Happy for Denny Hamlin with the Michigan win who knows what it takes to take that opportunity that late with both hands and yet he’s done that again when others eventually fell away on his 701st Cup series start. Am convinced that Chris Gayle his new crew chief will help Denny deliver more wins including the next Playoffs that could finally turn into his drivers’ championship year at season’s end.
I know that win would be worth so much more than anything second best but Chris Buescher had a solid afternoon including all other Roush cars in the Top 10 by Ryan Preece (9th) & Brad Keselowski (10th).
If it wasn’t for those yellows and that little slip up somewhere in Stage 3, the race could’ve been his to take by far just like we saw with Denny en route to the finish line.
Top finishes all day also going to Denny’s 23XI Toyota employee Bubba Wallace who finished the race strong in 4th.
Then Ross Chastain at Trackhouse with a quiet and improved afternoon off the back of the Stage 2 yellows & never looked back since then where he did the best possible to collect them all on track position in 6th.
There’s another Ford that made solid ground especially under green by Zane Smith after he finished 7th for Front Row Motorsports.
Didn’t hear much from Kyle Busch when he rolled off 2nd but stayed out of trouble though all afternoon & regained up to 8th at Childress. He’s happy with the practice and qualifying speed so he can make up those best options available come race day where you never know what to expect other than finishing Top 10s every week.
A win? Yes, that would be awesome when this car needs help to challenge the front runners like RFK & 23XI. But good consistent results and hanging in there through four odd hours shows he’s still got it & maybe he might win again after all.
Lots more drivers also benefitting a good end to the afternoon if you stretch all the way to the Top 15 but again, gotta say the local guy from the Michigan township of Byron, Erik Jones finished 11th in the famed No.43 Toyota with Legacy MC.
He’s another driver like many others as witnessed when others drop off firstly with cautions and later on fuel and race strategy under green. Now things may not have been the same when trying to keep hold of the Top 20 by the looks of his car’s long game although we know Legacy MC can stir up a surprise at the bigger track races but at least he ran not too shabby.
