The high-speed, 2-mile Michigan International Speedway truly challenged NASCAR Cup Series drivers in the Irish Hills, as they battled cars on the edge for 200 laps at 200 mph.
For the second consecutive week, Denny Hamlin put on a masterclass performance, driving from the back to the front of the field to win for the 63rd time in the Cup Series. This victory tied Hamlin with Kyle Busch for ninth on the all-time wins list in a late-race blowout, with an 11.110-second margin of victory to honor his former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate.
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Besides Hamlin, some of his fellow competitors also survived the Michigan mayhem to earn respectable results, while others will look to bounce back on Sunday in the Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA at Pocono Raceway (3 p.m. ET, Prime Video, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
RELATED: Race results | Michigan photos
THREE UP ⬆️
1. Team Penske
Started: Joey Logano, 18th; Ryan Blaney, 19th; Austin Cindric, 31st
Finished: Joey Logano, 7th, Ryan Blaney, 8th; Austin Cindric, 11th
What happened: All three Team Penske Fords finished inside the top 11 at Michigan. While Ford did not lead a lap at the 2-mile track for the first time in the Irish Hills since June 1983, the Penske trio all avoided the chaos and earned good results for the Captain’s organization. Logano earned his second top 10 in the last three races, with Blaney picking up his fourth top 10 in the last five races and Cindric generating some momentum after two straight finishes of 26th or worse.
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What’s next: In the history of Team Penske at Pocono, the organization has collected eight Cup Series victories at the “Tricky Triangle.” The organization’s last Pocono win was in 2024 with Blaney’s No. 12 Ford. In last year’s 400-miler in Pennsylvania, all three Penske drivers finished 16th or better, so the outlook for the trio is positive heading into the race weekend.
Joey Logano drives at Michigan.
2. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23xI Racing Toyota
Started: 13th
Finished: 3rd
What happened: Despite nearly getting taken out in the Lap 83 restart wreck, Wallace persevered his way to a much-needed third-place finish and gave veteran wisdom to the younger Carson Hocevar post-race. After three straight finishes of 22nd or worse, this could start the type of run Wallace needs to generate the momentum we saw from the No. 23 team at the beginning of the year.
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What’s next: Wallace’s strong result in the Irish Hills caused the No. 23 Toyota driver to move up four spots in the Cup Series standings to 11th after a good points day. Pocono could be another place where Wallace can continue stacking markers and put distance between himself and the provisional Chase cutline. In his six career Pocono starts with 23XI, Wallace has finished 14th or better five times.
Bubba Wallace drives at Michigan.
3. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Started: 7th
Finished: 4th
What happened: As the defending Cup Series champion continues to ride his 13-month-long winless streak, Larson had a respectable day in the Irish Hills and survived the carnage to pick up a top five at the 2-miler. This was Larson’s second top five in the last five Cup Series races. The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver maintained sixth place in the Cup Series standings.
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What’s next: Although he has not visited Victory Lane yet at the “Tricky Triangle,” Larson has five top 10s in his last seven starts at the Pennsylvania track. This could be another track for the No. 5 team to build on the momentum from Michigan and start putting together more consistent runs.
Kyle Larson drives at Michigan.
THREE DOWN ⬇️
1. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Started: 3rd
Finished: 35th
What happened: For the first time this season, Reddick finished outside the top 15 and picked up his first DNF. The season-long points leader was just in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was taken out in a multicar wreck on Lap 83, ignited by an aggressive move from Carson Hocevar during a restart. Ty Gibbs was shoved into Reddick’s left rear, spinning the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota, which then got hit by Austin Dillon.
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What’s next: In eight career Cup Series starts at Pocono, Reddick has picked up four top 10s, including two runner-up finishes. The “Tricky Triangle” is a strong track for the 23XI driver to maintain his lead atop the provisional Chase standings as he eyes the No. 1 seed later this summer. With Denny Hamlin’s victory at Michigan and the No. 45 Toyota’s DNF, Reddick’s championship lead dropped to a 51-point advantage.
Tyler Reddick drives at Michigan.
2. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Started: 26th
Finished: 34th
What happened: Outside of winning the Daytona 500, winning at his home track in the Cup Series would probably rank up there with the Michigan native’s most significant accomplishments left to achieve. Unfortunately, Keselowski will have to wait another year to hopefully become the first Michigan-born driver to win at the 2-mile track. The RFK Racing driver’s race came to an end after contact with John Hunter Nemechek sent the No. 6 Ford spinning into the outside wall in Turn 2.
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What’s next: In his last 10 Cup Series starts at Pocono, Keselowski has finished 16th or better. The race-ending crash at Michigan dropped the RFK driver two spots to 15th in the Cup Series standings. With the “Tricky Triangle” being a good, consistent track for him, it could be the place where Keselowski makes up lost ground and scores valuable points to move further away from The Chase cutline.
Brad Keselowski drives at Michigan.
3. Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Started: 34th
Finished: 37th
What happened: When it rains, it pours. After a historic 10-win campaign in last year’s runner-up title effort in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, many expected Zilisch to enter the Cup Series at 19 years old with lofty expectations. Many say the Cup Series, regardless of a young prospect’s talent, is one of the biggest steps up any driver can take in motorsports. Zilisch is finding that out the hard way after two spins within the first 10 laps at Michigan, with a Lap 9 spin into the inside wall on the backstretch ending his day in the Irish Hills. The Trackhouse Racing driver’s 37th-place result at Michigan was his third consecutive last-place finish in the Cup Series.
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What’s next: Reflecting on last year, Zilisch’s trip to Pocono produced a memorable moment, scoring the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory with JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. sitting atop his pit box as crew chief. Given how difficult Zilisch’s rookie season has been in the Cup Series up to this point, Sunday offers a chance to put Michigan behind him before a welcome return of two straight road-course races at San Diego and Sonoma in the following weeks.
Connor Zilisch looks on.
