This was a Roush type of day as teammates David Ragan finished 3^rd, Greg Biffle 4^th, Matt Kenseth 5^th and Jamie McMurray 10^th. 

Consider Edwards the hard charger of the race as he started back in 27^th position for the event. Within the first 25 laps Edwards moved into the top ten. His day was not marred by issues and the team provided quick pit stops when he came to pit road.  

He would be challenged by Kyle Busch and Ragan for the last half of the race. Edwards led the most laps with 84 and Kyle Busch would dog him most of the time. In the last two cautions though, one of those being with 6 to go.  

This set up a regulation finish with two to go. Edwards was excellent on restarts, which this one was no different. Edwards did not have any threat from Kyle Busch on the last two laps. 

Edwards wraps up his weekend with a sweep of the Nationwide race from the day before and today’s race. This is Edwards’ 5^th win of the season as well as his 10^th top 5 and 17^th top 10. This is Edwards’ second career win at this track. 

Kyle Busch started his day 11^th, did not loose site of the top ten as well as leading 34 of the 200 laps ran today. Busch was ok on restarts, but could not muster some of the power from his car that we have seen in previous races. This locks in Busch for the chase, and most likely will be in the be in the number one position with 80 bonus points for his season wins. 

Ragan had a great finish on the track as this would be his best finish at Michigan (his last one was 8^th, earlier this year) as well as his best finish of the season.  

Ragan started 16^th, would find himself in the top 20 by lap fifty and the top ten later in the event. Ragan would lead 3 laps. At the end of the event Ragan would put up a fight for second with Kyle Busch, but could not make the pass as he held off Ragan on the last lap. 

Team Hendrick would struggle in today’s event. One of the issues being when Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon tagged each other’s car in a four wide battle for position, mid race. Johnson would fall one lap back with front fender damage.  

Johnson regained the lap back, but not in time to make any threat for the top ten. Johnson would head home in 17^th. Jeff Gordon would blow out a tire a few laps later, tearing sheet metal from his front fender.  

Gordon would slam the wall later, which caused rear end damage to his machine. Gordon would take his car to the garage and not return. 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. would have handling issues with his machine. Earnhardt would lead the second most laps with 43. Later the handling would not come back to his car, and he would fall one lap down to finish his day 23^rd. 

PRE RACE NOTES 

Only four races remain in the “Race to the Chase,” with drivers battling to secure one of the 12 spots in NASCAR’s playoffs – the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
This week, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits Michigan International Speedway, site of Sunday’s 3M Performance 400 Presented By Bondo. The NASCAR Nationwide Series races at MIS on Saturday, with the Carfax 250. The NASCAR Craftsman truck Series has an off-week. 

Record books beware. Busch, who won his eighth race of the season last Sunday at Watkins Glen, already became the first driver in NASCAR national series history to win three road course races in a single season. With six more wins, he’ll also break the modern era record for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins of 13 (Richard Petty in 1975 and Jeff Gordon in 1998).
Busch became the 18th driver with eight or more win in the first 22 races of a season – 13 of the previous 17 went on to win the series championship. 

Brian Vickers won the  Pole Award for the 3M Performance 400 presented by Bondo with a lap of 38.189 seconds, 188.536 mph. This is his fifth pole in 159 NASCAR  Cup Series races. This is his first pole and fifth top-10 start in 2008. This is his first pole in 10 races at Michigan International Speedway. 

Jimmie Johnson (second) posted his 18th top-10 start of 2008 and his ninth in 14 races at Michigan International Speedway. 

Elliott Sadler (third) posted his eighth top-10 start at Michigan International Speedway.  It is his ninth in 23 races this season. 

Patrick Carpentier (sixth) was the fastest qualifying rookie. 

NOW LET’S TURN AND BURN!! 

200 laps on the track. It looks to be a good weather day. Ryan Newman qualified 20^th, but with an engine change, he will start 43^rd. 

The drivers fire their engines up. Three pace laps and it’s… 

GREEN FLAG as Vickers and Johnson head down this wide track into turns one and two with 41 other drivers waiting to pass them. Earnhardt Jr. off the bat is on the rear end of Johnson to push him into the lead on lap one. 

Lap 2 Sam Hornish Jr. bounces off the outside turn two wall. He continues on. Lap 4 Johnson leads Earnhardt Jr. by ¾ of a second. Lap 5 early movers of the race are Kyle Busch from 11^th up to 7^th. Lap 8 Johnson drops to the inside to let Earnhardt Jr. lead a lap. 

Lap 9 other movers are Kurt Busch from 13^th to 10^th, Matt Kenseth from 14^th to 11^th, and Jeff Burton from 28^th to 21^st. Lap 11 Earnhardt now leads by 1 second. Clint Bowyer looks to be a man on the move, starting 41^st is up to 32^nd. 

Lap 14 it looks like Juan Pablo Montoya has slipped back in positions. Montoya started 19^th and is currently 26^th. Terry Labonte started 17^th and is 29^th. Lap 17 Regan Smith started 8^th and has slipped back to 19^th. 

Lap 18 Earnhardt has been running the highest part of the track, just about glued to the wall 3.8 seconds ahead of Johnson. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 19 as it looks like Marcos Ambrose’s car blew up. The drivers have to stay out for a few laps to clean up the oil spill from Ambrose’s car. They come in on lap 24. The race out of pit road is Johnson, Vickers, Earnhardt Jr., Patrick Carpentier and Kyle Busch. Lap 25 the rest of the top 10 drivers are Jeff Gordon, Elliott Sadler, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards. A.J. Allmendinger is back on pit road for a moment to adjust his right front fender that had some damage. 

GREEN FLAG lap 26 as Johnson and Vickers get the race back up to speed. Lap 28 we have a four car breakaway from the pack. They lead the field by 1.4 seconds. Coming out of turn 4 Earnhardt Jr. takes over 2^nd place. Lap 29 turn four Johnson is overtaken by Earnhardt Jr. for the lead and behind him, Kyle Busch takes 3^rd from Vickers. 

Lap 30 Kyle Busch is on power play to get by Johnson. As Busch passes Johnson, he moves in front of Johnson, almost clipping of the front of his car. Lap 33 Johnson’s changes on the pit stop are not helping him as he is passed by Vickers and may get passed by Edwards, who started 27^th has rocketed up to 4^th. 

Lap 35 Earnhardt leads Kyle Busch by ¾’s of a second. Johnson continues to slide back. Lap 37 Kevin Harvick is on the move from his start of 38^th is up to 14^th. Jeff Burton is up to 16^th. Lap 39 Earnhardt is up to 1.6 seconds on his lead of Kyle Busch. 

Lap 41 we hear that the water and oil temperature on Earnhardt Jr.’s car is way above what it should be. Lap 44 Vicker’s takes over 2^nd place from Kyle Busch. Lap 48, Earnhardt has trash on his grill which is causing the temperature to go up. 

Lap 49 the team has Earnhardt let Vickers pass him so the trash may come off as he tucks in behind Vickers car to cause a vacuum. The trash comes off and he will be able to go back to racing. 

Lap 53 your top 20 drivers are – Vickers, Earnhardt Jr., Edwards, Kyle Busch, Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Johnson, Sadler, Kurt Busch, Carpentier, Kenseth, David Reutimann, David Ragan, Mark Martin, Burton, Harvick, Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne and Dave Blaney. Lap 56 Vicker’s lead grows to 1.3 seconds as Earnhardt’s team tells him to just cruise for now as pit stops are coming up. 

Lap 62 the first car to pit is David Gilliland. Lap 64 Newman is in for his stop. Hornish, Montoya, Mike Skinner, Biffle and Menard are in. Lap 65 Edwards, Earnhardt Jr., Smith, Kurt Busch, Robby Gordon and several others are in. Lap 66 Harvick, Kyle Busch and many others are in.  

Trouble on pit road as Blaney was coming into his pit and clips the front of Biffle’s car, who was coming out of his pit. We see just about everyone has pitted in this short time. Lap 68 after pit stops rotated through, Earnhardt Jr. is back in the lead over Edwards by 2.2 seconds. 

Lap 71 we hear that Earnhardt’s car is way loose. This allows Edwards to catch up. Lap 74 Edwards takes the lead as the leaders are mixed in with the lapped drivers. Lap 75 your top 10 drivers are – Edwards, Vickers, Earnhardt Jr., Biffle, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kenseth, Elliott Sadler, Johnson and Ragan. 

Lap 78 it looks like Earnhardt is having big time loose issues. It seems like his car wants to spin out. Lap 79 Edwards leads Vickers by 2.1 seconds. Lap 81 Earnhardt continues to slide back as Kyle Busch closes in on him. Busch will take over 4^th. 

Lap 82 33 drivers remain on the lead lap. Drivers a lap down are Bobby Labonte, A.J. Allmendinger, Robby Gordon, Skinner, Raines, Nemechek, Terry Labonte, Reed Sorenson who are one lap down. Keith Coleman is 2 laps down, Ambrose is in the garage.

YELLOW FLAG lap 85 as Blaney is hit from behind by Newman who was tagged from the left rear by Menard. We see Blaney almost flipping over as he was flying backwards on the back stretch. The outside wall saves Blaney from flipping. The driver hit pit road. 

The race out of pit road is Edwards, Biffle, Vickers, Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch. Newman is the lucky dog. 

GREEN FLAG lap 90 as Edwards and Biffle lead the two rows of drivers back to racing. Lap 91 trouble for Johnson in the middle of the pack as he has damage on the front of his car as he was in the middle of Stewart and Jeff Gordon bouncing between both of them. Johnson will take his car to pit road. 

At the same time Johnson was having his issues Biffle takes the lead. Lap 92 Edwards is back in the lead. Lap 95 Kyle Busch moves into 2^nd place. Robby Gordon was in the pits for some reason. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 97 as Jeff Gordon blows a right front tire out of turn two, slamming the wall. Gordon has big time damage on the right side of his car. The tire issue came from the contact with Johnson earlier. Allmendinger is the lucky dog. Leaders are on pit road. The race back to the track is Edwards, Biffle, Vickers, Kyle Busch and Bobby Labonte. 

Lap 100 your top 20 drivers are – Edwards, Biffle, Kyle Busch, Vickers, Ragan, Kenseth, Sadler, Earnhardt Jr., Burton, Kurt Busch, Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Carpentier, Menard, Denny Hamlin, Gilliland, Martin, Stewart and Reutimann. So far we have seen 11 lead changes among 6 leaders and 3 cautions for 13 laps so far. 

GREEN FLAG lap 102 as Edwards and Biffle get us going again. Lap 106 Kyle Busch takes over 3^rd from Vickers. Lap 107 Busch is up to 2^nd as he passes Biffle. Vickers passes Biffle to take 4^th. Lap 108 Hornish almost is in an accident in turn two, but a big save. 

Lap 110 Edwards leads Kyle Busch by 1.7 seconds and 3^rd place Vickers by 3.8 seconds. Lap 112 movers of the race are Bobby Labonte from 35^th up to 28^th, Michael Waltrip from 42^nd up to 27^th, Menard from 36^th up to 26^th, Allmendinger from 33^rd up to 24^th, Clint Bowyer from 41^st up to 24^th, Kahne from 32^nd up to 20^th, Mears from 29^th up to 19^th, Gilliland from 40^th to 17^th, Truex Jr. from 25^th to 15^th, Hamlin from 37^th to 11^th, Harvick from 38^th to 10^th, Burton from 28^th to 8^th and Edwards from 27^th to the lead. 

Lap 120 Edwards continues his lead gap by 4 seconds. 7 of the top 10 drivers are chase drivers. Lap 122 Biffle takes over 3^rd from Vickers about 8 seconds behind the leader. 

Lap 125 your top ten drivers are – Edwards, Kyle Busch, Vickers, Biffle, Ragan, Sadler, Earnhardt Jr., Burton, Kenseth and Hamlin. Lap 127 drivers falling back in the pack are Reutimann from 7^th back to 13^th, Scott Riggs from 10^th to 24^th, Smith from 8^th down to 30^th, Carpentier from 6^th to 31^st, Johnson from 2^nd back to 33^rd, Terry Labonte from 17^th to 35^th, Robby Gordon from 12^th to 39^th and Jeff Gordon from 5^th to 41^st. 

Lap 131 Ambrose, Blaney and Jeff Gordon are in the garage. Coleman and Robby Gordon are two laps down, Sorenson, Nemechek, Skinner, Terry Labonte, Tony Raines and Johnson are a lap down. Kahne, Montoya, Carpentier and Smith would be the next drivers to go a lap down. 

Lap 136 Kyle Busch closes in on Edwards. The gap between them is 3.2 seconds. Kahne takes his car to the garage. Lap 137 Sadler is in for his pit stop. Lap 138 we almost see Carpentier loose it in front of Edwards as he was about to put him a lap down. Lap 139 Carpentier is in for a stop along with Martin and Gilliland. 

Lap 140 Biffle and Vickers are in followed by Kenseth, Travis Kvapil, Stewart. Lap 141 Kyle Busch, Edwards, Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin, Harvick and a dozen others are in. Ragan led a lap. Lap 142 Burton leads a lap. 

Lap 142 Kyle Busch and Edwards battle for the lead. Lap 143 Busch is in the lead for the first time today. Lap 144 Busch and Edwards lead the field by 7.5 seconds. Biffle runs 3^rd, Vickers is 11.8 seconds behind in 4^th and Ragan in 5^th behind by 13.6 seconds. 

Lap 150 (50 to go) your top 20 drivers are Kyle Busch, Edwards, Biffle, Ragan, Vickers, Earnhardt Jr., Kenseth, Hamlin, Burton, Sadler, Martin, Harvick, Kvapil, McMurray, Reutimann, Truex Jr., Stewart, Waltrip, Gilliland and Riggs. 

Lap 155 18 drivers remain on the lead lap. Gilliland, Riggs, Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte, Mears, Newman, Hornish Jr., Allmendinger, Montoya, Smith, Bowyer, Menard, Johnson, Carpentier and Raines are one lap down.  

Lap 156 Terry Labonte, Skinner, Nemechek and Sorenson are two laps down. Robby Gordon and Coleman are three laps down. Kahne, Blaney, Jeff Gordon and Ambrose are in the garage. 

Lap 159 Kyle Busch leads Edwards by 6.5 seconds, Biffle 13 seconds, Ragan 15.7 and Earnhardt Jr. by 18 seconds. 

40 to go the field is spread out. Burton and Kenseth battle for 8^th place, going back and forth. Kenseth takes it. Lap 164 Kenseth continues on his run as he challenges Hamlin for 7^th. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 166 for debris. Truex Jr. is the lucky dog. The leaders head into pit road. It’s Vickers, Kyle Busch, Edwards, Biffle and Ragan back to the track first. 

GREEN FLAG 30 to go as Vickers and Kyle Busch get the drivers racing into turns one and two. Out of turn two Kyle Busch is back in the lead. 29 to go Kurt Busch lost it in turn three after contact with Riggs coming out of turn two. Kurt Busch blows a right rear tire. He saves the car and limps back to pit road, no caution. 

25 to go and 17 drivers are on the lead lap. Kyle Busch and Edwards leave the field behind by 2.5 seconds. 23 to go Edwards is all over Busch for the lead. The rest of the top ten are Biffle, Ragan, Vickers, Kenseth, Hamlin, Burton, Earnhardt Jr. and Martin. 

YELLOW FLAG with 21 to go. Riggs is the lucky dog. Everyone except for Ragan and Earnhardt Jr. come into pit road. The race out of pit road is Edwards, Kyle Busch, Vickers, Biffle and Kenseth. 

GREEN FLAG 18 to go as Ragan and Earnhardt lead the 18 lead lap and 21 lap down drivers back to racing. Earnhardt falls back in the field as he hits the outside turn two wall. Earnhardt has big time damage to his right side. 

16 to go Edwards leads Ragan by 1 second. Kyle Busch closes in on Ragan for 2^nd. Edwards lead has grown to 1.8 seconds.  

YELLOW FLAG with 13 to go for debris from Earnhardt’s car. Johnson is the lucky dog.  

GREEN FLAG with 10 to go Edwards has a huge jump on Kyle Busch. Ragan and Busch battle for 2^nd place. 

8 to go Edwards has a 1.1 second lead over Kyle Busch. We see four and five wide in the back of the field. 

7 to go Vickers, Martin battle for 5^th. Martin has the inside line and takes it. 

6 to go as Sadler passes Stewart for 9^th. 

YELLOW FLAG 6 to go for Hamlin who blows up. 

GREEN FLAG with 2 to go Edwards, Kyle Busch and Ragan lead the single field into turn one. Edwards had a great start. 

WHITE FLAG for Edwards and no challenge from Kyle Busch. On the back straight Edwards pulls away from Busch. 

Out of turn four… 

CHECKERED FLAG Edwards sweeps the weekend races. Johnson ends up in the tri-oval grass. Kenseth bounces off of the outside turn four wall, keeps going and passes Martin for 5^th. Johnson bounced off of Kvapil coming out of turn four. 

Another victory flip for Edwards. Your top ten finishers of the race were Edwards, Kyle Busch, Ragan, Biffle, Kenseth, Martin, Vickers, Harvick, Sadler and McMurray. 

Edwards led the most laps with 84. Earnhardt Jr. led 43, Kyle Busch 34, Vickers 21, Johnson 12, Ragan 3 and Biffle, Burton and Riggs 1.