Harvick Closes Michigan Deal

Kevin Harvick won Sunday’s Consumers Energy 400 to sweep NASCAR’s weekend Doubleheader at Michigan International Speedway, which followed Harvick’s dominant victory in Saturday’s Firekeepers Casino 400.

BROOKLYN, Michigan – August 9, 2020 – ANTHONY HOLBROOK

NASCAR Cup Series returns back to the Irsh Hill’s  completing a Double Header weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

The starting lineup for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan featured an inversion of the top 20 finishers from Saturday’s Firekeepers Casino 400,  Kevin Harvick’s victory granted a  20th start position for the second leg of the Michigan Double Header.  Clint Bowyer will invert to pole position and lead the field to green.

The Consumers Energy 400 Stage 1 recap:

Laps: 40 (1-40 / 156)

Clint Bowyer cruised to a Stage 1 win. Bowyer led every lap on his way to his third stage win of the year and sixth Stage win of his career.  Bowyer will receive 3 playoff points with Stage 1 win.

Consumers Energy 400 Results – Stage 1  

1. Clint Bowyer
2. Christopher Bell
3. Kyle Bush
4. Matt  DiBenedetto
5. Erik Jones
6. William Byron
7. Ryan Blaney
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Kut Bush
10. Joey Logano

Consumers Energy 400 – Stage 2 recap:

Laps: 45 (41-85 / 156)

Clint Bowyer could not repeat his previous Stage performance, as Harvick drove to the front and held on for his fifth stage win of the year.

Harvick led every green-flag lap of the second stage.

Consumers Energy 400 Results – Stage 2

1. Kevin Harvick
2. Brad Keselowski
3. Kyle Bush
4. Christopher Bell
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Erik Jones
8. Aric Almirola
9. Joey Logano
10. Ryan Blaney

Consumers Energy 400 Final recap:

Laps: (86-156 / 156)

Ryan Blaney took the lead in the early section of Stage 3 right before the first major crash of the race.

His Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski crashed into him, knocking them both out of the race and giving Hamlin the lead:

Aric Almirola circulated to a temporary lead after staying out before a restart.  A  secret code w miscommunication with Almirola’s crew chief will pay dividends as the teams whom opted to pit, advance.

Kevin  Harvick regained the lead back with 15 laps remaining. Hamlin records the fastest lap of the race attempting to real in race leader Harvick.

2 Laps to checkers Harvick guards his position from a late-race challenge from Hamlin.

Kevin Harvick recorded his sixth victory of the season, which broke a tie with Hamlin (5 wins) for the series lead with six races remaining before the start of NASCAR’s playoffs.

TheConsumers Energy 400 Final Results:

1. Kevin Harvick
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Kyle Busch
5. Joey Logano
6. Aric Almirola
7. Matt DiBenedetto
8. Austin Dillon
9. Chase Elliott
10. Kurt Busch
11. Jimmie Johnson
12. William Byron
13. Ryan Newman
14. Clint Bowyer
15. Matt Kenseth
16. Ryan Preece
17. Christopher Bell
18. Ty Dillon
19. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
20. Chris Buescher
21. Bubba Wallace
22. Corey LaJoie
23.  John Hunter Nemechek
24. Tyler Reddick
25. Cole Custer
26. Daniel Suarez
27. Erik Jones
28.  Michael McDowell
29. JJ Yeley
30. Brennan Poole
31. Reed Sorenson
32. Quin Houff
33. Josh Bilicki
34. Garrett Smithley
35. Timmy Hill
36. Alex Bowman
37. James Davison
38. Ryan Blaney
39. Brad Keselowsi

NASCAR Cup Series travels to the World Center of Racing for the Go Bowling 325 hosted by Daytona International Speedway :  Sunday August 16^th  3:00 p.m. E.T.  NBCSN  PRN Sirius NASCAR radio 90