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NASCAR Michigan live updates: Rain delays start of today's race; Denny Hamlin on pole
By Ellen J. Horrow, USA TODAY,
3 hours ago
The NASCAR Cup Series hits Michigan International Speedway for the first time this season for what should be an exciting race on the fast 2-mile oval.
Michigan marks the 24th race this season, and only two more races remain after Sunday before the 16-driver playoff field is set. Four playoff berths are still up for grabs, giving winless drivers three weekends, including today, to clinch an automatic berth with a victory. With 12 playoff spots already locked up, at least one driver is assured of making the playoffs on points even if three new winners emerge in these last three regular season races.
USA TODAY Sports will have full coverage of today’s FireKeepers Casino 400. Follow along for all the latest updates, highlights and results from Michigan.
Denny Hamlin, front right, and Ryan Blaney, front left, race side by side during the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Aug 6, 2023. Mike Dinovo, USA TODAY Sports
The rain has picked up at Michigan International Speedway, continuing to delay the start of today's FireKeepers Casino 400 NASCAR Cup Series race. Jet dryers and Air Titans have been employed on the oval to dry the track, and drivers have climbed out of their cars, which are covered on pit road.
After cars had taken a couple of pace laps around Michigan International Speeedway to get ready to take the green flag for the FireKeepers Casino 400, NASCAR officials ordered the cars to come back to pit road as light rain began falling in the area, delaying the start of the race.
What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan start?
The FireKeepers Casino 400 starts at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan.
What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan on?
USA Network is broadcasting the FireKeepers Casino 400 and has a pre-race show beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan?
The FireKeepers Casino 400 can be live streamed on the NBCSports website and the NBC Sports app. The race is also available to stream on Fubo .
There's a decent chance of rain being a factor at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.
It will be mostly cloudy and humid throughout the afternoon, with a 55% chance of rain and possible thunderstorms, according to the AccuWeather forecast.
Winds will be out of the north-northwest at 9 mph, with gusts to 18 mph.
The FireKeepers Casino 400 is 200 laps around the 2-mile track for a total of 400 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) – Stage 1: 45 laps; Stage 2: 75 laps; Stage 3: 80 laps.
Denny Hamlin, in his No. 11 Toyota, posted the fastest time in Saturday’s qualifying and will start on the pole Sunday in the FireKeepers Casino 400. Tyler Reddick, in his No. 45 Toyota, will also start on the front row as Toyota drivers claimed four of the top five spots in qualifying.
Chris Buescher led 52 laps, including the final 12, before edging Martin Truex Jr. by a miniscule 0.152 seconds on Aug. 7, 2023 for his second of three wins last season. Buescher, who is winless in 2024, is currently ranked 13th in the drivers standings and on the bubble to make the playoffs.
Three races remain in the regular season, including Sunday’s race at Michigan, with four playoff berths still available. A win locks up a playoff spot, but a few drivers could still make the playoffs on points.
2024 winners (points in parentheses): Kyle Larson 4 (779); Denny Hamlin 3 (758); Christopher Bell 3 (701); William Byron 3 (678); Ryan Blaney 2 (702); Tyler Reddick 1 (774); Chase Elliott 1 (773); Brad Keselowski 1 (636); Alex Bowman 1 (615); Joey Logano 1 (557); Daniel Suarez 1 (497); Austin Cindric 1 (451); Austin Dillon (319) – Dillon lost his automatic playoff berth.
If no other winless drivers reach victory lane in the next three races, these are the drivers who are in position to make the playoffs on points – before Sunday’s race at Michigan:
13. Martin Truex Jr.: 662 points, +78 above the cutline
14. Ty Gibbs: 602 points, +18 above the cutline
15. Bubba Wallace: 587 points, +3 above the cutline
The 10-race, 16-driver NASCAR playoffs begin Sept. 8 with the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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