NASCAR Toon Cup 2014: PURE MICHIGAN 400

We're back in the shadow of the Motor City at the Michigan International Speedway for round 23 of the season, the PURE MICHIGAN 400! Here's how they'll line up:

1. Tommy Pickles (24)
2. Tristan Taylor (22)
3. Dudley Puppy (99)
4. Vince Lasalle (55)
5. Hoagie Gilligan (2)
6. Edd (4)
7. Ed (27)
8. Otto Rocket (3)
9. Nigel Uno (1)
10. Rudy Tabootie (17)
11. Danny Fenton (16)
12. Jeremy Johnson (31)
13. Johnny Test (42)
14. Cindy Vortex (10)
15. Abigail Lincoln (5)
16. Guy Hamdon (41)
17. Spongebob Squarepants (51)
18. Timmy Turner (20)
19. Ashley Armbruster (15)
20. Ferb Fletcher (9)
21. Yugi Moto (11)
22. Ben Tennyson (47)
23. Phineas Flynn (43)
24. Joey Wheeler (18)
25. Kim Possible (88)
26. Nikki Wong (13)
27. Kick Buttowski (14) (NOTE: Rhonda Lloyd is on standby as a relief driver)
28. Storm Shadow (21)
29. Sokka (38)
30. Randy Cunningham (48)
31. Homer Simpson (83)
32. Hank Hill (23)
33. Aang (35)
34. Katara (34)
35. Peter Griffin (7)
36. Eric Cartman (26)
37. Arnold Shortman (37)
38. Virgil Hawkins (32)
39. Blossom (78)
40. Ash Ketchum (36)
41. Daria Morgendorffer (87)
42. Eddy (66)
43. Brad Carbunkle (30)


Race Conditions:

Air Temp.: 77 degrees
Track Temp.: 98 degrees
Weather: Cloudy, 30% chance of rain
Green Flag Time: 1:14 PM


ESPN?


Allen Bestwick: Last week at the Glen, road course ringer Rhonda Lloyd came through in the clutch to score the victory for Stewart-Haas Racing and propelled Kick Buttowski into the Chase for the Cup. Now, just 1 Chase slot remains for those who have yet to score a win. The Chase Grid is nearly set as we head to Michigan, a blistering fast track where anything can.....and will happen. Will we see our 16th different winner this season....or will a familiar face grace victory lane? The Pure Michigan 400 is next.....part of SpeedWorld on ESPN!


(ESPN SpeedWorld 1998-2004 theme)


Allen Bestwick: ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, welcome you to the Irish Hills of Michigan and the Michigan International Speedway for the 23rd race of the 2014 season, the PURE MICHIGAN 400! Among the principles for today's race....Phineas Flynn, the point leader; Jeremy Johnson, the winner here in June; and Tommy Pickles, he's never won here at Michigan. His mentor, Jeff Gordon, has won here 3 times (Note: I started this before the actual race started). Hello everyone, I'm Allen Bestwick. We'll check in with Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree a little later. First, let's head down trackside for the command.


Track Announcer: Race fans, it's time for the most famous words in motorsports! Please welcome the stars of the new movie 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', WILL ARNETT and MEGAN FOX!


Will Arnett and Megan Fox: DRIVERS! START! YOUR! ENGINES!


(43 850 horsepower engines fire up)


Allen Bestwick: Field roaring to life here at Michigan. We welcome in Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree. Dale, last week at the Glen, a ringer took the checkers. Rhonda's back this week at Michigan. Could we see lightning strike twice?

Dale Jarrett: It might just happen here, Allen. Question is....can this 14 team move from 27th to 1st in 400 miles?

Andy Petree: It will take the right mix of skill, strategy and luck to win here at Michigan and I just can't stress pit strategy enough here. I've seen one too many amazing runs fall by the wayside because of bad pit strategy.

Allen Bestwick: One guy who knows a thing or two about winning at Michigan is our In-Race Reporter, Jeremy Johnson. He's won at this track twice and as we take a look at the starting grid, let's ring him up, Dale!

Dale Jarrett: Jeremy, it's Dale Jarrett in the ESPN booth. You got me?


(IN-RACE REPORTER: Jeremy Johnson - 31)


Jeremy: 10-4, Dale. Come on back.

Dale Jarrett: Jeremy, you won here back in June. Did Candace think up any new tricks to help you pull off the season sweep?

Jeremy: Not unless you count using the same car we used here then as a trick.

Dale Jarrett: Got an ESPN Mailbag question for you. This one's from Tito in California. He asks:


With the recent rash of early cautions since the 2011 repave, surviving the first lap is key. How do you stay out of early trouble?


Jeremy: I usually just hang out towards the middle of the pack in the early laps, then make my move when we get later in the race, just like Daytona/Talladega. You have to be on your toes at all times. If not, your race could end on the hauler.


Dale Jarrett: 10-4. Good luck today, Jeremy.

Jeremy: 10-4, Dale.


Allen Bestwick: One to go this time, time for 'How Do You....', presented by KFC.


How Do You.....WIN AT MICHIGAN?

Survive the first lap
Manage the final stop
Manage the final laps


Allen Bestwick: Pace car is off, field now in the hands of Tommy Pickles as they come off of turn 4 headed for honorary starter Miguel Cabrera and the 23rd race of the 2014 Sprint Cup Series season, the Pure Michigan 400.....IS GREEN! AND RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, WE HAVE A CAUTION! That's the 18 of Joey Wheeler hard into the turn 2 wall! And the curse of the first lap continues here at Michigan, caution flag comes out.

Andy Petree: Now this all started in the entrance of turn 1, the 18 just stepped out heading for 2 and.....SLAP! Right into the wall he went.

Rusty Wallace: Story of this team's season. Good runs gone bad, I guess.

Allen Bestwick: 2 laps complete here at Michigan, under our first yellow of the race. We'll be back right after this, you're watching NASCAR on ESPN!


(RESTART: Lap 6 - 5 caution laps)


Allen Bestwick: Okay, let's try this again. GREEN FLAG OUT AT MICHIGAN AND TOMMY PICKLES TO THE FRONT!

Dale Jarrett: Looks like he slowed down a bit on that restart. Tristan Taylor, the 22, thought he had an advantage, but just couldn't jump in time.

Allen Bestwick: Under NASCAR rules, the leader has initial control of the restart. If the leader doesn't get going before start/finish, that's when the flagman takes control.

Andy Petree: And that 24 is taking full advantage of that rule. He was waiting, waiting, waiting on that flagman. That's his cue to get going.

Dale Jarrett: He just said.....'Not on my watch, Cyber-boy!'


(Lap 20 - Caution 2)


Allen Bestwick: Caution flag out for the 2nd time today, it's the scheduled competition caution to check tire wear after torrential rains hit the Irish Hills late last night. There was some fog here earlier, it has since cleared....but the pits are open and here comes everyone! We start with Jim Noble!


Jim Noble: 4 tires and fuel for Danny Fenton, no adjustments forthcoming for the 16 and he's away! Rick DeBruhl?

Rick DeBruhl: Jim, it will be just 2 tires for Otto Rocket, no adjustments for car 3 and he's away! John Kernan?

John Kernan: 4 tires and fuel for polesitter Tommy Pickles, chassis adjustment complete and he's away!


Top 10:

1. Otto Rocket (3) [2 tires]
2. Guy Hamdon (41) [2 tires]
3. Tommy Pickles (24)
4. Rhonda Lloyd (14)
5. Phineas Flynn (43)
6. Tristan Taylor (22)
7. Timmy Turner (20)
8. Nigel Uno (1)
9. Johnny Test (42)
10. Edd (4)


(RESTART: Lap 24 - 4 caution laps)


Allen Bestwick: Otto Rocket, Guy Hamdon, took only 2 tires that last stop. They'll lead the field to green as we put 24 laps on the board.....TROUBLE! Cindy Vortex spins in turn 1! She'll collect Peter Griffin, Spongebob Squarepants, Homer Simpson, Ash Ketchum....A WHOLE GAGGLE OF CARS CAUGHT UP IN THE MAYHEM! Caution out for the 3rd time today at lap 24.


Involved in wreck - Lap 24:


Peter Griffin (7)
Cindy Vortex (10)
Ash Ketchum (36)
Spongebob Squarepants (51)
Blossom (78)
Homer Simpson (83)


(RESTART: Lap 31 - 7 caution laps)


Allen Bestwick: 31 laps complete this time by, we go back to green flag racing....let's go FULL THROTTLE!


(Full Throttle graphic)


(Lap 97 - Caution 4)

Allen Bestwick: TROUBLE FOR JOHNNY TEST! HE HAS JUST SLAMMED THE TURN 3 WALL! Caution out for the 4th time just shy of halfway here at Michigan.

Dale Jarrett: His car's just burst into flames here, guys!

Andy Petree: HE BETTER GET OUT OF THERE.....NOW!

Allen Bestwick: Let's go back and see how this happened.....

Dale Jarrett: Lost an axle....

Andy Petree: Looks like a right rear axle blew out on the 42. He was having a good run, up inside the top 10 before that happened.

Allen Bestwick: Tough break for the young rookie from Sacramento. 98 laps complete, under caution again here in Michigan. We go NASCAR NONSTOP presented by THE MAZE RUNNER.


(NASCAR NONSTOP)


(RESTART: Lap 109 - 12 caution laps)


Allen Bestwick: An extended yellow for Johnny Test's wreck in turn 3, we go back to green at lap 109 and Otto Rocket back to the lead!

Andy Petree: Tommy Pickles, the 24 car, did NOT get that good a restart. Otto Rocket saw his chance and took full advantage of Pickles' miscue.

Rusty Wallace: A rare miscue by the 24 there, Andy, as you see Danny Fenton make a move on his teammate in the 17, Rudy Tabootie....that's for 10th place.

Allen Bestwick: He'll take Phineas Flynn in the 43 car with him! Flynn comes into Michigan as the points leader, he runs 11th, Otto Rocket leads, Tommy Pickles is 2nd, they're currently 2nd and 3rd in points. As they run, Phineas needs to pick up the pace if he wants to continue to lead the points as we head to Bristol next week.


(Lap 152 - Caution 5)


Allen Bestwick: 5th caution of the race has come out, this one for debris on the backstretch. There it is....pit stops are underway! Everyone's comin' in! We start with Rick DeBruhl!


Rick DeBruhl: Final stop of the day for Phineas Flynn. They're gonna take 4 tires and fuel, no adjustments for the 43 and he's away! Jamie Little?

Jamie Little: 4 tires and fuel for the 20 of Timmy Turner. He was busted for speeding on pit entry last stop, worked his way up to 8th before the yellow and he's away! Jim Noble?

Jim Noble: 4 tires and fuel for polesitter Tommy Pickles, no adjustments this time for the 24 and Pickles is away! Phineas Flynn will win a critical race off pit road!


Top 10:

1. Phineas Flynn (43)
2. Tommy Pickles (24)
3. Danny Fenton (16)
4. Kim Possible (88)
5. Timmy Turner (20)
6. Nigel Uno (1)
7. Otto Rocket (3)
8. Guy Hamdon (41)
9. Dudley Puppy (99)
10. Randy Cunningham (48)


(RESTART: Lap 156 - 4 caution laps)


Allen Bestwick: 44 laps to go this time by at Michigan as we go back to green flag racing and we go FULL THROTTLE with THE MAZE RUNNER!


(Full Throttle graphic)


(Lap 168 - Caution 6)


Allen Bestwick: HARD INTO THE WALL GOES HOAGIE GILLIGAN! Caution out for the 6th time today, 32 laps to go here at Michigan. We go NASCAR NONSTOP presented by Valvoline.


(NASCAR NONSTOP)



(RESTART: Lap 173 - 5 caution laps)


Allen Bestwick: 27 laps to go here in Michigan, green flag back out......TROUBLE TURN 1! That's Vince Lasalle in the 55! Caution out for the 7th time today. Guy Hamdon, Tristan Taylor stay on the racetrack! We'll take some time to remind you that up next for both the Nationwide and Cup Series is a trip to Bristol. Nationwide Series goes off Friday Night, 7 Eastern on ESPN. Saturday, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads for Bristol, that's gonna be on ABC. All race coverage starts at 7 PM Eastern that weekend with NASCAR COUNTDOWN. After today, just 3 races will remain in the Race to the Chase. We take a look at our remaining schedule:


8/23 - Bristol (7 PM - ABC)
8/31 - Atlanta (7 PM - ESPN)
9/6 - Richmond (7 PM - ABC)
9/14 - Chicago (1 PM - ABC)
9/21 - Loudon (12 PM - ABC)
9/28 - Dover (12 PM - ABC)
10/5 - Kansas (1 PM - ABC)
10/11 - Charlotte (7 PM - ABC)
10/19 - Talladega (12 PM - ABC)
10/26 - Martinsville (12 PM - ABC)
11/2 - Texas (2 PM - ABC)
11/8 - Phoenix (7 PM - ABC)
11/16 - Homestead-Miami (2 PM - ABC)


(RESTART: Lap 177 - 4 caution laps)


Allen Bestwick: Guy Hamdon, Tristan Taylor stayed out during that last caution. They make up the front row as we go back green with 23 laps to go in Michigan!

Andy Petree: Hamdon got a little loose on the exit of turn 2, gonna get freight trained here pretty quickly, Dale.

Dale Jarrett: That car's comin' apart at the seams, guys. Got a caution!

Allen Bestwick: Caution for debris from the 41 car. It's our 8th of the afternoon, coming with 23 laps to go here in Michigan. Phineas Flynn got by both Hamdon and Taylor and now has the race lead. He'll be the control car for the restart. Now, this is the same car that he won the Brickyard with. He took the lead of that race for the final time with 2 to go. He takes the lead here with 23 to go. The final restart at the Brickyard came with 2 to go. We'll restart here with 17 to go. You guys think we're done with cautions here?

Dale Jarrett: Not by a longshot, Allen.


(RESTART: Lap 183 - 6 caution laps)


Allen Bestwick: 17 laps to go this time by, GREEN FLAG IN THE AIR.....CAR IN THE WALL, TURN 1! That's the 17 of Rudy Tabootie! Caution will fly for the 9th time this afternoon with 17 laps to go and from the looks of things....looks like the 17 had a little help. Let's go back, look at this again.

Dale Jarrett: This is coming to green....

Andy Petree: That's the 9 of Ferb Fletcher. Got into the back of the 17, got him a little loose and sent him into the turn 1 wall.

Allen Bestwick: Tabootie was running 14th before he wrecked out.


(Lap 194 - RED FLAG)


Allen Bestwick: 6 laps to go here in Michigan, under the red flag....for rain. There's now a severe thunderstorm warning out for the Irish Hills region and we're now getting word that NASCAR has just made this race official. PHINEAS FLYNN HAS JUST WON HIS 5TH RACE OF 2014! There you see the celebration already going on....Phineas's girlfriend and crew chief, Isabella Garcia-Shapiro with him. There's his sister, Candace Flynn, crew chief on Jeremy Johnson's 31 car. Dr. Jerry Punch is with Phineas Flynn.


Dr. Jerry Punch: Phineas Flynn, your 5th win of the year....not the way you wanted to win it, I'm sure.


Phineas: Not the way I wanted to win one, but you take a win any way you can in this new points system. Sure, this is a dishonest and devious way to win....but it's a win, so I'll take it. We've got the edge going to Bristol, let's keep it that way!


Dr. Jerry Punch: Advantage to Phineas Flynn! He's your winner at Michigan!


After the interview with Dr. Jerry Punch, Isabella pulls Phineas close to her, kisses him and tells him....


Isabella: I have a surprise for you, Phineas!



That'll wrap up the Pure Michigan 400! Here's how they finished:


1. Phineas Flynn (43)
2. Otto Rocket (3)
3. Tommy Pickles (24)
4. Danny Fenton (16)
5. Kim Possible (88)
6. Randy Cunningham (48)
7. Edd (4)
8. Rhonda Lloyd (14)
9. Timmy Turner (20)
10. Dudley Puppy (99)
11. Abigail Lincoln (5)
12. Hoagie Gilligan (2)
13. Joey Wheeler (18)
14. Nigel Uno (1)
15. Ashley Armbruster (15)
16. Yugi Moto (11)
17. Tristan Taylor (22)
18. Jeremy Johnson (31)
19. Hank Hill (23)
20. Ben Tennyson (47)
21. Ed (27)
22. Nikki Wong (13)
23. Arnold Shortman (37)
24. Guy Hamdon (41)
25. Ferb Fletcher (9)
26. Storm Shadow (21)
27. Vince Lasalle (55)
28. Rudy Tabootie (17) (DNF: Accident)
29. Johnny Test (42) (DNF: Accident)
30. Sokka (38) (DNF: Overheating)
31. Aang (35) (DNF: Overheating)
32. Katara (34) (DNF: Drive Train)
33. Eddy (66) (DNF: Engine)
34. Peter Griffin (7) (DNF: Accident)
35. Cindy Vortex (10) (DNF: Accident)
36. Ash Ketchum (36) (DNF: Accident)
37. Spongebob Squarepants (51) (DNF: Accident)
38. Blossom (78) (DNF: Accident)
39. Homer Simpson (83) (DNF: Accident)
40. Virgil Hawkins (32) (DNF: Transmission)
41. Eric Cartman (26) (DNF: Transmission)
42. Brad Carbunkle (30) (DNF: Electrical)
43. Daria Morgendorffer (87) (DNF: Engine)


Points (after 23 of 36 races):

1. Phineas Flynn - 935 points (5 wins)
2. Tommy Pickles - 925 points (1 win)
3. Otto Rocket - 896 points (2 wins)
4. Danny Fenton - 871 points (2 wins)
4. Timmy Turner - 855 points (3 wins)
6. Kim Possible - 841 points (2 wins)
7. Edd - 745 points
8. Randy Cunningham - 732 points (1 win)
9. Kick Buttowski - 720 points (1 win)
10. Abigail Lincoln - 712 points
11. Nigel Uno - 699 points
12. Dudley Puppy - 679 points
13. Guy Hamdon - 678 points (1 win)
14. Ashley Armbruster - 671 points (1 win)
15. Hoagie Gilligan - 652 points (1 win)
16. Johnny Test - 635 points (1 win)
17. Jeremy Johnson - 633 points (1 win)
18. Yugi Moto - 632 points
19. Joey Wheeler - 625 points
20. Ben Tennyson - 594 points (1 win)
21. Tristan Taylor - 576 points
22. Cindy Vortex - 466 points
23. Ferb Fletcher - 463 points (1 win)
24. Nikki Wong - 443 points
25. Rudy Tabootie - 416 points
26. Vince Lasalle - 416 points
27. Hank Hill - 402 points
28. Storm Shadow - 377 points
29. Blossom - 375 points
30. Arnold Shortman - 371 points
31. Ash Ketchum - 369 points
32. Ed - 365 points
33. Eddy - 244 points
34. Homer Simpson - 243 points
35. Spongebob Squarepants - 240 points
36. Brad Carbunkle - 231 points
37. Eric Cartman - 231 points
38. Aang - 226 points
39. Sokka - 218 points
40. Katara - 213 points
41. Peter Griffin - 170 points
42. Virgil Hawkins - 153 points
43. Daria Morgendorffer - 79 points


Next Race: SHARPIE 500


SEE YOU IN BRISTOL!