Carl Edwards led Joe Gibbs Racing with a seventh-place finish in this afternoon’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Meanwhile teammates Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch finished ninth, 13th and 19th respectively.
Carl Edwards started the No. 19 ARRIS Surfboard Toyota from the ninth position but battled loose handling conditions as he dropped outside the top ten to run 13th prior to a lap 20 competition caution. Edwards would patiently work his way back toward the top ten and was running 11th at lap 50. He would make a green flag pit stop on lap 66 and cycled through to run 14th at lap 70. Edwards was running 13th at lap 100 would restart 12th on lap 125 after a round of pit stops under the day’s third caution. He would lead briefly for just one lap during a round of green flag pit stops. Crew chief Dave Rogers would make the call to have the ARRIS Camry remain out under a final caution that allowed Edwards to line up fifth for a restart with nine laps to go. He would go on to finish the day in seventh.
Denny Hamlin started the No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota from the third position and would drop back outside the top five prior to a competition caution after lap 20. Hamlin would restart in fourth on lap 25 and following another quick caution he would make his way into second. Hamlin would make a green flag pit stop on lap 67 and cycled through to run seventh at lap 70. He would continue to run seventh at lap 100 and would restart fifth on lap 125 after electing to stay out and not pit under caution. Hamlin was running seventh at lap 150 and held that position on lap 175 following a cycle of green flag pit stops. Crew chief Mike Wheeler would make the call for the FedEx Camry to come down pit road one final time and Hamlin lined up seventh for the final restart with nine laps to go. He would go on to finish in ninth.
Matt Kenseth started the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota in the 13th position and held that spot through the opening 20 laps prior to a competition caution. He was able to enter the top ten on lap 37 and was running ninth at lap 50 while battling a loose handling race car. He would make a green flag pit stop on lap 66 and cycled through to run 12th. Kenseth was running 11th at lap 100 and would pit for tires under the day’s third caution allowing him to restart 11th at lap 125. He would take the lead on lap 157 and held it for eight laps during a cycle of green flag pit stops. A final caution would come out on lap 188 and crew chief Jason Ratcliff would bring the Dollar General Camry down pit road one final time. He would line up ninth for the final restart with nine laps to go and went on to finish the race in 13th.
Kyle Busch started the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota from 16th position and was able to gain two positions on the opening green flag run prior to a lap 20 competition caution. He would line up 10th for a restart on lap 25, but was loose and spun down the track and into the grass. Busch managed to limit the damage to his Interstate Batteries Camry and he would restart the race just one lap down in 39th on lap 31. He would pit under green on lap 71 hoping to earn the lucky dog spot as the first car one lap down. Unfortunately, that opportunity would never come and the Interstate Batteries Camry would get locked a lap down the remainder of the race. Kyle would finish as the first car a lap down in 19th.
Kyle Larson captured the win, followed by Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five. There were four cautions for a total of 17 laps and 20 lead changes among 13 different drivers.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will head south to Darlington Raceway for throwback weekend next Sunday. All four JGR cars will carry a special throwback paint scheme. Live coverage of the race will be carried by NBC on Sunday, September 4 starting with its pre-race show at 5 PM ET (race starts at 6 PM ET). Live coverage will also be carried on Sirius NASCAR radio channel 90.