BROOKLYN, Mich. – At Michigan International Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. led his Hendrick Motorsports teammates to the checkered flag in 10th.
Kasey Kahne joined him in the top 15, and Jeff Gordon was not far behind in 17th.
Jimmie Johnson, who spun out in a late-race incident, finished 39th.
Matt Kenseth took home the victory.
Below is a detailed look at how the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers fared on Sunday.
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 15th
STANDINGS: 17th
RECAP: Rolling off the grid 11th, Kahne continued to run inside the top 20 until the competition caution after 20 laps. Exiting pit road, Kahne was penalized for speeding, which put him back to 41st for the ensuing restart. He got to work passing his way through the field, cracking the top 30 before Lap 50. At Lap 90, he made his way to 22nd just behind teammate Johnson in 21st, and both drivers were a lap down. He kept battling to the 20th position, setting himself up as the first car a lap down. When a caution flag waved with 65 laps remaining, Kahne was the beneficiary, moving back onto the lead lap. “Good job, bud,” No. 5 team crew chief Keith Rodden said on the radio. Kahne proceeded to head to pit road for four fresh tires. At Lap 164, he was all the way inside the top 10, and three laps later he made a green-flag pit stop for four fresh tires. Kahne ultimately took the checkered flag 15th.
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 PEPSI CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 17th
STANDINGS: 13th
RECAP: Gordon began Sunday’s race 21st, and after losing a few positions, he made his way back to 20th for the competition caution after 20 laps. He kept working closer to the top 10, and when green-flag pit stops began, Gordon stayed out to lead a lap before heading to pit road. He returned to the track in 15th at Lap 64. When a caution flag waved for debris shortly thereafter, Gordon stayed out on the track to restart eighth, though he fell back outside of the top 15. At Lap 100, however, he was back inside the top 10 before heading to pit road for a four-tire, green-flag stop. Despite informing his crew that he didn’t like his car’s performance on fresh tires, Gordon kept working and was back inside the top 10 by Lap 126. He moved all the way to fourth before making a green-flag pit stop on Lap 169. With 10 laps remaining, Gordon found himself in 17th, which is where he would finish.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 39th
STANDINGS: 6th
RECAP: Johnson started Sunday from the eighth position, but by the time the first caution flag of the day waved before the field had even exited Turn 1, he had made his way to the runner-up spot. He was in third during the competition caution after 20 laps, returning from pit road in ninth after taking two tires while some competitors took only fuel and a few other competitors remained on the track. Johnson fell back to 16th, however, when he had a tire going down and had to make an unscheduled pit stop on Lap 49. He returned to the track in 42nd and soon found himself down two laps. But he kept working and after green-flag pit stops he was just one lap down and found himself 24th on Lap 64. During a green-flag pit stop on Lap 116, Johnson missed his pit box and lost key time, but kept working and with less than 60 laps to go, moved into the Lucky Dog position as the first car a lap down. On Lap 183, however, Johnson spun out, and the No. 48 crew was forced to fix damage on pit road. Johnson returned to the track with 10 laps to go in 40th, but he gained one more position before the checkered flag, finishing 39th.
DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 88 MICROSOFT CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 10th
STANDINGS: 3rd
RECAP: A ninth-place start for Earnhardt left him inside the top 10 when a competition caution was called after 20 laps. When he visited pit road for only fuel, he made his way to third by Lap 26. At Lap 43 he moved into the runner-up position. After pitting during a caution for debris, Earnhardt was back in ninth for the restart on Lap 77, but fell back outside of the top 15 and reported that he might have an issue before assuring his crew that it was “all cleared up.” At Lap 100, he was in 13th. He was all the way up to second on Lap 116 before heading to pit road for a green-flag stop, and returned to the track in 18th. At Lap 146, he once again cracked the top 10. He moved all the way back up to third before making a green-flag pit stop for two tires on Lap 171. When a caution flag waved on Lap 183, Earnhardt headed to pit road for a four-tire stop. On the restart with 13 laps to go, Earnhardt moved all the way up to 10th from 15th. He ultimately finished 10th.