From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
NASCAR’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series took on Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, this past weekend, while the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) was at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Below is a recap of the events.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
- Kevin Harvick recovered from an early mishap (punctured tire) that cost him track position, took the lead on lap 183 of 200 and cruised to his second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) triumph of the season on Sunday at Michigan. It was his third win at the 2.0-mile track.
- The margin of victory was 1.054 seconds ahead of runner-up Denny Hamlin.
- Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr. (Stage 1 winner) and Daniel Suarez completed the top five.
- The rest of the top 10 included: Kyle Busch (Stage 2 winner), Ryan Preece, William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Alex Bowman.
- Harvick, along with Hamlin, Truex, Busch, Elliott, Bowman, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, and Joey Logano have clinched spots in the MENCS Playoffs with wins this season.
- There are three races left before the MENCS Playoff field is set. As they stand, Clint Bowyer sits in 16th, the final playoff spot, six points ahead of Suarez (17th). Jimmie Johnson (18th) is 12 points below the cutoff line.
- Talladega Superspeedway’s second MENCS race of 2019 is set for Sunday, Oct. 13, with the running of the 1000Bulbs.com 500, and will be the second race in the Round of 12 of the playoffs.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
- After diving to victory for the first time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) two weeks ago, pole-sitter Austin Cindric backed up that win this past Saturday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. He led a dominant 46 laps of the 75-lap event.
- Cindric’s margin of victory was 3.780 seconds over second-place finisher Christopher Bell.
- AJ Allmendinger placed third, with Tyler Reddick fourth and Noah Gragson fifth.
- With wins, this season, Cindric, Bell, Reddick, Cole Custer, Chase Briscoe, and Michael Annett have secured spots in the NXS Playoffs.
NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series
- Austin Hill bookended the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series regular-season after driving to victory in Saturday’s event at Michigan (won the first race of the season at Daytona).
- Fairhope, Alabama’s Grant Enfinger was crowned the regular-season champion for the series.
- Sheldon Creed crossed the line second, .125 seconds behind Hill.
- Tyler Dippel, Brett Moffitt, and Austin Wayne Self rounded out the top five.
- Since Hill was already locked into the playoffs with his win at the beginning of the season and Enfinger (winless this season) got in based on points, Matt Crafton (winless this season) secured the last spot to make up eight-driver playoff field. The remaining five drivers locked themselves in with wins this season.
- Here’s how all the playoff drivers stack up as they head into the Gander Truck Series post-season: Moffitt (2022), Enfinger (2019), Stewart Friesen (2014), Hill (2012), Ross Chastain (2012), Crafton (2011), Johnny Sauter (2009), and Tyler Ankrum (2005).
- The Gander Truck Series visits Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, Oct. 12, with the running of the Sugarlands Shine 250, the first race in the Round of 6 of NASCAR’s Playoffs for the series.
