Rain Postpones Finish of NASCAR Cup Race at Michigan to Monday at 11AM ET
The finish of the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway will not come on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. Due to heavy rain, the conclusion of the race has been moved to Monday, August 19 at 11 AM ET. 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 a weather delay of several hours to start the day, Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway did eventually go green as polesitter Denny Hamlin led the field to the green flag in his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry XSE.
However, Hamlin's lead wouldn't last for very long as Kyle Larson would work his way to the front from the fourth starting spot to lead the opening lap of the race. Larson, in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, would lead the opening 34 laps of the race.
Larson was unable to shake Hamlin, but as Hamlin and Larson were fighting tooth-and-nail for the race lead, Bubba Wallace snookered both drivers by diving to the inside heading into Turn 1 on Lap 35 to take the lead with a thrilling three-wide move.
Bubba Wallace PASSED THEM BOTH.
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 18, 2024
He rockets to the race lead past Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/oqYNDJTNsO
With Wallace now in the lead, it appeared that the driver of the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota Camry XSE would cruise to his second Stage Win in his last three starts. Then, on Lap 38, the caution flag would fly for Hamlin who was running second to Wallace.
On the exit of Turn 4, Hamlin had a massive run on Wallace, but as he worked his way through the turn Hamlin's car lost downforce in the wake of air behind Wallace's car. That aerodynamic inbalance caused Hamlin to lose control of his car, and he would veer to the inside of the track.
Fortunately, Hamlin would avoid colliding with the wall and his fellow competitors, but he would take a trip through the infield grass.
DENNY HAMLIN SPINS RACING FOR THE LEAD!
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 18, 2024
📺 : USA Network | #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/msvPvPdDgG
While the majority of the field would pit under the caution for Hamlin's spin, Ryan Blaney led a group of five drivers, who remained on the track ahead of Chase Elliott, who had won the race off of pit road. Blaney would hold off a hard-charging Elliott for the Stage 1 win in a three lap shootout.
While the field turned laps behind the pace car under the caution for the end of Stage 1, a massive chunk of rain clouds engulfed Turns 3 and 4 at Michigan International Speedway. In order to prevent the screaming pack of cars from being on the track when the inevitable rain would fall, NASCAR called the competitors back to pit road, where the race would be red-flagged.
Minutes later, the skies opened up, and rain drenched the track surface. With a pre-determined finish time of 8:20 PM ET, and the time necessary to dry the 2-mile racetrack, NASCAR had no chance but to pull the plug on finishing the race on Sunday.
When the race does resume on Monday, Chase Elliott will be scored the leader of the race as he stayed on track while Stage 1 winner Ryan Blaney hit pit road. Here is the current running order as the race stands at Lap 51:
TOBY CHRISTIE