Five to Watch: Playoff pressure, aggression highlight Michigan

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Searching for his first career victory in his home state, Brad Keselowski starts on the pole for Sunday's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). With four races to go in the regular season and the push to make the 2019 Playoffs intensifying, check out the five biggest story lines from the Irish Hills.

Cut-line chaos: Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson head into Sunday's race tied for the 16th and final playoff position on points, but Johnson would earn the tiebreaker with a higher best finish in 2019. Clint Bowyer ranks ahead of both drivers by 12 points and recorded the second-best 10-lap average in Saturday's final practice, giving the No. 14 a glimmer of light. For Newman, it's about not giving up, "In the end, we have to keep our wits about ourselves, stay focused, do our job and know that there's a whole bunch of racing left."

Michigan men: Both Brad Keselowski and Erik Jones appear to be a pair of favorites to win at Michigan. Keselowski's pole run showcased the speed the No. 2 Team Penske Ford holds. Jones was fast in final practice, topping the charts in single-lap times and 10-lap averages. With Keselowski locked into the postseason, it's important Jones finally takes full advantage of the No. 20's recent magic as the team currently rides a four-race top-10 streak.

Burying the hatchets: While Ryan Blaney and Jimmie Johnson have reportedly discussed their differences following their Watkins Glen incident over a cold beer, Kyle Busch had a nice chat with both William Byron and Bubba Wallace in the NASCAR hauler on Friday. But, with pressure through the roof with the postseason imminent, the most minuscule amount of gas could re-ignite the fire.

Bragging about it: Joey Logano's victory at Michigan back in June earned Ford Performance its third straight Michigan Heritage Trophy, awarded to the winning manufacturer. Before the Blue Ovals' streak, Chevrolet took home the hardware on three straight occasions. As Ford looks to defend its title in Detroit's backyard, pre-race favorites like Toyota's Erik Jones and Chevy's Alex Bowman could make a fourth consecutive triumph harder to obtain.

Regular-season title bout: After a comeback 11th-place finish at Watkins Glen, Kyle Busch holds a 13-point lead over Joey Logano for the Monster Energy Series regular-season championship. But both drivers appear to be lacking a little bit of consistent speed, with Busch finishing final practice 10-lap averages in 23rd, while Logano posted the 26th-best time. It could be another tough fight for the two elite drivers on Sunday.