Stewart-Haas Racing Pure Michigan 400 Race Report

08.18.2014

Date:               Aug. 17, 2014
Event:             Pure Michigan 400 (Round 23 of 36)
Series:            NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location:       Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn (2-mile oval)
Winner:         Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

SHR Finish:
Kevin Harvick (Started 6th, Finished 2nd / Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
Danica Patrick (Started 14th, Finished 18th / Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
Kurt Busch (Started 16th, Finished 31st / Running, completed 196 of 200 laps)
Jeff Burton (Started 27th, Finished 37th / Running, completed 176 of 200 laps)

SHR Points:
Kevin Harvick (6th with 687 points, 129 out of first)
Kurt Busch (23rd with 543 points, 273 out of first)
Tony Stewart (25th with 537 points, 279 out of first)
Danica Patrick (28th with 445 points, 371 out of first)

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS, led the way for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) Sunday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn by finishing second in the Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Harvick started sixth and ran in the top-five all day en route to his seventh top-five this season and his seventh top-five in 28 career Sprint Cup starts at Michigan. It was also his 107th top-five in 489 career Sprint Cup starts.

Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for SHR, started 14th and finished 18th. It was Patrick’s 69th career Sprint Cup start and her fourth at Michigan.

Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS for SHR, started 16th and finished 31st after getting into the outside retaining wall while battling for the lead late in the race. Busch led two times for three laps.

Jeff Burton, interim driver of SHR’s No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS as he subs for regular driver Tony Stewart, started 27th and finished 37th after spending time in the garage while the team replaced a broken tailpipe.

Jeff Gordon won the Pure Michigan 400 to score his 91st career Sprint Cup victory, his third of the season and his third at Michigan.

Harvick finished 1.412 seconds behind Gordon in the runner-up spot, while Joey Logano, Paul Menard and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounded out the top-five. Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were eight caution periods for 37 laps, with four drivers failing to finish the 200-lap race.

With round 23 of 36 complete, Harvick leads the SHR contingent in the championship point standings. He is sixth with 687 points, 129 behind first-place Gordon. Busch is 23rd with 543 points, 273 out of first. Stewart is 25th with 537 points, 279 out of first. Patrick is 28th with 445 points, 371 out of first.

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the Irwin Tools Night Race on Saturday, Aug. 23 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. The race starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by ABC beginning with its prerace show at 7 p.m.

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