| Chevrolets dominate this year's Nextel Cup | | | | thought we would. But if you look at the statistics |
| season. But history reflects that success is elusive | | | | probably up to the two-thirds mark, Chevy teams |
| at the Michigan International Speedway (MIS). In | | | | are in contention - but when the checkered falls, |
| the last eleven Cup races, MIS winners have | | | | weird things happen. I don't know why, but the |
| driven either Fords or Dodges. | | | | statistics certainly show that Ford camp seems to |
| To note, Chevrolets have accumulated only two | | | | rule here." |
| of the last 22 races at the venue. This is why the | | | | Aside from Fords, Dodges also grabbed several |
| team is adamant yet cautiously optimistic about | | | | victories at MIS. Ray Evernham racked up two |
| the Sunday's Michigan 400 race. Despite the fact | | | | wins in his Dodges in between, and Roger Penske |
| that Chevy grabbed the top-three spots and eight | | | | gained two wins in his Dodges on the other end |
| of the top nine during Friday's qualifying, the team | | | | of Roush's streak. |
| is not that certain to get the top spot this | | | | "Everybody looks at it differently," said Elliott |
| Sunday. | | | | Sadler, the driver of the No. 19 Dodge owned by |
| Johnson said that he is not sure why Chevys | | | | Evernham that qualified terribly Friday and will |
| have struggled so much at MIS. The last Chevy | | | | start in the 39th position Sunday. "You are looking |
| driver to win at the MIS was Gordon. And that | | | | at past history. Coming to Michigan, I look at who |
| was when he captured the Kmart 400 in 2001. In | | | | ran well at Charlotte and who ran well at Texas. |
| 1998, Gordon also won the Pepsi 400 presented | | | | Chevrolets ran good at both of those racetracks." |
| by DeVilbiss at the track. "It's weird how certain | | | | Kenseth struggled in qualifying Friday. He will start |
| tracks favor certain teams," Johnson noted. | | | | on Row 13 in the 26th position. But he said that |
| In recent years, the MIS has favored Jack | | | | he always looks forward to running at MIS - as |
| Roush's teams. In August, Matt Kenseth, the | | | | do most drivers, he added. "We've had good |
| driver of Roush's No. 17 Ford, won the last race | | | | racecars here in the past," Kenseth said. "It's a |
| capturing the GFS Marketplace 400. | | | | really fun track for the drivers." |
| "Manufacturers, unfortunately, have their hands | | | | J.J. Yeley, the driver of the No. 18 Chevy |
| tied and can't do a lot," Johnson said. "It really | | | | powered by Joe Gibbs Racing was the pole |
| revolves around the teams. And this has been a | | | | winner. It was his first career pole. Jimmie |
| Roush track, for whatever reason. I know Jeff | | | | Johnson, the driver of the No. 48 Hendrick |
| has won here... but it kind of falls into being a | | | | Motorsports machine, qualified second. He will start |
| Roush track. They carry the Ford logo, so thus | | | | in the front row alongside Yeley. Lame-duck |
| it's been considered a Ford track, too." | | | | Hendrick driver Kyle Busch will start in the third |
| Johnson added, "I think that the Chevy teams | | | | position, followed by Ryan Newman, the driver of |
| have been close here. I know from my own | | | | the No. 12 Dodge. Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 2 |
| experience, we were running up front in the fall | | | | Dodge and Newman's Penske Racing teammate, |
| here and had a flat tire. I've personally had a lot | | | | will start in the tenth position. The Sunday's race |
| of crazy things happened to me late in races | | | | is expected to be as smooth as the performance |
| here, whether it's strategy, running out of fuel, | | | | of the window motor. |
| tire failures. We just haven't had the finishes we | | | | |