NASCAR exec: No major changes to be made to car

BROOKLYN, Mich.

NASCAR president Mike Helton said there won't be "a major change" to the car any time soon.

His comments came Saturday, a day after Dale Earnhardt Jr. implored series officials to fix the Car of Tomorrow and improve the racing.

"I think where we are right now, the consensus in the garage area, which leads us to our consensus, is that there's not going to be a major change," Helton told The Associated Press.

Helton noted major changes would cost teams more money.

"Urgency could create more havoc or more expenses that we don't need," Helton said. "And, oh, by the way, I'd make the argument that the racing we've got on the race track is as good as I've seen it in a long time. "

Earnhardt's comments reminded Helton of what Dale Earnhardt Sr. would say to series officials when he was struggling.

"Man, I'd like to change something right now because I'd like to change my own performance," Helton recalled. "And I think that's what (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) was talking about."

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Edwards keeping his eye on the big picture

Carl Edwards enters today's race still searching for his first Cup victory of the season, but that doesn't concern him as much as it might others.

"The mission, right now, as much as people would like to write the story... I'm way more interested in being in the Chase and winning the championship," said Edwards, who's sixth in the points. "That's the key. So, if we get the wins, we get 'em."

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A breakthrough coming for pole-sitter Vickers?

Pole-sitter Brian Vickers' winless streak is at 100 races. The question is if this will be the day he wins for the first time since his Talladega victory in 2006 and climbs closer to making the Chase?

"I know we can get in the Chase, but that doesn't mean we will," he said. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us, and we can't make any mistakes. We've made our fair share this year on pit road or engines or track or whatever. That's the reason that we're in the position we're in. "

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Nationwide race decided by keselowski's late pass

Brad Keselowski swooped past Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch to take the lead in the final turn Saturday, then held on to win the Nationwide series race at Michigan International Speedway.

Keselowski took two tires on his final pit stop, then took advantage of a furious battle for the lead between Vickers and Busch on the last lap.

Vickers finished second and Busch third.