Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

A21
SPORTS Tuesday 12 June 2018

Ford vs. Chevy was a one-

sided matchup in Michigan

By NOAH TRISTER "We were really fast. We got standings, followed by four
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — our car better all day and Ford drivers — Harvick, Lo-
Ford vs. Chevrolet is always won that stage and kind of gano, Keselowski and Bow-
a subplot to watch when got back there and a lot yer. The top Chevy driver is
the top auto racers come of guys took two," Blaney Larson, in 10th place. Jim-
to Michigan. said. "We were making it mie Johnson is 12th and has
This past weekend, it was back up but then the rain only led two laps all season.
no contest. came. It was a really great Larson said Friday that he
Clint Bowyer's NASCAR Cup race car. Definitely not an didn't feel Chevys have
Series win Sunday capped eighth-place car but unfor- been at a disadvantage
a weekend in which Ford tunately that is where we this year, and he didn't
dominated in qualifying ended up." want his team to make
and on race day. Bowyer The Fords were fast in quali- any excuses. After Sunday's
was one of seven Ford driv- fying too, taking six of the race, he said he felt he
ers in the top eight in the top seven spots, with Busch had the fastest car — and
rain-shortened race . The winning the pole . blamed himself for a "stupid Clint Bowyer holds the Firekeepers Casino 400 trophy after
highest Chevy was Chase The victory by Bowyer was mistake" that led to a 28th- winning a shortened NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday,
Elliott in ninth (Kyle Busch the eighth of the year for place finish. q June 10, 2018, in Brooklyn, Mich. Associated Press
finished fourth in a Toyota). Ford in 15 Cup races. It's
"It's just unbelievable the been a decade since Ford
start to the season with finished with the most vic-
the wins and success that tories by a manufacturer,
we're having, come here and in that 2008 season,
to our home track with our it finished tied with Chevy
employees here watch- with 11 wins each.
ing," said Mark Rushbrook, "It's a team effort to not
global director of Ford Per- have any weaknesses. We
formance. "To have this also come here to Michi-
performance and strength gan for bragging rights,"
across all of our teams, to Busch said. "I've always
win the race, it's just tre- driven that way. It really
mendous for all the com- shines through when you
pany." see Doug Yates (of Roush
The races at Michigan Inter- Yates Engines) here, Mark
national Speedway always Rushbrook is here, every-
seem to take on extra sig- body from all departments,
nificance, since it's about the chief aero guy was here
70 miles from downtown this weekend from Stewart-
Detroit. There is a Michigan Haas. We put in a full effort.
Heritage Trophy that goes It's bragging rights to win at
to the race- winning manu- Michigan."
facturer for Cup weekend, Those bragging rights be-
too. longed to Chevy last year,
There's little debate over when Kyle Larson won both
who ended up with Mo- races at MIS. This season,
tor City bragging rights this the only Cup victory for
time. Bowyer, Kevin Harvick Chevrolet has been Austin
and pole winner Kurt Busch Dillon's in the Daytona 500.
gave Stewart-Haas Racing It's been better on the Indy-
a sweep of the top three Car side, where Will Power
spots. Team Penske — an- won the Indianapolis 500
other Ford team — finished in a Chevy, but even in
6-7-8 with Brad Keselowski, that series, Chevrolet was
Joey Logano and Ryan largely outclassed by Hon-
Blaney. da at Detroit's Belle Isle two
Blaney was the winner of weekends ago .
the race's first stage. Kyle Busch leads the Cup