| At the ongoing Nextel Cup Series, Chevrolets have | | | | driver to post a win at the circuit is Jeff Gordon |
| been dominating by winning thirteen out of the | | | | when he took the win on June 10, 2001. For eleven |
| fourteen point races so far. This domination is what | | | | races, either a Dodge or a Ford car has won at the |
| Ford, Dodge and Toyota are planning to challenge at | | | | track in Michigan. This means that the struggling |
| the upcoming Citizens Bank 400 which is scheduled to | | | | Toyota teams will have to contend with Chevrolet's |
| take place on the 17th of this month at the Michigan | | | | domination as well as history being on the side of |
| International Speedway. While the speedway will be | | | | Dodge and Ford and both of which call Michigan their |
| held at the hotbed of the Big Three, so far, | | | | home. |
| Chevrolet cars remain to be the only car to beat this | | | | The only non-Chevy car to win a race this season is |
| season. | | | | the Ford driven by Matt Kenseth at the Auto Club |
| Aside from winning all but one race this season, the | | | | 500 - the second race of the season held at the |
| Chevrolet Impalas have taken most of the top five | | | | California Speedway. After that race, Chevrolet has |
| finishes in all races. The domination of Chevrolet cars | | | | affirmed its dominance by winning all races and taking |
| in this year's Nextel Cup Series is apparent in the fact | | | | numerous top five finishes. "Certainly we realize |
| that the top twelve spots in the standings are | | | | there's a little work to do to be a contender for a |
| occupied mostly by Chevrolet teams. In fact, out of | | | | win every week like (Gordon) and some of them |
| the twelve drivers leading the season, ten are driving | | | | guys," says Kenseth. |
| Chevrolet Impalas. | | | | Meanwhile, Gordon is keen to extend Chevrolet's |
| The leader, Jeff Gordon, racing for Hendrick | | | | winning streak on board his Chevy Impala, the |
| Motorsports, is driving a Chevrolet. This goes true for | | | | performance of which can be likened to a Chevy light |
| Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton, Tony | | | | truck with a Chevrolet pickup throttle body assembly. |
| Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, | | | | "We've been competitive almost every race," says |
| Martin Truex Jr., and Mark Martin. The only | | | | Gordon. "When we weren't, we either worked really |
| non-Chevrolet driver to place in the top twelve are | | | | hard on the car throughout the race and made it |
| Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards - both driving a Ford. | | | | better, or my crew chief, Steve Letarte, made the |
| "We've had a great start to the year, but we want | | | | right call in the pits to give us a shot at the win or a |
| to carry it up to and through the Chase", says Jeff | | | | good finish." |
| Gordon. The co-owner of Hendrick Motorsports, | | | | Meanwhile, Dodge's hope of breaking the dominance |
| Gordon is currently tied with teammate Jimmie | | | | of Chevrolet was strengthened by Dodge Charger |
| Johnson in number of victories this season. Johnson is | | | | driver Ryan Newman who posted back-to-back |
| last year's winner of the Nextel Cup Series. | | | | second place finishes. Mike Accavitti, the Dodge brand |
| Dodge and Ford drivers though have history on their | | | | director, has this to say: "We're not going to count |
| side. Since 2001, no Chevrolet car has won a race at | | | | on breaks. We're going to count on performance, and |
| the Michigan International Speedway. The last Chevy | | | | our performance is improving. |