NASCAR Pre-race: ESPN's NASCAR Countdown - 12:00pm/et

Television Race Coverage: ESPN, 1:00pm/et

In the Booth: Allen Bestwick, Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree
Pit Reporters: Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Vince Welch, Dr. Jerry Punch
NASCAR Countdown: Nicole Briscoe, Brad Daugherty, Rusty Wallace
ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage: Tim Brewer

SPEED's NASCAR Raceday Pre-Race Show: 10:00am/et with John Roberts, Kyle Petty, Kenny Wallace

Scheduled Race Re-Air Dates/Times:
Monday, August 22 at 12:30am/et on ESPN2
Wednesday, August 24 at 12:00pm/et on SPEED

TV Listings, Links and Info:
Jayski's TV Listings Page
NASCAR on TV
Race Fan TV

This Week - Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Satellite Radio

motorracingnetwork.com

siriusxm.com

Track Specifications:
Superspeedway: 2.0-mile D-shaped oval
Banking: turns: 18 degrees; straights: frontstretch 12 degrees, backstretch 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 3,600 feet
Backstretch Length: 2,242 feet
73 feet wide with 10-foot apron in turns, 45 feet wide with 12-foot apron on straightaways
Pit lane is 50 feet wide and contains space for 44 individual pit areas
Pit Road Speed: 45mph
Pace Car Speed: 55mph
Seating: 108,000
Opened: 1968

Race Festivities/Officials:
Grand Marshal: Desmond Howard
Command to start engines: Desmond Howard
Honorary Starter/Wave Green Flag: Ford Motor Company's President and CEO Alan Mulally
Invocation: Pastor Geoff Rose, Lumen Christi High School, Jackson, MI
National Anthem: 338th Army Band, Livonia, MI & Columbus, OH
Military Flyover: 2 F-16 Fighting Falcons, 120th Fighter Squadron, Colorado ANG

Track Websites:
Michigan International Speedway
ISC Motorsports
Michigan International Speedway - Facebook
Michigan International Speedway - Twitter
MIS Infield Extravaganza

June 2011 Race Info: see my Michigan Race Info page

August 2010 Race Info: see my Michigan Race Info page

August 2010 Race Winner: #29-Kevin Harvick, 144.029 mph, started 8th

June 2011 Race Winner: #11-Denny Hamlin, 153.029, started 10th

Track Race Record: Dale Jarrett, June 1999, 173.997mph (no cautions)

Slowest Track Race Record: Richard Petty, 107.583mph, 8/24/1975

Oldest Race Winner: Harry Gant, 52 years, 7 months, 6 days, 8/16/1992

Youngest Race Winner: Kurt Busch, 24 years, 10 months, 11 days, 6/15/2003

August 2010 Pole Sitter: #9-Kasey Kahne, 187.183mph, finished 14th

June 2011 Pole Sitter: #2-Kurt Busch, 188.699mph, finished 11th

Track Qualifying Record: #12-Ryan Newman, June 2005, 194.232mph

Oldest Pole Winner: Dale Jarrett, 45 years, 6 months, 21 days, 6/16/2002

Young Pole Winner: Jeff Gordon, 23 years, 10 months, 14 days, 6/18/1995

The Numbers for the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan Int'l Speedway:
0 - fewest cautions (three times, most recent 6/13/99)
1 - fewest laps led by race winner (Mark Martin, 6/14/09)
2 - fewest cars on lead lap at finish (five times, most recent 6/15/75)
5 - fewest leaders (five times, most recent 8/12/84)
6 - races won from outside a top-20 starting position
6 - wins by Dodge at MIS since manufacturer's return to NASCAR in 2001
7 - fewest lead changes (8/12/84)
8 - number of jet dryers available for track drying this weekend at MIS
9 - most wins (David Pearson)
10 - most poles (David Pearson)
10 - most cautions (8/20/06)
11 - wins by car owner (Wood Brothers, Jack Roush)
14 - fewest cars running at finish (6/16/74)
15 - most leaders (6/20/82)
18 - drivers with more than one win
21 - drivers with more than one pole at MIS
21 - lead changes in June race at MIS
24 - wins from the front row; 16 from the pole
32 - worst starting position for race winner (Mark Martin, 2009)
33 - different race winners
37 - most cars on lead lap at finish (6/18/06)
40 - different pole winners
41 - most cars running at finish (five times, most recent 6/17/07)
63 - most caution laps (8/24/75)
65 - most lead changes (8/16/81)
120 minutes - approximate amount of time it takes to dry the 2.0-mile track
162 - laps led by race winner (Rusty Wallace, 8/20/89)
1967 - year construction began on MIS
1969 - first Sprint Cup race
1972 - track purchased by Roger Penske
1973 - only one Sprint Cup race
1999 - year MIS purchased by ISC
2011 Caution Update
4 - fewest cautions this season (Fontana and Pocono)
5 - number of races extended beyond scheduled distance in 2011
5 - number of cautions in June race at MIS
16 - most cautions this season (Daytona)
162 - number of cautions in the first 22 races of 2011; includes 76 for accidents, 38 for debris and 23 for spins
753 of 6,048 - number of laps under caution in 2011
1,101.611 of 8, 760.258 - miles under caution in the first 22 races
BONUS: In addition to Michigan Int'l Speedway, three other Michigan tracks hosted five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events in the 1950s - Grand River Speedrome (Grand Rapids), Michigan State Fairgrounds (Detroit) and Monroe Speedway.(Darnell Communications for Dodge Motorsports)(8-17-2011)

At Michigan International Speedway:
• Michigan International Speedway sits on more than 1,400 acres in the "Irish Hills" of Southeastern Michigan. Ground-breaking took place on Sept. 28, 1967.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan was held June 15, 1969.
• The track was known as Michigan Speedway during the time Roger Penske was the primary owner (1996-99).
• There have been 84 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan International Speedway since the first race there in 1969. Other than 1973, which had just one race, there have been two races each season since 1969.
• The first race was 500 miles in length; the second was scheduled for 600. The track was re-measured to 2.04 miles for the last race in 1970 and both races in 1971 - with the race distance being 402 miles. All other races have been scheduled for 400 miles.
• Donnie Allison won the first pole.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was won by Cale Yarborough.
• There have been 40 different pole winners, led by David Pearson with 10. Mark Martin has five poles.
• 33 different drivers have won races, led by David Pearson (nine); 18 have more than one victory there.
• The race winner has started from the pole 16 times, the most productive starting position. Brian Vickers (August 2009) was the last driver to win from the pole.
• 65 of 84 races have been won from a top-10 starting position, including 46 from the first four spots.
• The deepest in the field a race winner has started was 32nd, by Mark Martin in last season's June race.
• The Wood Brothers and Roush Fenway Racing both have 11 wins, more than any other car owners.
• Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin are the only active drivers to average a top-10 finish. Edwards, who has two Michigan wins, has an average finish of 6.2. Coincidentally, Edwards' first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start came at Michigan. Kenseth, who also has two victories, has an average finish of 9.5. Hamlin's average finish is 10.0.(NASCAR)(8-16-2011)

Chase Clinch scenarios going into Michigan: Four drivers have a mathematical chance of locking up Chase berths. Traditionally, Michigan is the scene of the first driver Chase clinch. Every Chase year (2004-Present) except 2004 and 2006 has seen a driver clinch a spot at Michigan. Kevin Harvick did it last year, and could do it again in 2011. Leaving this weekend, a clinching driver has to have a 145-point lead over 11th place. Those who can mathematically clinch this weekend: #18-Kyle Busch, #99-Carl Edwards,#48- Jimmie Johnson and #29-Kevin Harvick. Busch and Edwards are currently 118 points ahead of 11th. Johnson is 112 and Harvick is 104. Then there's a Wild Card clinch possibility: If Kyle Busch or Harvick win this weekend, either driver will have four victories, which will lock them into the Chase as at least one of the Wild Card spots.(NASCAR)(8-19-2011)

For news, stats, records and more about this race track, see: Jayski's Michigan International Speedway Track News/Rumors/Links page

Practices:
Friday, August 19, 12:00 - 1:30pm/et, TV-SPEED

Happy Hour 'Final' practice: Saturday, August 20, 10:10 am - 12:00 pm/et, TV-SPEED

Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 1-42, Friday, August 19 at 3:40 pm/et, TV-SPEED, re-air scheduled for 8:30pm/et & 1:30am/et.

Kyle Busch wins at Michigan: #18-Kyle Busch won the Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway for his 23rd career win and 4th win of 2011. The 23 wins ties him with his brother Kurt and Ricky Rudd for 20th all time ranking of all time wins. Kyle Busch clinces a place in the chase, at least via a wild card spot. The race had one green-white-checkered, increasing the race to 203 laps.
#48-Johnson finished 2nd [his best finish at Michigan] followed by #2-Keselowski [last three races 1-2-3], #5-Martin, #39-Newman, #24-Gordon, #4-Kahne, #33-Bowyer, #14-Stewart and #17-Kenseth. The pole sitter, #16-Biffle finishing 20th.
Points leader going in to the race, #18-Busch, won the race and increased his points lead to 10 over #48-Johnson.
There were 20 lead changes among 10 drivers and 5 cautions for 21 yellow flag laps. The attendance is listed as 81,000, down from 105,000 last year.
Scheduled Race Re-Air:
ESPN2, Monday, August 22 at 12:30 am/et;
SPEED, Wednesday, August 24 at 12:00pm/et
See race results, awards, laps led and more on Jayski's Michigan Race Results/Awards page.(8-21-2011)

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:
[after Michigan, race 23 of 36]:
rank, car#, driver, points, behind
1) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 799
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 789, -10
3) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 760, -39
4) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 760, -39
5) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 759, -40
6) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 739, -60
7) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 725, -74
8) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 722, -77
9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 700, -99
10) #14-Tony Stewart, 694, -105
out of top 10, no wins, less then a race out of 10th
11) #33-Clint Bowyer, 670, -129
current wild cards
WC1) #2-Brad Keselowski [2 wins], 642, -157 [12th in points, 2 wins]
WC2) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 635, -164 [14th in points, 1 win]
others in the top 20 with wins, possible for the wild card
18) #27-Paul Menard [1 win], 617, -182 [18th in points, 1 win]
20) #6-David Ragan [1 win], 604, -195 [20th in points, 1 win]
Two race winners are not inside the top-20: #9-Ambrose is 23rd, 11 points out of 20th; #78-Smith is 25th, 78 pts out of 20th
NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points.
See drivers championship points standings on Jayski's Drivers Points Standings page.(8-21-2011)

Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Bristol:
#71 increases it's lead to 19 over 36th in owners pts, the #7 team.
33) #13-Mears/Germain, 323, +55
34) #32-Schrader/FAS Lane, 319, +51
35) #71-Lally/TRG, 303, 35 points ahead of 36th
these teams / drivers will need to qualify by speed:
36) #7-Gordon/RGM, 268, 35 points out of top 35
37) #38-Kvapil/Front Row, 265, -38
38) #21-Bayne/Wood Brothers, 238,-65
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
For the owner points standings, see my Owners Points Standings page.(8-21-2011)

Race Fast Facts - Michigan:
#18-Kyle Busch won the 42nd Annual Pure Michigan 400 , his 23rd victory in 245 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his fourth victory and 15th top-10 finish in 2011.
With the victory, Busch clinches at least one of the two Wild Card spots in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 14 races at Michigan International Speedway.
#48-Jimmie Johnson (second) posted his eighth top-10 finish in 20 races at Michigan International Speedway. It is his 15th top-10 finish in 2011.
#2-Brad Keselowski (third) posted his first top-10 finish in five races at Michigan International Speedway.(NASCAR Statistics)(8-21-2011)

Michigan Notes-n-Nuggets:
" Kyle Busch tied his older brother, Kurt, and Ricky Rudd for 26th on the all-time list with his 23rd career Cup victory.
" This was Kyle Busch's first victory at Michigan in 14 starts.
" Kyle Busch became the first driver this season to clinch a spot in the Chase with his fourth victory.
" Kyle Busch led twice for 22 laps, including the final 16.
" This was the 93rd Cup victory for Joe Gibbs Racing.
" Jimmie Johnson (second) remained winless at Michigan, one of only five tracks on the circut at which he hasn't visited Victory Lane.
" This was Jimmie Johnson's best career finish at MIS.
" Brad Keselowski (third) has finished third or better in the past three races and in the top 10 in the past four.
" Mark Martin (fourth) earned his first top-five in the past 12 races. He tied Jeff Gordon for the most top-five runs at Michigan with his 18th.
" Ryan Newman (fifth) earned his fourth top-five finish in the past six races.
" Tony Stewart (ninth) has finished in the top 10 in his past four Michigan races.
" Denny Hamlin (35th) ended a five-race streak of top-10 finishes at Michigan, which had been the longest current streak.
" Carl Edwards (36th) saw his nine-race streak of top-15 finishes at Michigan snapped.
" Jeff Gordon (sixth) led 50 laps in Sunday's race; he had led just one in the previous seven MIS races.
(Racing Recall/nascar.com)(8-21-2011)

Lucky Dogs - Who got a lap back on each caution at Michigan: (and their finish)
Caution 1: #32-Schrader, 30th
Caution 2: #34-Gilliland, 32nd
Caution 3: #38-Kvapil, 28th
Caution 4: #00-Reutimann, 18th
Caution 5: #42-Montoya, 25th
(8-21-2011)

Penalty Report / Infraction Sheet - Michigan:
Car#, Lap, Infraction, Flag, Penalty, Lap Assessed
#32, Pre-Race to the rear, W, Tail of Field, Transmission
#29, 30, Lug nut(s) not installed, Y, Must Come In, 31
#47, 53, Pitting before pit road is open, Y, Tail of Field, 57
#34, 54, Outside half of the pit box tire violation/Team member not in contact with the outside tires, Y, Tail of Field, 57
#36, 88, Outside half of the pit box tire violation/Team member not in contact with the outside tires, G, Pass Thru, 94
#00, 104, Speed-Exiting pits, Y, Tail of Field, 107
#36, 168, Pitting before pit road is open, Y, Tail of Field, 172
#22, 197, Pitting before pit road is open, Y, Garage
#22, 197, Speed-Entering pits, Y, Garage
(NASCAR Statistics)(8-21-2011)

Pit Road Times - Michigan International Speedway
Pure Michigan 400
Provided by NASCAR Statistics
Sun, August 21, 2011 @ 04:26 PM Eastern

Race Coverage of the Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, August 21, 2011.
Television (TV): ESPN at 1:00 pm/et; NSCS Countdown pre-race show at 12:00 pm/et; green flag approx 1:16pm/et
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio 90
Scheduled Race Re-Airs:
ESPN2, Monday, August 22 at 12:30am/et;
SPEED, Wednesday, August 24 at 12:00pm/et

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway have been made.
Pole sitter #16-Biffle chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #17-Kenseth took pit stall 43, the final pit stall on pit road.
#39-Newman, who starts 3rd took the 23rd pit stall, the first with an opening in front of it.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #17-Kenseth, who starts 2nd.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on the Pit Stall Selection chart.(8-20-2011)

NASCAR Green-White-Checkered Race Procedure: NASCAR allows a maximum of three restart attempts prior to the White Flag under NASCAR's Green-White-Checkered flag finish. If the leader has taken the White Flag and the caution flag is displayed, the field is frozen and the race will not be restarted. Previously, there was only one restart attempt. The procedure applies to all three national series. See rule and notes on the Green-White-Checker rule page.(2-11-2010)

Wave-around rule: The wave-around rule dictates that cars under penalty at the time of the caution are ineligible for the wave around.(10-11-2009)

See Jayski's - 2011 Sprint Cup Race Results Page for pole winner, race winner with speed and starting/finishing position, links to race results, drivers & owners points, pit stall selections, qualifying results/starting lineup, practice speeds and chase stats as well as link to race track and race information page for each race

Happy Hour practice for the Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is over, after 110 scheduled minutes, the top five, slowest and notes:
#5-Martin 187.642
#18-Busch 187.417
#48-Johnson 187.407
#16-Biffle 187.393
#24-Gordon 187.246
slowest: #60-Skinner 179.789 & #87-Nemechek/Yeley 179.820
J.J. Yeley also practiced the #87 car as Nemechek is in Montreal for the Nationwide race.
See fastest speeds, best average speeds, most laps run on the Michigan Practice Speeds Page.(8-20-2011)

Biffle wins Michigan pole: #16-Greg Biffle won the Coors Light pole for the Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway with a speed of 190.345mph. It is his 1st pole of the season and the 7th of his career. Biffle has never won a race from the pole. #17-Kenseth starts 2nd followed by #39-Newman, #11-Hamlin, #5-Martin, #2-Keselowski, #6-Ragan, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #24-Gordon, and #1-McMurray. Points leader #18-Busch will start 17th.
The go-or-go homers who made the race (8): #21-Bayne, #38-Kvapil, #55-Yeley, #30-Stremme, #87-Nemechek, #66-TBodine, #37-Raines and #60-Skinner .
The go-or-go homers who failed to qualify for the race (3): #7-Sauter/Gordon, #46-Darnell and #50-Bell
See the starting lineup, qualifying speeds and notes on my Michigan Starting Lineup/Qualifying Results page.(8-19-2011)

Qualifying Fast Facts - Michigan:
#16-Greg Biffle won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 42nd Annual Pure Michigan 400 with a lap of 37.826 seconds, 190.345 mph.
This is his seventh pole in 317 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is Biffle's first pole of 2011. His last pole came at Dover in June of 2008, 117 races ago.
This is his seventh top-10 start in 2011.
This is his first pole in 18 races at Michigan International Speedway. His previous best start was second in August of 2007.
#17-Matt Kenseth (second) posted his sixth top-10 start of 2011 and his fifth in 25 races at Michigan International Speedway.
The last time Roush Fenway Racing had two drivers on the front row was at Texas in April of this season.
#39-Ryan Newman (third) posted his 12th top-10 start at Michigan International Speedway. It is his ninth in 23 races this season.(NASCAR Statistics)(8-19-2011)

Coverage of Qualifying for the Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is scheduled for Friday, August 19, 2011 at 3:40pm/et.
Television (TV): SPEED, 3:30pm/et
Jayski.com: Jayski's Qualifying Page
Qualifying Re-Air: 8:30pm/et & 1:30am/et

Qualifying Order for the Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is posted. 46 cars/drivers are listed. Go-or-go homers are now mixed in with the top-35 drivers, slowest by fastest in first practice.
The first of the drivers scheduled to go out is #37-Raines, slowest in practice.
The final driver scheduled to go out is #17-Kenseth, who was fastest in first practice.
Qualifying order is set by the first practice session, with slowest driver going out by speed and the fastest going out last. The non-top 35 drivers are now mixed in with the top-35 in owners points, slowest to fastest.
See the full qualifying order on the Michigan Qualifying Page.(8-19-2011)

Friday practice for the Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is over, after90 scheduled minutes, the top five, slowest and notes:
#17-Kenseth 188.813
#39-Newman 188.506
#16-Biffle 188.467
#5-Martin 188.467
#6-Ragan 188.260
slowest: #37-Raines 181.626 & #50-Bell 182.343
#20-Logano spun between turn 3 & 4 halfway thru practice, flat tires, but no damage.
#11-Hamlin is running a Toyota Racing Development engine at MIS and will the remainder of 2011 with the exception of Bristol.
Johnny Sauter will practice and qualify the #7 Dodge for Robby Gordon, but Gordon will return to run the race on Sunday.
See fastest speeds, best average speeds, most laps run on the Michigan Practice Speeds Page.(8-19-2011)

Friday Practice rank for the non top-35 drivers at Michigan:
if things stay the same, these eight drivers would make the race:
#21-Trevor Bayne, 19th fastest overall
#30-David Stremme, 31st
#38-Travis Kvapil, 33rd
#55-J.J. Yeley, 35th
#66-Todd Bodine, 38th
#87-Joe Nemechek, 39th
#60-Mike Skinner, 41st
#7-Johnny Sauter, 42nd
these drivers would miss the race if the order stayed the same:
#46-Erik Darnell, 44th
#50-T.J. Bell, 45th
#37-Tony Raines, 46th/last
(8-19-2011)

Another new twist to the qualifying format: Starting at Kentucky Speedway, there is a rain-out qualifying procedure change for all three NASCAR national series. If first practice is run, but qualifying is unable to take place, the starting lineup will be based on speeds from the car's fastest lap from the first practice, with top-35 cars in owner points no longer segregated from the non-top 35 cars. Previously, the top 35 cars lined up in front of all other eligible car owners.(NASCAR)(7-7-2011)

The Entry List for the Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is posted, 46 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including:
Not in top 35 of owners points:
#7-Robby Gordon (36/22)
#21-Trevor Bayne (38/12)(2011 Race Winner)
#30-David Stremme (44/10)
#37-Tony Raines (39/22)
#38-Travis Kvapil (37/22)
#46-Erik Darnell (40/22)
#55-J.J. Yeley (52/4)
#50-T.J. Bell (48/8)
#60-Mike Skinner (43/22)
#66-Todd Bodine (41/22)
#87-Joe Nemechek (41/22)
In the event that qualifying is cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #'s 21,7,38,37,46,66,87,60
missing the race would be [3]: #'s30,50,55
See the full entry list at my Jayski's Michigan Entry List.(8-15/16-2011)

Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Michigan:
#71 increases it's lead to 19 over 36th in owners pts, the #7 team.
33) #13-Mears/Germain, 315, +47
34) #32-Ranger/FAS Lane, 305, +37
35) #71-Lally/TRG, 287, 19 points ahead of 36th
these teams / drivers will need to qualify by speed:
36) #7-Gordon/Wimmer/RGM, 268, 19 points out of top 35
37) #38-Kvapil/Front Row, 249, -38
38) #21-Bayne/Wood Brothers, 218,-69
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
For the owner points standings, see my Owners Points Standings page.(8-15-2011)

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:
[after Watkins Glen, race 22 of 36]:
rank, car#, driver, points, behind
1) #18-Kyle Busch [3 wins], 752
2) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 752, -0
3) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 746, -6
4) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 738, -14
5) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 724, -28
6) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 712, -40
7) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 700, -52
8) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 686, -66
9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 670, -82
10) #14-Tony Stewart, 659, -93
current wild cards
11) #2-Brad Keselowski [2 wins], 601, -151 [14th in points, 2 wins]
12) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 626, -126 [12th in points, 1 win]
others in contension for the wild card
14) #27-Paul Menard [1 win], 599, -153 [15th in points, 1 win]
Three race winners are not inside the top-20: #9-Ambrose is 22nd, 1 point out of 20th; #6-David Ragan is 23rd, 5 pts out of 20th; #78-Smith is 25th, 82 pts out of 20th
NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points
See drivers championship points standings on Jayski's Drivers Points Standings page.(8-15-2011)

Chassis selections for Michigan: see the list of many teams and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Michigan International Speedway:
MISSING? why are some teams missing? like the #4, #11, #16 or others? those teams do not report what chassis in the race previews or prs.
#1-Jamie McMurray: Crew Chief Kevin Manion and the Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevy team will bring chassis #1102 to Michigan this weekend. This will be the sixth time that Chassis #1102 has been used this year, following Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway and both races at Pocono Raceway.
#2-Brad Keselowski: and the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team will race chassis PRS-753 during Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Keselowski last drove this chassis to a 19th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May after winning the pole position for the event.
#5-Mark Martin: crew chief Lance McGrew has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-656 for Sunday's race at Michigan. This is the same chassis that Martin drove at Darlington Raceway in May and Kansas Speedway in June.
#6-David Ragan: Primary Chassis RK-777 Last ran Indianapolis and finished 23rd; and the backup chassis is RK-711 Last ran Darlington and finished 21st
#9-Marcos Ambrose: The #9 RPM team has prepared chassis No. 784 for the 400-mile Pure Michigan 400 at the Brooklyn, Mich. track. This is a brand new Stanley Ford Fusion specially prepared for this event. Australian Word of the Week: YabberTalk (A lot)
#14-Tony Stewart: Chassis No. 14-564 debuted at Texas in Nov 2009, where it qualified fourth and finishing sixth. The 2009 season finale at Homestead marked the car's second career start. There, it qualified fifth and led twice for 43 laps before two separate on-track incidents with Juan Pablo Montoya relegated it to a 22nd-place finish. It saw action during the offseason when it was used for a Goodyear tire test at Texas Jan. 19-20. It returned to competition in February at Auto Club Speedway, where it started 16th and finished ninth. It returned to Texas in April qualifying on the pole and led five times for 74 laps before a late-race accident relegated it to a 32nd-place finish. It was repaired and fitted with a new body for the series' June stop at Michigan, where it qualified 17th and finished a solid fifth. It sat idle until it returned to Michigan for the series' August visit, qualifying fourth and leading three times for 36 laps before finishing sixth. The October race at Auto Club marked career start seven and second at Fontana, and there it delivered Stewart's 39th career Sprint Cup win and his first at ACS. The same car returned to action in November at Texas, where it qualified 11th and 500 miles later finished 11th. With a new body honed in the wind tunnel, Chassis No. 14-564 got its first start of 2011 and the ninth of its career at ACS, qualifying fifth and leading four times for 11 laps. In the waning laps, however, it dropped from third to 13th after a late-race restart. Its next start came in May at Charlotte in the non-points All-Star Race, where it started sixth and finished fourth. In June at Michigan it qualified sixth and finishing seventh. Idle since, Chassis No. 14-564 returns to Michigan for this weekend's Pure Michigan 400.
#17-Matt Kenseth: will run primary chassis RK-741 which last raced at Indy. This weekend at Michigan, Kenseth will pilot the #17 Kroger Ford Fusion.
#18-Kyle Busch: Chassis No. 315 will make its second-ever start in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. In its first outing last month in the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Busch started a distant 29th but still managed to bring home a respectable 10th-place finish.
#21-Trevor Bayne: crew chief said this particular Ford Fusion is the same chassis that was used in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May will be used at Michigan.
#22-Kurt Busch and his Steve Addington-led "Double-Deuce" crew will be racing their "PR-744" Shell-Pennzoil Dodge Charger this weekend at Michigan. This chassis debuted at Las Vegas in March. Busch started 22nd and led the race en route to a ninth-place finish in that race. In its last outing, the team raced the car from a 10th-place start to a 10th-place finish in April at Texas.
#27-Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 326 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This #27 Menard's / Duracell Chevy was a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season and was last seen in competition on track at Michigan in June where Menard brought home a fourth-place result after starting from ninth. This car was also raced this year at Bristol where Menard started fourth and finished fifth and during the non-points Sprint Showdown at Charlotte where he started third and finished 11th.
#29-Kevin Harvick: will race chassis No. 373 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a brand new race Jimmy John's Chevrolet that will see its first on-track action at Michigan this weekend.
#31-Jeff Burton will race Chassis No. 348 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built brand new for the 2011 season, the lone event this #31 Cat Financial Chevy competed at was Auto Club Speedway in March where the veteran driver recorded a 15th-place result.
#33-Clint Bowyer: will pilot chassis No. 368 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevy, built new for 2011, saw action last month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when Bowyer brought home a 13th-place finish after starting 26th.
#36-Dave Blaney: and TBR will bring chassis No. 556 to Michigan International Speedway for the chassis' debut. TBR will compete to feed America's families again this weekend. If the #36 Accell Construction Chevy finishes in the top-10 in the Pure Michigan 400, kids eat free (with an adult purchase) on Monday, August 22nd. Golden Corral will also donate $5,000 to the DAV.
#39-Ryan Newman Chassis No. 39-677 was brand new for Indianapolis just three races ago. Newman qualified 23rd in that race and finished 12th. The Pure Michigan 400 will mark the second start this season for Chassis 39-677.
#42-Juan Pablo Montoya: and crew chief Jim Pohlman will bring chassis #1108 to Michigan this weekend. This is the second time that this chassis will be raced this year after running in the first race at Michigan in June when Montoya finished 30th after being caught up in an on-track incident.
#43-A.J. Allmendinger: The #43 RPM team has prepared chassis No. 742 for this weekend's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. This Best Buy Ford Fusion has been run previously this season on several occasions, including the races in Kentucky, Charlotte, N.C. and Fontana, Calif.
#48-Jimmie Johnson: will pilot chassis No. 669 in Sunday's event. He last drove that car to a third-place finish at Kansas Speedway in July. Johnson finished 16th in backup chassis No. 623 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Crew chief Steve Letarte and the #88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-676. This is a brand new chassis that has not been raced or tested.
#99-Carl Edwards: The #99 Aflac crew will be unloading chassis 765. Edwards last raced this car at Kentucky last month where he finished fifth. He also ran it at the Coke 600 in May at CMS.(from team PR's/sites if reported)(8-19-2011)