Race Rewind: Wild wrecks and two overtimes at Michigan International Speedway
Relive the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway that saw Kyle Larson trigger a massive wreck, Corey LaJoie flip and the playoff bubble tighten as the playoffs loom.
Transcript
00:00The fans all on their feet, this is what they've been waiting for, the green flag is out, LASIK
00:17in Michigan.
00:30Down the back stretch into a head wind as they go into turn three.
00:43Big run there by Kyle Larson, can he take the lead in three?
00:50Slides up the racetrack and takes it away from Rennick.
00:52What an aggressive move, he caught those two guys side-by-side, used the draft on the left
00:58and went right by them.
01:01Side-by-side for the lead, Hamlin, and look at the run as those two went side-by-side.
01:10The run of Bubba Wallace blew by them both and Bubba Wallace has taken the lead here
01:15at Michigan.
01:16Very similar to how the 5 of Kyle Larson got the lead on that first lap, in attendance
01:20the man himself, Michael Jordan, he's got to like that, the 23 car takes the lead, smile
01:26on the face.
01:27Big smile there as Hamlin now has gotten by the 5 of Larson, gained some racetrack position
01:36as the 11 and the 23 continue to fight for the lead.
01:39The 11 goes around, the 11 slid into the wall and then into the grass, he goes, caution
01:44comes out.
01:46That's the other side of that wake we've been talking about, Steve.
01:50As he got close to him, he lost the down force and around he went.
01:56Brooks straight down the straightaway, Brooks against you in the corners.
02:01Here he is, watch Denny, got good momentum, making a big gain, wide open in the gas, slides
02:08up behind and as soon as he does, he loses down force and around it goes.
02:15Doesn't look like he actually tagged the wall, he tried to keep it off of it.
02:19Right there, he's in trouble, saw the fire come out of the exhaust pipe, that's him lifting
02:24off of the throttle.
02:26When you get right behind that 23 but still have wheel in it, the air shuts off to the
02:31diffuser underneath the back of the car, instant aero shift, down force comes off the back,
02:36sometimes even adds to the front, makes the car turn.
02:41Sprint to the finish, as they're back in the restart zone, green flag back in the air.
02:50Blaney with a great restart and it's already three wide behind them.
02:57Buescher with a shove on Blaney as the two Fords working together there.
03:01Yeah, look how dark it is in three and four right now.
03:05I don't think it would shock me if NASCAR, okay, we're just hearing the words, bring
03:09them down pit road.
03:12This is just a better job by NASCAR.
03:14Get the cars covered up.
03:15We already heard radio trouble on the reddit car.
03:18We're not sure.
03:19Sounds like that's on the pit box.
03:20Let's get these cars covered up, sealed up.
03:22We don't want weather to affect somebody's day as far as messing up the electronics.
03:27If there were any lightning in this, it also clears the pit road quicker.
03:31If you go ahead and get on pit road before it starts, it's just safer and better for
03:36everybody.
03:37Rick, the weather's changed.
03:38It is dry, but it is windy.
03:40Big tail wind down the front stretch.
03:41It'll be interesting to see how they adapt.
03:45It'll be 55 laps complete when they get to the line.
03:49And 65 to go in stage two.
03:52It's underway for Michigan.
03:55Right away, we see the 22 of Logano jump out of line, get down to the bottom of the
04:00racetrack, making it three wide going into turn one.
04:04About four wide here.
04:06About the fourth row.
04:08Briscoe in that blue and white car on the outside, he made it three wide in the middle
04:13of the corner.
04:14Big gain for him.
04:16Here's what happened to Denny Hamlin a moment ago.
04:18He's way back in 34th.
04:20And as the green flag came out, here is how loose Denny Hamlin was off of turn two.
04:25Look at that.
04:26What a save there for Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton.
04:29That was a huge save.
04:31Caution is back out at Michigan.
04:33And this time, it was from three different issues.
04:36So tire issues for we saw Gilliland, the 22 of Logano, and then also Allmendinger.
04:42Let's listen to the 22 ride along with him.
04:45Okay.
04:46So two things.
04:49Number one, incredible job saving that race car.
04:54Where that tire started to have its issue, he was still in the corner.
04:59Really good job.
05:00It's a good thing it didn't happen two seconds before because he wouldn't have been able
05:04to.
05:05Then the 16.
05:06That thing blows on the straight.
05:10Yep.
05:12All the tires went down after he was sliding it.
05:16Right now, the front six did not come to pit road under this most recent caution as we
05:22see the green flag coming back out with only five laps to go in stage two.
05:29Around 20 laps on tires for the front row, the one of the eight, eight or nine laps for
05:34others.
05:35But look at the chaos behind the five of Kyle Larson.
05:38That blue and white car on the bottom trying to make four tires work.
05:41Ty Gibbs trying to find some points.
05:43He's that black car at the top of three wide.
05:46Big shove there coming from the three of Austin Dillon to Ty Gibbs.
05:52Pushes him out and trying to close the gap on Chastain and Busch who rocketed on this
05:59restart.
06:00Oh, and a round goes to five.
06:03Big Kyle Larson involved in this one as well as the 14 of Briscoe.
06:10Multiple cars.
06:11You see Buescher, last year's winner in the grass.
06:14This is all the way back to the restart.
06:16You see the five of Larson, 23 of Bubba Wallace.
06:20These guys all have new tires.
06:21They're trying to make a move towards the front to get these stage points.
06:24A big shove.
06:25Gets the five to the bottom three wide.
06:27I like this move so far.
06:30Just aggressive racing.
06:31You can see how aggressive it is all the way through the field.
06:34Coming to the stage end, trying to get points, trying to get track position for later in
06:37the race.
06:38Three wide.
06:41Larson all the way on the bottom of the racetrack.
06:45Something happens down here.
06:47I'm not sure if he just gets loose up the racetrack.
06:49The 15 slow in front of him.
06:51The 5 just gets loose by himself.
06:53Spins out.
06:54As he comes up, he really collects.
06:56I think that's the 23.
06:58You see that originally.
06:59That's a pretty heavy damage to the front of the 23.
07:02Another car, Jeff, who is in this bubble conversation.
07:06Nothing he can do.
07:08Larson is just on the slide right now.
07:10Now he's in the gas trying to keep from hitting the wall.
07:12Bubba Wallace trying to avoid him.
07:15Contact.
07:16Gilliland comes in hard.
07:18Look at the points currently with Busch leading.
07:22We keep talking about the points battle because there's going to be one.
07:27We're going to have a points battle.
07:29Somebody is going to get in on points.
07:31Throw Kyle Busch in victory lane.
07:33That is like the wrinkle that, Jeff, that's the wrinkle that you and I didn't really experience.
07:39Most of our points racing was just a math equation.
07:42This kind of win in advance changes the finish line or changes the line you're shooting for.
07:47Stage 2 win goes to Kyle Busch.
07:51Green.
07:54Half front.
07:55Half front and quarter up.
07:58Quarter off.
07:59Yaw back.
08:01Seven coming back to your bumper now.
08:03Still inside.
08:04Way down there.
08:05Inside.
08:07Inside.
08:08Very bottom.
08:11Still down there.
08:12Checking up a little in the middle.
08:16Cory LeJoy bringing out the caution.
08:18He was just upside down.
08:20Rolled back over onto his tires once he hit the grass.
08:23Great sign right there when you see the window net come down.
08:27But, oh, what a wild ride Cory LeJoy just had.
08:33Slid forever on the roof down the back stretch.
08:35Then the grass got him tumbling again.
08:38You see the damage to the roof of the race car.
08:40I happened to look out of the window and I saw he was in the air.
08:49You see the A.M.R.
08:50Safety crew immediately to Cory as he climbs out of that race car.
08:54These cars over 3,000 pounds.
08:56Take a look at how he gets upside down.
08:59Going by Noah.
09:02A little bit of contact with the right front fender.
09:08Car turned sideways and just flipped in the air.
09:12That is quite honestly, that's just not acceptable.
09:16There's no way that a car, when it turns like that, should get up in the air that easily.
09:21There has been millions of dollars and hours and hours of time spent to prevent that from happening.
09:28That's going to catch everybody by surprise.
09:31And back to action here.
09:34William Byron in that 24 on the outside line.
09:38Back to green.
09:39And now just 59 laps remaining.
09:42This right here will be the race for the lead when it all cycles around.
09:50The 24 of William Byron using those fresh tires early, gaining track position.
09:56He'll be in front of the 9.
09:58Look at the 19 come.
10:00He's also already made his pit stop.
10:02He's trying to get the 9 as well.
10:04Will he be able to do it?
10:06Not quite.
10:07Great job by chase Elliott to maximize his pace.
10:11Coming off pit road, Marty.
10:12I don't see any way the 8 blends in front of him.
10:15He has a quarter mile, but he has to get up to speed.
10:19I just think he's going to be overtaken on the back stretch.
10:21He's slipping and sliding on the apron trying to get that power down, Jeff.
10:25He knows they're coming.
10:26He's going to be looking in the mirror.
10:27I think he's got it.
10:28It's going to be a potential block into turn 3.
10:31But he's going to drive into turn 3 wide open in the throttle.
10:35He does not have to lift because he doesn't have the pace.
10:37It's going to equal out right here.
10:39It's going to start to equal out.
10:40Now the question is, are two tires good enough to keep this lead?
10:44He's in front of that 24, but it's closing the gap.
10:48How about the 24 driving off the front of the 9 as soon as he saw the tow?
10:52Block him.
10:54Block him.
10:55There you go.
10:56Look, what a great job.
10:58He timed it perfectly.
10:59He waited as long as he could so that he could have fresh tires a little bit later in the
11:05race.
11:06And he waited.
11:07If he had waited one more lap, he would not be in this lead.
11:09So these are not the leaders of the race.
11:11Suarez, Harvick, Harvick, yet to pit.
11:14But this is the race win.
11:16Assuming we don't have a yellow.
11:18That means that Tyler Reddick now race leader and he has 12 laps to go from Michigan.
11:26Rick, if we learned anything at Richmond, it's not over until someone sees the checkered flag.
11:31Austin Dillon, much has been made about that overtime finish.
11:34But remember, he had the race basically in hand with a couple to go.
11:38A monster lead.
11:39The late yellow changed everything.
11:41With 12 to go, it could easily happen here at Michigan as well.
11:44Oh, oh, we got a problem.
11:4619 slow.
11:47Off turn four.
11:48I can't tell if it's a tire.
11:50Caution has come out.
11:51There will be a restart.
11:54He got up in the wall.
11:55He seems to be back up to speed.
11:58Under six laps to go.
12:00And a caution comes out.
12:03Tough position for Tyler Reddick, right, Steve?
12:06What do you do now?
12:07It's going to be tough for all these guys.
12:10You see kind of the frustration, the disappointment, the hand up in the air.
12:14Not sure.
12:20After having such an amazing car all weekend.
12:23Looks like he got loose.
12:33We're about to find out.
12:35Again, Tyler Reddick up top.
12:37William Byron on the inside.
12:39It is overtime.
12:41Presented by credit one bank.
12:43A surge out of the 24.
12:58A great push from keselowski.
13:01Keselowski goes to the bottom of the racetrack.
13:03Here comes Reddick on the outside once again.
13:08Reddick with momentum going down the back stretch.
13:12And around goes the 1.
13:15Ross Chastain spins into the inside wall.
13:17Caution comes out.
13:19Never hit the inside wall.
13:21Watch Alex bowman.
13:23This is where it all starts.
13:25Alex bowman loses control of his car.
13:27That stacks everybody up.
13:29Now look at all this chaos.
13:35Chastain was 11th.
13:38We're about to find out as we try overtime for a second time.
13:42Byron on the outside.
13:44Reddick on the inside.
13:46And a big push on that outside line.
13:54And now Gibbs.
13:56A big shove as the 6 checked up.
14:00That pulled a lot of them back.
14:02Reddick out in front.
14:04Gibbs trying to clear for second.
14:06Trying to be able to get by Byron as they go down the back stretch.
14:08I don't know how he didn't wreck right there when the 6 checked up.
14:13Kyle Busch trying to move up to fourth.
14:16Now William Byron has closed into the back bumper of that 45 as they come up on one lap
14:23to go in Michigan.
14:27One more time around.
14:33Reddick out front.
14:34Byron, he's going to look to the outside.
14:39Three car lengths separate the top two as they go through two.
14:44Slow on the racetrack.
14:46The 9 and the 12.
14:48They're backing up.
14:49Up front.
14:51One more set of turns.
14:54Reddick with a three car length advantage now.
14:59As he comes out of four.
15:02Tyler Reddick is going to win again.
15:04This time it's in Michigan.
15:06Hell yeah, Tyler.
15:11You're the man.
15:12How about that for improving some Michigan stats.