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.
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 400 delayed.
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
- Ryan Blaney
- Chase Elliott
- William Byron
- Bubba Wallace
- Chris Buescher
- Kyle Busch
- Brad Keselowski
- Martin Truex Jr
- Alex Bowman
- Ross Chastain
- Daniel Suárez
- Tyler Reddick
- Chase Briscoe
- Kyle Larson
- Christopher Bell
- Joey Logano
- Corey LaJoie
- AJ Allmendinger
- Ty Gibbs
- Noah Gragson
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr
- Denny Hamlin
- Erik Jones
- Todd Gilliland
- Daniel Hemric
- Cody Ware
- Austin Cindric
- Justin Haley
- Ryan Preece
- John H. Nemechek
- Harrison Burton
- Zane Smith
- Carson Hocevar
- Michael McDowell
- Austin Dillon
- Josh Berry
NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400: Line-up After 51 Laps
- Chase Elliott
- Martin Truex
- Bubba Wallace
- Alex Bowman
- Tyler Reddick
- Kyle Busch
- Kyle Larson
- Ross Chastain
- Chase Briscoe
- Joey Logano
- Christopher Bell
- AJ Allmendinger
- Corey LaJoie
- Noah Gragson
- Ricky Stenhouse
- Todd Gilliland
- Denny Hamlin
- Daniel Hemric
- Cody Ware
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Austin Cindric
- Michael McDowell
- Ryan Preece
- Ryan Blaney
- Chris Buescher
- Zane Smith
- William Byron
- Austin Dillon
- Daniel Suarez
- Brad Keselowski
- Ty Gibbs
- Erik Jones
- Harrison Burton
- Carson Hocevar
- Justin Haley
- Josh Berry