Previewing the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway
NOTE: Due to heavy rain, the conclusion of the FireKeepers Casino 400 has been moved to Monday, August 19 at 11 AM ET.
Read more by clicking here.
When the race resumes, it will continue to be televised on USA Network and the NBC Sports App while MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will continue to provide the radio broadcast of the event.
After the excitement, drama, and controversy at Richmond Raceway one week ago, the NASCAR Cup Series makes its lone trip of the 2024 season to Michigan International Speedway for the FireKeepers Casino 400.
Here is a look at some of the storylines going into Sunday's race.
FireKeepers Casino 400
Date: Monday, August 19
Track: Michigan International Speedway (Brooklyn, Michigan)
Time: 11 a.m. ET
TV: USA Network
Starting Lineup
Pos | Car | Driver |
|---|---|---|
1 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
2 | 45 | Tyler Reddick |
3 | 20 | Christopher Bell |
4 | 5 | Kyle Larson |
5 | 23 | Bubba Wallace |
6 | 9 | Chase Elliott |
7 | 1 | Ross Chastain |
8 | 12 | Ryan Blaney |
9 | 24 | William Byron |
10 | 3 | Austin Dillon |
11 | 77 | Carson Hocevar |
12 | 99 | Daniel Suarez |
13 | 8 | Kyle Busch |
14 | 22 | Joey Logano |
15 | 6 | Brad Keselowski |
16 | 4 | Josh Berry |
17 | 34 | Michael McDowell |
18 | 17 | Chris Buescher |
19 | 54 | Ty Gibbs |
20 | 38 | Todd Gilliland |
21 | 14 | Chase Briscoe |
22 | 48 | Alex Bowman |
23 | 2 | Austin Cindric |
24 | 19 | Martin Truex, Jr. |
25 | 10 | Noah Gragson |
26 | 41 | Ryan Preece |
27 | 71 | Zane Smith |
28 | 43 | Erik Jones |
29 | 51 | Justin Haley |
30 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. |
31 | 7 | Corey LaJoie |
32 | 31 | Daniel Hemric |
33 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek |
34 | 21 | Harrison Burton |
35 | 16 | A.J. Allmendinger |
36 | 15 | Cody Ware |
Weekend Schedule
Saturday, August 17
Time | Session | TV |
|---|---|---|
12:35 p.m. ET | Practice | USA |
1:20 p.m. ET | Qualifying | USA |
Sunday, August 18
Time | Session | TV |
|---|---|---|
2:30 p.m. ET | FireKeepers Casino 400 | USA |
Monday, August 19
Time | Session | TV |
|---|---|---|
11:00 a.m. ET | Resumption of FireKeepers Casino 400 | USA |
After Richmond Fallout, Austin Dillon Still Seeking Playoff Berth
The NASCAR world was abuzz one week ago following the conclusion of the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway. Austin Dillon, driving the No. 3 for Richard Childress Racing, collided with both leader Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the final lap to claim the victory in that event.
This was absolutely one of the most chaotic finishes I have ever seen in my years of watching #NASCAR. What do you think about this?! pic.twitter.com/L903Ao4Two
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) August 12, 2024
Following the controversial ending, NASCAR officials announced Wednesday that Austin Dillon will remain the winner of the event, but will not receive an automatic berth in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for that victory.
Additionally, Dillon was penalized 25 championship points, dropping from 26th to 31st in the driver standings. While Richard Childress Racing has indicated it will appeal NASCAR’s ruling, Dillon has three more chances to win his way back into the playoff conversation, starting this Saturday at Michigan.
Playoff Battle Intensifying as End of Regular Season Nears
With three races remaining before the NASCAR Playoffs begin, there is a heated battle for the final playoff berths.
Currently, 12 drivers have earned playoff spots with wins during the 2024 season, leaving four spots open in the field of 16. Four drivers are within 18 points of each other battling to stay above the cutline.
Martin Truex, Jr. enters Michigan 78 points above the cutline, giving him some breathing room. However, one bad race could put him right in the thick of this playoff battle.
Behind him, fellow Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs is only 18 points clear off the cutoff. Gibbs is 15 points ahead of Bubba Wallace and 18 points ahead of Chris Buescher and Ross Chastain. Buescher currently holds the advantage over Chastain for the 16th and final playoff spot via tiebreaker.
Of course, all it takes is one driver near or below the bubble to completely shuffle the deck. As the defending winner of the event, Buescher is a legitimate threat to punch his playoff ticket with a win on Sunday.
Feeling The Need for Speed at Michigan
The two-mile Michigan International Speedway has long been one of the fastest circuits on the NASCAR schedule. Opened in 1968 and repaved in 2012, the wide, sweeping corners create some of the fastest unrestricted racing of the season. In the Next Gen era, Michigan has been the site of the fastest pole speed each year to date.
Unfortunately, that trend did not get a chance to continue on Saturday, as qualifying was rained out and the field set by NASCAR's performance metric. However, Ross Chastain set the fastest lap on an abbreviated practice session Saturday at an average speed of 192.303 miles per hour. Currently, the fastest pole speed of the season belongs to Kyle Larson, with an average speed of 190.369 miles per hour at Texas Motor Speedway in April. Last year, Christopher Bell claimed the pole at Michigan with an average speed of 193.382 miles per hour.
Battling for The Michigan Heritage Trophy
While many of NASCAR’s teams are based in the Charlotte, North Carolina area, the NASCAR Cup Series events at Michigan International Speedway are often viewed as “home races” for the sport’s manufacturers. With the Motor City of Detroit located a little more than an hour away, there are always plenty of eyes on these races.
This spirited competition even led to the creation of the Heritage Trophy in 2013, awarded to the top finishing OEM in NASCAR Cup Series events at Michigan. In the last nine races, the Heritage Trophy has gone back to the Ford headquarters in Dearborn, a streak dating back to 2018.
Last year, it was Chris Buescher of RFK Racing winning the FireKeepers Casino 400. Kevin Harvick, who retired following the 2023 NASCAR season, scored five of those nine wins, including three consecutive victories over the course of 2019 and 2020.
Hey #Ford fans, the Michigan Heritage Trophy is staying home. And that’s another Mustang in the playoffs! @KevinHarvick @StewartHaasRcng @MISpeedway pic.twitter.com/sO3vz7CfMj
— Ford Performance (@FordPerformance) August 8, 2022
ZACH EVANS