High-drag package disappoints at Michigan

Kenseth leads

NASCAR's high-drag aerodynamic package got its second race test Sunday in the Pure Michigan 400, and post-race reactions from drivers ranged from guarded approval to muffled disappointment. Matt Kenseth won the race in dominant fashion, leading 146 of the 200 laps. He was rarely challenged at the front. Most significant passing in the top 10 was done on the first few laps after a restart.

The high-drag package was used for the first time at Indianapolis last month and had little impact on improving passing opportunities. The most definitive post-race answers Sunday came from Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, both of whom avoided criticizing the package but said a lot in saying not very much. Asked what he thought of the package results, Logano said, "What did you think?"

Told there wasn't much passing, he said, "That's what I thought, too." Asked if he wanted to see the package tried again, Logano simply said, "No." Keselowski also wouldn't comment specifically on Sunday's results. "It's not my deal, man," he said. "It's not my right to say. It's not my sport, so whatever they want to do, we'll race it. That's my job. I think we saw almost exactly what everybody thought we'd see. I'll let you guys (media) judge whether that was good or bad." NASCAR communications official David Higdon said NASCAR will look at data from Sunday's race, along with other aero package tests, and take input from drivers.

Kevin Harvick finished second but passed up the opportunity to comment directly when asked about the rules package. Denny Hamlin, who finished fifth and failed to lead a lap, had a mixed review. "It's not what I would prefer, obviously," he said. "Passing is very, very difficult; there's no doubt about it. I think there's light at the end of the tunnel. I think we've seen what's best. Hopefully, these NASCAR fans get what they want in the future." Martin Truex Jr. finished third but said he would have had a shot at winning under different circumstances. "We could run anybody down and get to them," he said. "But it took a long time to pass cars. It was just so damn hard to pass. I could run a guy down from way back and get to him and about spin out." USA Today