-Star Race, this team and the entire Richard Petty Motorsports organization had to get on track. With Kahne leaving at the end of the year, a good run will help his cause for next season.

A very solid effort by Kahne.

Up next is Tony Stewart, who finished in the fifth spot. Last week, Stewart was not happy despite finishing in the second spot, mainly because of how they got there.

This week, he was extremely happy with the finish because he and his crew earned every position. The early call for just two tires got them to the front, and it kept him there the rest of the afternoon.

After having a rough start to the season, the approaching summer months are usually when "Smoke" turns up the heat and makes his charge. This was a big step toward that, especially considering where the series heads next week.

And last on this list is the seventh-place driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. When was the last time that Junior had a post-race interview where he sounded confident, happy, and satisfied?

That postrace interview told it all, because all day long, Junior told his team the car was good and only had one common problem. He battled from mid-pack to crack the top-10 and complete the race.

Sure, it's not a victory, but it had to feel good seeing the No. 88 running so well. Great job by the entire Amp Energy/National Guard team.

But, at the end of the day, a familiar face stole the show.

For 123 of the 200 laps, the car in the lead was Denny Hamlin. I at first thought Hamlin had momentum, now I just think he's on fire.

Consider this, all five of Hamlin's wins this season have come on different tracks, not just in length, but in type. He won at a short track (Martinsville), a one-mile oval (Darlington), a 1.5-mile speedway (Texas), a high-speed oval (Michigan) and a 2.5-mile super-speedway (Pocono).

The only style track Hamlin has yet to win on is a road course, and that's what the Sprint Cup Series visits next week.

Hamlin is lighting up the track and the standings. There is no one better than the No. 11 FedEx team at this point in the season. Question now is can he keep this kind of momentum once the Chase begins?

If his prediction from Homestead is true, this season could be the one he's talking about. Hamlin and crew won't have to wait a few years to get that title, it could happen this year.

What a season for this team so far, what more can they accomplish?