The Pocono 500 has now come and gone and it had some good racing highlighted by several strong rallies from trouble, notably Denny Hamlin's rally from a spin in the Tunnel Turn to victory lane. His, though, wasn't the only rally - Brian Vickers came back from a pit penalty to finish fourth amid his lame-duck status with Hendrick Motorsports - a lame-duck status made more so as his successor has officially signed on -while Tony Stewart rallied from his shoulder injury to finish third.
Vickers and Kurt Busch put on some of the best racing of the first third of the season on Lap 75 as they swapped the lead three times in one lap, giving everyone a taste of the old Pocono competitive vinegar. As is usual for most NASCAR races, though, the best battles were out back, a situation the opposite of what racing is supposed to be. One of the cars striving to get into the top ten was Bobby Labonte, who got tires late with most of the others on the lead lap and rocketing from about 18th to 12th at the finish.
Labonte's stock has risen lately leading to Michigan, where he's won three times including the '95 Michigan 400. For this Michigan 400 weekend he will drive Bobby Hamilton's Dodge Truck, an important edge for Labonte and the Petty #43 in terms of extra track time, as well as a Truckwacker for Hamilton's team, Truckwacking now being the biggest edge a non-Toyota team needs in order to battle the Tundras. It's also fitting that a former Petty driver is getting help from the present Petty driver.
There were gripes from fans about how Pocono is about fuel mileage a lot; Michigan is likewise frequently about lengthy periods without cautions, though given the reality of NASCAR and its aero-tire packages the last three seasons you almost never know what you'll get any race - witness Dover's dramatic shootout for the win after years of subpar racing on its concrete surface. Certainly Michigan's layout is favorable for hard racing with three abreast easily attainable in the track's huge sweeping corners.
Roush Racing won at Fontana, Michigan's West Coast twin, so the Cat In The Hat's armada is favored here, this after something of a frustrating day at Pocono in which two Roush Fords finished in the top seven - one, Greg Biffle, got brake work done during the race that left others shaking their heads - but Mark Martin and Jamie McMurray finished out back on the lead lap and Carl Edwards started 40th, rocketed into the top ten, then the crew blew it all on his final stop under green.
Pocono proved to be a re-turning point for Tony Stewart's title chances after his Charlotte and Dover troubles, and the 2000 Michigan 400 winner can be trusted to make an effort at cutting Jimmie Johnson's lead here as well.
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