Photo – Getty Images
Defending XFINITY Series Winner Paul Menard Leads Sprint Cup Contingent Peppering the Great Clips 250 Benefiting Paralyzed Veterans of America Entry List at Michigan.
Richard Childress Racing’s Paul Menard returns to the XFINITY Series this weekend at Michigan International Speedway to defend his 2014 victory at the two-mile track. Eight NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers are competing this weekend. Joining Menard are Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, Aric Almirola and Kevin Harvick.
Last season’s Michigan race was mostly dominated by Joey Logano, who led 43 laps and Kyle Larson, who led 46 laps, but it was Paul Menard who took the lead with five laps to go and drove to victory. Menard has made nine series starts at Michigan posting one win, four top-fives and eight top-tens. His average finish at Michigan is 7.7. This weekend will be Menard’s second series start this season in the No. 33 Chevrolet.
Denny Hamlin will be in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota with crew chief Michael Wheeler this weekend at Michigan. Hamlin has made six series starts this season for Joe Gibbs Racing, posting one pole at Richmond, one win at Richmond, three top-fives, four top-tens and an average finish of 10.5. Hamlin has made four series starts at Michigan posting one win in 2007, one top-five and three top-tens.
Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch returns to the series after time off due to injury. Busch has made seven starts at Michigan posting one win in 2004, six top-fives and an average finish of 4.6. His pre-race Loop Data has him ranked seventh in driver rating (109.6) at Michigan.
The hottest wheel in the garage is the one steered by Joey Logano this weekend at Michigan. Roger Penske has tapped Logano to command the car owner points leading No. 22 Ford with crew chief Greg Erwin. Logano has been nearly unbeatable this season, in his five starts he has posted two poles, three wins at Phoenix, Bristol and Talladega, five top-fives and an average finish of 1.4. Logano has made six starts at Michigan posting one win in 2012, four top-tens and an average finish of 7.8.
Kyle Larson led nearly half this event last season but ultimately finished eighth. This season Larson’s talent continues to flow in the XFINITY Series; in four starts he has posted three top-tens and an average finish of 14.5. Larson has made two series career starts at Michigan posting one top-five and two top-tens.
Alex Bowman will be in the Tony Townley owned No. 25 Chevrolet this weekend at Michigan. Bowman hasn’t competed in the XFINITY Series this season. He has made one series start at Michigan in 2013 where he started fifth but finished 14th.
Aric Almirola will be making his sixth start of the season for car owner Fred Biagi in the No. 98 Ford. In five starts this season, Almirola has posted two top-tens. But Almirola will look to improve on his past series performances at Michigan where he has an average finish of 21.0.
JR Motorsports will welcome 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champ Kevin Harvick back to the No. 88 Chevrolet this weekend at Michigan. Harvick has made nine starts at Michigan posting one win (2003), four top-fives, seven top-tens and an average finish of 9.0.
Watch the Great Clips 250 Benefiting Paralyzed Veterans of America on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at 1:30 pm ET on FOX Sports 1, with pre-race coverage beginning at 1 pm ET.