the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 16, 2013
Photo – Getty Images

Not the typical Michigan race on Sunday afternoon, this race featured lots of action and varying strategy leaving many faces at the front throughout the event. By the end of the race, Ford claimed the motor city’s pride as Greg Biffle pulled into victory lane for his first victory of the season. The end of the race was best for Biffle with lady luck on his side when a fast Jimmie Johnson had problems as he was closing in on the lead.

An early caution left Hendrick Motorsports down one car before the race even hit ten laps into the race. On lap six, Bobby Labonte was loose in turn two leaving him spinning up the track and right into Jeff Gordon. Both cars suffered heavy damage, but Gordon did return to the track later in the race.

After the second caution of the day, Carl Edwards was leading the field back to green, but Joey Logano was able to get around to take over the top spot. Kurt Busch led early in the race, but that would be the best part of his day since he wrecked in turn two on lap 29.

Jimmie Johnson has never won at Michigan and today looked like his day. He went to the lead for the first time of the afternoon on lap 64. After a quick debris caution, Dale Earnhardt Jr. found himself up front, but would soon be passed by Hendrick teammate Kasey Kahne. Kahne’s day erupted on lap 103 when he blew a tire in turns one and two while leading putting him hard into the turn two wall.

The issues would only increase for Hendrick Motorsports after that incident when Dale Earnhardt Jr. was passed for the lead on lap 128 by Johnson when he had an issue. Dale Jr slowed way down on the track and his engine let go on lap 131 to bring out the seventh caution of the afternoon.

Greg Biffle didn’t see the lead until the last 50 laps of the day and he took over the top spot on lap 150. He was able to make his last pit stop under green flag conditions, but many drivers would not do so before the next caution of the race. Jamie McMurray blew a tire on the frontstretch with 33 laps remaining to bring out the eighth and last yellow-flag of the day. Biffle held the lead on the restart and didn’t plan on letting it go for the remainder of the race.

Jimmie Johnson found himself back in the pack on the restart, but was quick to recover his lost ground. It was getting close by the time the last five laps came around and it looked like this was Biffle’s race to lose. The closing Johnson was just about there with three laps to go when he blew his tire in turn two and hit the wall. No caution came out, likely because Biffle’s big sigh of relief blew any debris off the track. Biffle now was in control of the race once again and he was clear to the checkers.

This season started out much differently for Biffle and this win proved to not only his fans, but to the whole garage that he is here to compete this season and will not be going anywhere anytime soon. It was a special win for Ford, their 1,000^th in NASCAR and it couldn’t have come at a more special track. Michigan is in Ford’s backyard and lots of their employees were celebrating at the track today.

Biffle will look to twist his string of luck into Sonoma next weekend where the drivers will be turning all kinds of ways before the conclusion of the race.

Results via ESPN.com