2017 Michigan 250 Race Results – Last Lap Win for Hamlin
By Alex Herbst
Fighting on the final lap with a Xfinity Series rookie, Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag with a final corner pass in the Michigan 250 on Saturday.
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The speed and challenges of the Irish Hills of Michigan are not for the faint of heart. On Saturday, the young racers of the NASCAR Xfinity Series tackled the two-mile oval in the backyard of America’s biggest automakers. But instead, it was a foreign power led by a Cup Series regular making a last lap pass for victory in the Michigan 250.
Denny Hamlin, who had not earned a victory at any level of NASCAR in 2017 up to this weekend, took home the checkered flag in the #20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. He fought past young rookie William Byron, who took the lead inside ten laps to go, for the closest victory in series history at Michigan International Speedway. Byron is still seeking his first career Xfinity win in just his first year with JR Motorsports.
Elliott Sadler came home third on the day, followed by Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch rounding out the top five. Busch likely had the most adventurous day of the drivers in the top ten at the end of the day, after early contact with Brad Keselowski sent him into the wall and eventually sideways. Fortunately for him, his #18 team helped repair the car and get him competitive once again by the end of the race.
Busch was not the only one to find trouble at MIS on Saturday. A multi-car crash on the backstretch near halfway eliminated drivers including Michael Annett, Ben Kennedy, and JJ Yeley, who had all been running strongly in the top 20.
Here are the full results from the Michigan 250 for the Xfinity Series:
- Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- William Byron, Chevrolet, JR Motorsports
- Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, JR Motorsports
- Brad Keselowski, Ford, Team Penske
- Kyle Busch, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Paul Menard, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Ryan Reed, Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing
- Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Cole Custer, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
- Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing
- Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing
- Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, RSS Racing
- Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, JR Motorsports
- Blake Koch, Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing
- Spencer Gallagher, Chevrolet, GMS Racing
- Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, JD Motorsports
- Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, JGL Racing
- David Starr, Chevrolet, B.J. McLeod Motorsports
- Harrison Rhodes, Chevrolet, JD Motorsports
- Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, Jeremy Clements Racing
- Dylan Lupton, Toyota, JGL Racing
- Joey Gase, Chevrolet, Means Racing
- Matt Tifft, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, MBM Racing
- Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, B.J. McLeod Motorsports
- Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, JD Motorsports
- B.J. McLeod, Chevrolet, B.J. McLeod Motorsports
- Korbin Forrister, Chevrolet, SS-Green Light Racing
- Mike Harmon, Dodge, Harmon Racing
- Brandon Brown, Chevrolet, King Autosport
- Josh Williams, Chevrolet, King Autosport
- Jeff Green, Chevrolet, RSS Racing
- Ben Kennedy, Chevrolet, GMS Racing
- Mochael Annett, Chevrolet, JR Motorsports
- JJ Yeley, Toyota, Tri-Star Motorsports
- Timmy Hill, Toyota, MBM Racing
- Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Shepherd Racing Ventures
Next: Sam Hornish Jr. to Race in Select Xfinity Series Races
The next race for the Xfinity Series is the first standalone race of 2017, and also the final race of the Fox Sports portion of the television schedule. Coverage of the American Ethanol E15 250 from Iowa Speedway can be seen Saturday, June 24th at 8:30 PM eastern live on FS1.