2014_Quicken_Loans_400

2014 Quicken Loans 400

2014 Quicken Loans 400

Motor car race

The 2014 Quicken Loans 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race that was held on June 15, 2014, at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Contested over 200 laps on the 2 miles (3.2 km) superspeedway, it was the 15th race of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Jimmie Johnson won the race, his third win of the season and his first at Michigan. Kevin Harvick finished second, while Brad Keselowski, Paul Menard, and Kasey Kahne rounded out the Top 5. The top rookies in the race were Kyle Larson (8th), Justin Allgaier (16th), and Michael Annett (21st).

Quick Facts Date, Location ...

Previous week's race

At Pocono Raceway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead from Brad Keselowski with five laps to go and took the checkered flag in the Pocono 400. Earnhardt made the winning move after Keselowski slowed his car behind Danica Patrick to remove trash from the grill opening on the front of his car. "That's unfortunate for him," Earnhardt said. "He had me beat. I couldn't get to him. It's real hard to pass here. I've lost some in strange ways. It feels good to win one like that. Brad definitely had the better car. I'll own up to that, but we won the race." Keselowski was disappointed with the finish. "It was running really hot, the motor was going to blow up. I had to do something. We had a really fast car, but had a piece of debris and had to do something. I had to do some kind of move or it wasn't going to make it. I should have just run it. I didn't think it would make it, but maybe it would have."[12]

Report

Background

Michigan International Speedway's front stretch, view from the infield early on race day.

The track, Michigan International Speedway, is a four-turn superspeedway that is 2 miles (3.2 km) long.[13] Opened in 1960, the track's turns are banked at eighteen degrees, while the 3,600-foot-long front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at twelve degrees.[13] The back stretch, has a five degree banking and is 2,242 feet long.[13] Michigan International Speedway has a grandstand seating capacity of 84,000 people.[13] Greg Biffle is the defending race winner after winning the race in 2013.

Entry list

The entry list for the Quicken Loans 400 was released on Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. Forty-four drivers were entered for the race.

More information No., Driver ...

Practice

First practice

Kasey Kahne was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 35.410 and a speed of 203.332 mph (327.231 km/h).

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Qualifying

Kevin Harvick won the pole, setting a new track record.

Kevin Harvick won the pole with, both a new track record time and the fastest qualifying speed since 1987, a time of 35.198 and a speed of 204.557 mph (329.203 km/h).[14] "I think that is just a credit on our Budweiser and Stewart-Haas race team for putting fast race cars on the track," Harvick said. "When you put it together with the Hendrick Motorsports engine package it creates a lot of speed and it makes coming to these place a lot of fun. Really excited to start on the pole and get that first pit box and hopefully we can put the whole day together on Sunday." Jeff Gordon, who qualified second, stated that he had "put up a heck of a lap ... just not enough to get Harvick".[15] Ryan Truex was the only driver that failed to qualify.

Qualifying results

More information Pos, No. ...

Practice (post-qualifying)

Second practice

Jimmie Johnson was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 35.634 and a speed of 202.054 mph (325.174 km/h).

More information Pos, No. ...

Final practice

Kyle Larson was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 36.286 and a speed of 198.424 mph (319.332 km/h).

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Race

Michigan International Speedway, before the race.

First half

Start

The race was scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m. Eastern time but started five minutes later, with Kevin Harvick leading the field to the green flag. Brian Vickers got loose and hit the wall in turn three and was T-boned by Travis Kvapil to bring out the first caution of the race, on the opening lap. The race restarted on lap seven, before Kyle Larson got loose off turn two and went spinning to bring out the second caution. Kasey Kahne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. were also involved. The race restarted on lap 12 and finally completed a lap under green. Jeff Gordon took the race lead from Harvick on lap 19, before green flag stops began on lap 38. Brad Keselowski took the lead on lap 43, as he was the last car to pit, and the lead cycled back to Gordon.

Gordon got caught in lapped traffic and Harvick retook the lead on lap 57. Debris in turn three brought out the third caution on lap 72. Jimmie Johnson took the lead from Harvick during the pit cycle. Johnson led the field to the green on the restart and Kyle Busch, who restarted sixth, did not get going and had to come down pit road due to a burnt left-rear wheel hub. Joey Logano took the lead from Johnson on the restart, for the sixth lead change of the race on lap 78, before Johnson retook the lead from Logano on lap 92. David Ragan brought out the fourth caution of the race on lap 103 for a spin in turn four, and Harvick retook the lead during the pit cycle and led the field to the restart on lap 108. Alex Bowman brought out the fifth caution on lap 110, when he hit the wall in turn two.

Racing action after a restart during the race.

Second half

Harvick led the field to the restart on lap 114 and Brett Moffitt brought out the sixth caution when he spun through turn four, with Harvick leading the field to the restart once again, on lap 120. Denny Hamlin got loose in turn three, making contact with Aric Almirola and spun to bring out the seventh caution of the race, on lap 122. Harvick stayed out when most of the other cars came in to pit, and led the field to the restart on lap 128. Joey Logano took the lead on the restart, but later in the run, Harvick retook the lead on lap 142. Debris in turn two brought out the eighth caution on lap 148. Jamie McMurray stayed out during the pit cycle to take the lead, while Larson was caught speeding off pit road.

Closing laps

Jimmie Johnson won the race.

McMurray led the field to the restart on lap 153 but he spun the tires and gave the lead back to Johnson. Johnson gave up the lead to make his final stop on lap 165 and gave the lead back to Jamie McMurray, with the lead changing hands seven times – passing to Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Kahne, Larson, Austin Dillon, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth – before Johnson retook the lead with ten laps to go and scored his third win of the 2014 season and first at Michigan.[16] Johnson reflected upon this in a post-race interview, stating that he "had figured out every way to lose this race" and that he "knew we were in the catbird seat and were able to take advantage of it".[17] Harvick described his car as "fast, just wound up on the wrong side of all the strategy".[18]

Race results

More information Pos, Grid ...

Race statistics

  • Lead changes: 25 among different drivers
  • Cautions/Laps: 8 for 36
  • Red flags: 0
  • Time of race: 2 hours, 47 minutes and 19 seconds
  • Average speed: 143.441 miles per hour (230.846 km/h)

Media

Television

More information TNT Sports, Booth announcers ...

Radio

More information MRN Radio, Booth announcers ...

Standings after the race

More information Pos, Driver ...

Note

  1. [N 1]
    David Stremme started last due to an engine change.

References

  1. [1]
    "2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved 2014-06-09.
  2. [2]
    "Michigan International Speedway". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. January 3, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  3. [3]
    "Entry List". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  4. [4]
    "First Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. June 13, 2014. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  5. [5]
    "Qualifying Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. June 13, 2014. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  6. [6]
    "Second Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. June 14, 2014. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  7. [7]
    "Final Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. June 14, 2014. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  8. [8]
    "Quicken Loans 400 Results". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. June 15, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  9. [9]
    "Points Standings". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. June 15, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  10. [10]
    Staff Report (June 15, 2014). "Manufacturer Standings". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  11. [11]
    Paulsen (June 17, 2014). "Sprint Cup TV Ratings: Michigan Race Hits Multi-Year Low on TNT". SportsMediaWatch.com. Sports Media Watch. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  12. [12]
    Pistone, Pete (June 8, 2014). "First Pocono Win for Earnhardt". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Archived from the original on June 12, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  13. [13]
    "Michigan International Speedway". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
  14. [14]
    Utter, Jim (June 13, 2014). "Kevin Harvick fastest since '87 in NASCAR qualifying, takes Michigan pole". CharlotteObserver.com. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on June 14, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  15. [15]
    Wackerlin, Jeff (June 13, 2014). "Harvick Smashes Track Record". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Archived from the original on June 16, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  16. [16]
    Held, Scott (June 15, 2014). "Johnson emerges for first Michigan victory". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  17. [17]
    Oreovicz, John (June 15, 2014). "Johnson, Knaus hit right strategy". ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  18. [18]
    Long, Dustin (June 15, 2014). "Johnson Adds Michigan to Win List". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Archived from the original on June 18, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
Previous race:
2014 Pocono 400		 Sprint Cup Series
2014 season		 Next race:
2014 Toyota/Save Mart 350
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