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AVONDALE, AZ – JANUARY 31: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. addresses the media during NASCAR testing at Phoenix International Raceway on January 31, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
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AVONDALE, AZ – JANUARY 31: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. addresses the media during NASCAR testing at Phoenix International Raceway on January 31, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
In the buildup to the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan, there were a few delays. This was largely because the weather was being a bit uncooperative.
As everyone waited for the rain to subside, there was a hilarious moment involving Hendrick Motorsports legend, Steve Letarte.
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To be precise, Letarte’s umbrella deformed because of the wind, and Dale Earnhardt Jr had a mighty good laugh about it.
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Speaking of the Michigan race, Mother Nature finally had mercy, and the race was soon underway. At the end of the 200 laps, Kevin Harvick emerged victorious at last.
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In the process, he snapped a 65-race dry spell and qualified for the 2022 Playoffs. Right behind him was pole-sitter Bubba Wallace, who was bitterly disappointed to lose out on the race win.
How did the Hendrick Motorsports drivers perform?
This weekend, the Toyota drivers were pretty quick, and the Fords were a surprise package. Meanwhile, the leading Chevrolet was defending champion Kyle Larson in 7th place.
His teammates Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott, and William Byron finished 9th, 11th, and 12th, respectively. As for the rest of the pack, Denny Hamlin was third, behind Harvick and Bubba Wallace.
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Jun 26, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) crosses the start finish line to begin the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Team Penske duo Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney rounded out the Top 5. Meanwhile, Martin Truex Jr was 6th ahead of Larson, Erik Jones, Bowman, and a delighted Ty Gibbs.
Gibbs was still deputizing for Kurt Busch, who has still not been cleared to race after his crash at Pocono. For the likes of Blaney and Truex Jr, Harvick’s win means that they are now fighting for the last Playoff spot.
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To further complicate matters, there are still three races remaining in the regular season. So the Penske driver and the Joe Gibbs Racing driver will have to bring their A-game. At the same time, they will be wary of drivers like Bubba Wallace, who has been performing consistently in the past few races.
