Michigan is a driver's track; Buddy Baker was a treasure

— -- Competing at Michigan International Speedway was always a favorite of mine.

A 2-mile track, several lanes wide, no restrictor plate, what's not to like?

From a driver's perspective, this track represents what you love about competing in a race car.

All elements apply: handling, horsepower, drafting, even contact.

Speeds exceeding 200 mph test your courage lap after lap entering Turn 1. Knowing you need be full throttle midturn tests your will exiting Turn 2. Turn 3 is the most sensitive as it has a more abrupt angle entering. Exiting Turn 4 seems the easiest part of the lap, as the turn angles in your favor toward the frontstretch.

With that said, scraping the wall at late exit is an easy, and common, occurrence.

Enjoying any track depends heavily on having a predictable car that responds to your inputs. Without that, instead of you driving the car, the car drives you ... not an enjoyable experience anywhere, but particularly miserable at a track this size.

Which leads us to this: this race marks NASCAR's second attempt at the high-drag package used a few weeks back at Indianapolis. The 2015 debut of this package satisfied few of its participants at the flat 2.5-mile Indy track, but this weekend's course offers a different dynamic, and perhaps more exciting results.

What to watch for

?  Can drivers run full throttle through the turns on new tires?

?  How volatile will restarts be because of the dirty air (turbulence) created from the 9-inch rear spoilers of 43 cars?

?  Will the second lane provide opportunities with this package that didn't exist at the narrow Indianapolis track?

?  Which manufacturer benefits most from this rules package, as I expect the wind tunnels have been occupied nonstop the past few weeks? There's always a greater emphasis on this race because it's held so near the headquarters of Ford and General Motors.

Who wins?

Kevin Harvick: Fast cars like fast tracks. Kevin and the No. 4 Chevy have been much better than the two wins suggest.

The defending champ is closing in on a second consecutive 2,000-laps-led season.

That's a monumental accomplishment, and indicative of the speed he has demonstrated the past 18 months. That speed will pay dividends Sunday.

Three keys

Fuel mileage: It has been the theme the past two weeks, why should this be any different?

This track typically has fewer cautions, and often has stretches of long green-flag runs. Once again, saving fuel might reward you more than burning it.

Manage your temperature: I expect cars to run hot and drivers to be hot.

The 9-inch spoiler and resulting drafting affect might starve engines of the trailing cars of cool air through the grille. Engines get taxed enough under any circumstances at this track.

Operating at high temps, or the risk of boiling and losing water, is an element drivers must be aware of all race long. Drivers also run the risk of being preoccupied with temps inside the car. This was an issue at Indy, and, although NASCAR has offered more support in granting additional air vents, will it be enough to keep drivers from being distracted by the heat?

Mastering the restarts: Restarts will more than likely have an effect on the outcome of this race.

Knowing when to be patient, when to attempt a block or when to be ultra-assertive at the drop of each green flag will be critical to your chances of winning.

The Bottom Line

You couldn't meet a more sincere, genuine person than Buddy Baker. That was my experience when I first shook hands with the "Gentle Giant" 25 years ago.

It was the very early innings of my career in the office of Dick Moroso, who had recently lost his son Rob to a highway auto accident. Buddy stopped in to say hi to Dick, although it felt much more as though he was checking in on him, the same way you would check on a family member experiencing a loss.

Buddy was in the very late innings of his driving a race car, and -- as I was there preparing for my first Winston Cup race -- the moment felt a bit awkward because of each of us being at different ends of our careers.

What I remember most about that encounter was Buddy never made me feel out of place or not welcome.

In spite of the fact that we had never met and that I was living in New Hampshire and didn't sound like a Southern race car driver, Buddy acknowledged and accepted me as one.

By the time the day ended, Buddy said to me as we are leaving, with his arm around my neck: "If you have questions, call me. if you need help ask. Be careful, and good luck."

I'd had many people say this along the way, Buddy meant it.

As I've gotten older, I put more emphasis on sincerity when evaluating people's directives, advice or compliments.

Buddy Baker left an impression on me the number of times I had been with or around him or had discussions.

Buddy was a hell of a race car driver, and a sincere human being.