What: 46th annual Pure Michigan 400.
Where: Michigan International Speedway, 2-mile oval in Brooklyn, Michigan.
When: Sunday, Aug. 16, 2:30 p.m. ET.
TV/Radio: NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Distance: 200 laps, 400 miles.
Pit road speed: 55 mph.
Caution car speed: 65 mph.
Fuel window: 41 laps.
Competition caution: Lap 20.
On the front row | Full lineup
| See all 43 cars
1. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (197.488 mph)
2.
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (196.990 mph)
Did not qualify
Reed Sorensen, No. 62 Premium Motorsports Ford
To the rear
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (engine)
Travis Kvapil, No. 33 Circle Sport Chevrolet (engine)
Kyle Busch, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (backup)
Fastest in practice
First practice: Carl Edwards, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (196.046 mph). | Results
Second practice: Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet (194.784 mph). | Results
Final practice: Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Furniture Row Racing (191.729 mph). | Results
Top driver ratings (Best driver rating average at Michigan from 2005 to the present):
Greg Biffle (103.8)
Matt Kenseth (102.0)
Jimmie Johnson (101.2)
Last year's winner
Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet.
No sleep 'til Brooklyn
Matt Kenseth isn't sure he would have won the pole Friday in Brooklyn, Michigan if he had planned his trip to the Irish Hills of Michigan differently. Asked how he was able to hold the throttle wide open for a complete qualifying lap, Kenseth said credit goes to teammate Denny Hamlin.
"I flew up here with Denny (Hamlin) today and he likes to come to everything at the last minute. I didn't sleep last night thinking that we weren't going to make it up here so it’s really just for lack of sleep."
Locked and reloaded
After losing power in final Sprint Cup practice on Saturday, Austin Dillon said the team wasn't sure what the problem was with the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
"We really don't have a really good explanation yet. We think it is something to do with fueling. It is showing on the EFI (electronic fuel injection) that it wasn't getting enough fuel. We will see if it is a fueling issue, if not, if it's a bigger issue we will change the motor for Sunday. And have a fresh bullet going into the race."
The No. 3 team did decide to swap out the engine, and Dillon will move to the back of the field for the Pure Michigan 400.
Looped in
Carl Edwards had success at Michigan even before the JGR team started putting on power displays. He has the best average among active drivers at Michigan: 9.8, plus the second-best average running position, 11.12. He also has the second best average in quality passes (42.2) and total quality passes (887).
Promising starting spot
Tony Stewart qualified fifth for Sunday’s race, the fourth consecutive week with a top-five qualifying effort for the No. 14 Chevrolet. Stewart's average starting position of 4.25 in the past four races is his best stretch over four races since 2010.
"I'm really proud of the Mobil 1/Bass Pro team here," Stewart said after qualifying Friday at 195.477 mph. "We just have to figure out how to finish it off for the rest of the weekend."
History lesson
Buddy Baker, who is being honored by NASCAR and separately by several teams this weekend after his passing Aug. 10, won the Gabriel 400 on June 17, 1979 at Michigan. He was driving a Harry Ranier Chevrolet. Baker also had a pair of poles at MIS and 22 top 10s in 37 starts.
They said it
Asked for a memory of his first trip to Michigan, Jeff Gordon replied: "It was too long ago for me to remember. I just remember from the beginning from the first time I came here I just enjoyed this track. I enjoyed the multiple grooves and I always felt like this … is a drivers' track."
Former Michigan winners in field
Greg Biffle (4); Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon (3); Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman (2); Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, Tony Stewart (1)