Michigan is one of two 2 mile tracks on the Nascar circuit. Michigan is one of the fastest tracks on the Nascar circuit, and it is an entertaining race to watch. And with Chase spots on the line, the race will get interesting.

Plenty of teams have won at this track so none stand out. Joey Logano won here earlier this year, and he won the pole for this race. But he wasn’t very fast in practice. Logano’s teammate Brad Keslowski is still looking for his first win at his home track. So Team Penske looks decent. Also, Ryan Blaney, who drives for affiliate team Wood Brothers Racing, was very fast in practice. He needs a win to get in the Chase.

Hendrick Motorsports needs something good to happen, and now. Jimmie Johnson is trying to shake of a losing streak, Chase Elliot is disturbingly close to the Chase cutline, Kasey Kahne is looking terrible, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. is still out of his 88 car. Alex Bowman will substitute for Earnhardt. Elliot finished second here earlier this year, ad he seems to be the teams biggest threat for a win, if he can avoid misfortune.

Stewart-Hass Racing is on a roll. Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, and Kurt Busch are all in the Chase, and all three seem legitimate contenders. Any one of this trio could win this weekend. Danica Patrick is the one SHR driver not in the Chase. With a little luck, she could pull a surprise win. That’s a big could.

Chip Ganassi Racing has the potential to place both it’s drivers in the Chase, but they need Kyle Larson to win, and they need Jamie McMurray to avoid trouble. McMurray is good at avoiding trouble, but Larson has never won before. However, he has a fast car this weekend. If, for once, all the cards fall his way, Larson is more than capable of a win this weekend.

The other bubble team is Richard Childress Racing. Both Ryan Newman and Austin Dillon are well above the Chase cutline, but one bad race changes that. Dillon has been good at Michigan in the past, and he is getting ever closer to his first win. It could come here. But should there be a new winner who isn’t currently in the Chase, both Newman and Dillon will find themselves in a desperate position.

One other team to watch is the Joe Gibbs Racing alliance. All five drivers, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, and Martin Truex Jr., are in the Chase, and all five are serious contenders. Anyone of them could win this weekend.

One more to consider is a major underdog. Trevor Bayne has flown under the radar for the past several weeks, and he is now the first driver out of the Chase. Some solid runs and a little bit of help could get him in a good spot.

Now, who wins? Well, I’m unsure. Tony Stewart was lightning fast in practice. Rookies Chase Elliot and Ryan Blaney were very fast in practice. Anyone could win. But I think that Tony Stewart and Chase Elliot are the top picks.