FYI WIRZ: NASCAR's Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and More Prep for Fast Michigan

Michigan International Speedway, the 2-mile tri-oval track with 18 degree banking, hosts the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Pure Michigan 400 in Brooklyn, Michigan, this Sunday.  The Sprint Cup Series event will be televised at 1 p.m. on ESPN.

Michigan has sweeping 73-foot wide turns and provides three and four grooves for drivers to catch and pass. After battling on a tight, fast road course at Watkins Glen, the multi-groove track will be welcome to NASCAR drivers and Chase for the Sprint Cup contenders.

With only four races left to set the field for the 10 race championship playoff, different strategies will dictate the action in races. For those with only one win or those without a win, ample point totals to protect their lofty position in the top 10—maintaining a good finish is primary. Another win would be welcome but points are important.

For some lagging in points like Paul Menard, Marcos Ambrose, David Ragan, and Regan Smith with a single win, but lacking in position outside the top 12 and top 20, gaining points is significant.  Another win would be a huge boost to their Chase chances as it has been for Brad Keselowski with two total wins this season.  

Only two wild card positions are open to drivers with one win or more inside the top 20.   

Simply put, top-10 or better finishes are desired and crashes or mechanical failures are dreaded.        

The top five point leaders carry the best spots going into the final four races, but their efforts are not likely to be anything like coasting. Their words before this week’s green flag might disclose their plans. 

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Toyota)

“It’s just a fun place to race,” Busch said. “Its wide-open racing and you can run from top to bottom. The biggest thing is just trying to get grip there. Some guys are able to get it, other guys can’t. You can get it for maybe five laps and then you’re just out to lunch. The biggest thing is just trying to make your car comfortable and make it last throughout a whole tire run and, of course, make it fast, too. And the wide racetrack is good. That’s what makes Michigan so exciting and so fun.”

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Ford)

“MIS drives like a big dirt track,” Edwards said. “It’s a big, slick, wide race track. You slide the car all the way around the corners. I really like Michigan. It is fun, and our cars have been very good there. I feel like every time we go there we’ve got a chance to win.”

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Chevrolet)

“I don’t know what it is about that track,” Johnson said. “It’s just one of those tracks where we haven’t capitalized. It’s certainly an important track for us to win at with it being Chevy’s back yard. It also would be great to get a win and give us a little more cushion going into the Chase with just a few races left.”

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Chevrolet)

“Michigan has been a great race track for us in the past,” Harvick said. “From the driver’s standpoint it’s a lot of fun to race on because the car slides around and you have the option to move all over the race track. It should be a good weekend.”

Matt Kenseth (No.17 Ford)

“Michigan is one of my favorite tracks throughout the season and I always look forward to going to Michigan since it’s the Midwest and close to my home state of Wisconsin,” Kenseth said. “It’s really important to have a good-handling car at Michigan since it’s a big sweeping track with plenty of room to pass. If you can get your car to handle the right way, you can have a lot of fun racing there. Racing at Michigan is also significant because the area is the headquarters for Roush Industries and Ford Motor Company, so it’s always a big weekend for us at a place we consider one of our home tracks.”

FYI WIRZ is the select presentation of topics by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com. 

Unless otherwise noted, information and all quotes were obtained from official release materials provided by NASCAR and team representatives.

Photo credit: Dwight Drum at Racetake.com