(WOMR file photo)
In what started out to be a Michael Waltrip Racing domination by Mark Martin in the first quarter of the race, and later a sure win by Jimmie Johnson, turned out to be a win by Greg Biffle in the Pure Michigan 40 at MIS.
This was the second win of the season for Biffle, and thus, allowed him to re-take the Sprint Cup series point lead.
The scariest moment of the race occurred early in the race on lap 65. That event involved Michael Waltrip Racing’s Mark Martin. Martin, who led 54 laps up to that point, got caught behind a spinning Bobby Labonte. When Martin slowed, he was hit from behind and sent careening uncontrollably into the infield near pit in. His car got sideways and just as it did, it slammed the end of a pit wall.
The wall deeply penetrated the car just behind the Martin’s driver’s seat, detaching part of the rear clip from the body of the car. Had the end of the pit wall entered the car about 12-14 inches forward of its present impact area, it would have encroached into the cockpit, possibly causing grave injuries to Martin.
The culminating, and decisive, event happened with 10 laps to go, Johnson went low, moved even and then cleared Keselowski for the lead. Quickly following Johnson past Keselowski was Biffle. However, by the time Biffle made that pass on Keselowski, Johnson had built a sizable lead on the rest of the field.
But just four laps later, with just six lap to go in the race, the tides turned on the apparent sure winner, Jimmie Johnson. As Johnson came whizzing by the start/finish line, his engine began spewing pieces and parts, and a plume of smoke poured out of the exhaust pipes. Mr. Five-Time’s engine had give up the ghost, and was done for the day!
The blown Johnson engine brought out a final caution. On the restart, Biffle and Keselowski started side by side on the front row. Biffle held the lead into Turn 1 and over the next two laps, Keselowski was unable to take it away.
Biffle will head to Bristol for the next race with a 20-point lead over second-place Matt Kenseth, his Roush Fenway teammate.
Check out the unofficial results of the Pure Michigan 400.
View the Sprint Cup series standings after the Pure Michigan 400.
Next week the series moves to The Colosseum of Crash, Bristol Motor Speedway!
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
