Persistent rain has led to the postponement of the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Initially delayed by two hours, the race began but was soon interrupted, and after completing only 51 of the scheduled 200 laps, officials decided to red-flag the event. The race has now been rescheduled for Monday.

The race kicked off with Denny Hamlin in pole position, but it was Kyle Larson who quickly took the lead. The dynamics shifted rapidly as Bubba Wallace surged ahead, overtaking both Larson and Hamlin, the latter of whom encountered trouble on Lap 38 at Turn 4.

Attempting a risky move to reclaim his position, Hamlin spun out, triggering the first caution of the race. Reflecting on his error, Hamlin conveyed his regrets over the team radio, stating, “Sorry about that, Chris (Gabehart). Should have taken what I had.”

Ultimately, Ryan Blaney emerged victorious in stage one. The top ten positions saw Chase Elliott, William Byron, Wallace, and Buescher closely following Blaney, with Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, and Ross Chastain completing the leading group.

Michigan International Speedway
A general view of cars parked and covered during a weather delay prior to the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 18, 2024 in Brooklyn, Michigan. FireKeepers Casino…


Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Conditions deteriorated shortly thereafter, leading to worsening weather and an unstoppable downpour that forced officials to postpone the remainder of the event. At the time of the postponement, all 36 drivers were still in contention, with Chase Elliott leading the pack.

The interrupted race is slated to continue on Monday shortly after 11am EST, with hopes pinned on more favorable weather conditions. With 51 laps completed, the race will resume where it left off.

NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400: Stage 1 Results

  1. Ryan Blaney
  2. Chase Elliott
  3. William Byron
  4. Bubba Wallace
  5. Chris Buescher
  6. Kyle Busch
  7. Brad Keselowski
  8. Martin Truex Jr
  9. Alex Bowman
  10. Ross Chastain
  11. Daniel Suárez
  12. Tyler Reddick
  13. Chase Briscoe
  14. Kyle Larson
  15. Christopher Bell
  16. Joey Logano
  17. Corey LaJoie
  18. AJ Allmendinger
  19. Ty Gibbs
  20. Noah Gragson
  21. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
  22. Denny Hamlin
  23. Erik Jones
  24. Todd Gilliland
  25. Daniel Hemric
  26. Cody Ware
  27. Austin Cindric
  28. Justin Haley
  29. Ryan Preece
  30. John H. Nemechek
  31. Harrison Burton
  32. Zane Smith
  33. Carson Hocevar
  34. Michael McDowell
  35. Austin Dillon
  36. Josh Berry

NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400: Line-up After 51 Laps

  1. Chase Elliott
  2. Martin Truex
  3. Bubba Wallace
  4. Alex Bowman
  5. Tyler Reddick
  6. Kyle Busch
  7. Kyle Larson
  8. Ross Chastain
  9. Chase Briscoe
  10. Joey Logano
  11. Christopher Bell
  12. AJ Allmendinger
  13. Corey LaJoie
  14. Noah Gragson
  15. Ricky Stenhouse
  16. Todd Gilliland
  17. Denny Hamlin
  18. Daniel Hemric
  19. Cody Ware
  20. John Hunter Nemechek
  21. Austin Cindric
  22. Michael McDowell
  23. Ryan Preece
  24. Ryan Blaney
  25. Chris Buescher
  26. Zane Smith
  27. William Byron
  28. Austin Dillon
  29. Daniel Suarez
  30. Brad Keselowski
  31. Ty Gibbs
  32. Erik Jones
  33. Harrison Burton
  34. Carson Hocevar
  35. Justin Haley
  36. Josh Berry