NASCAR at Michigan live updates: Rain postpones race to Monday

Charlotte Observer reporter Alex Zietlow will be providing live updates and analysis throughout Sunday’s Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway. See those musings below. Refresh this page as needed.

Live updates from NASCAR at Michigan

Red flag

6:19 p.m.: The NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway will restart on Monday at 12 p.m., per NASCAR. Rain forced the race to stop at Lap 75 (of 200) on Sunday — and the threat of more storms forced NASCAR’s hand to make the call to have the race finish another day.

The FireKeepers Casino 400 will be broadcast live again on USA Network in the U.S. (and TSN 1 for race fans in Canada). Local forecasts show that there is a 60% chance of rain Monday at the Brooklyn, Michigan, racetrack.

Parking lots open at 10:30 a.m., and gates open at 11 a.m. for the resumption of the Cup race Monday. The order at the restart time: Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Erik Jones, Austin Cindric, Brad Keselowski, Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin.

5:51 p.m.: NASCAR announces that it has lost the track out of Turn 4 and down the fronstretch into Turn 1 because of the rain. That means that the track dryers will need to come back out before racing can resume. Sunset is 8:50 p.m. Will we finish up this race today, or will we resume tomorrow?

Stage 2

Lap 75: Rain! Caution is out! Now red flag! The drizzle is light at Michigan International Speedway but meaningful nonetheless considering these cars are going 180 miles an hour. Everyone’s filing down pit road and hopping out of their cars. The radar shows that this is an isolated shower and that clear skies are incoming, but here’s a weather-procedure reminder, for good measure: Once the race reaches the halfway point — Lap 100 — it becomes official. In other words, if the race has to be called because of rain after Lap 100 then whoever is leading takes a trip to Victory Lane.

Our Top 10 as it stands now: Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Erik Jones, Austin Cindric, Brad Keselowski, Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin.

Lap 65: What is going on?! Another caution! Some contact between Alex Bowman and Christopher Bell watches Bell go spinning. The No. 20 car was side-by-side with the 48, racing for the lead, when Bowman knocked into him and spun him out. Big hit, again on the rear. Bell to his team over the radio: “I think it’s killed, but I’ll bring it to you.”

Here’s what that wreck looked like:

Lap 60: Green green green! Top 10 running now: Alex Bowman, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones, Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric, Ryan Preece, Austin Dillon, AJ Allmendinger.

It’s been such an eventful day Stage 2 thus far that we haven’t been able to recap a big development after Stage 1: Martin Truex Jr., winner of Stage 1, had to restart in P30 after a suboptimal pit stop between stages. He’ll likely climb back up through the field, though, considering how good his car is today.

Lap 53: OK ... Michigan is BRUTAL today. On the restart, Josh Berry spins around and wrecks his car and has his day end early, too. Really hard hit on the rear bumper. Berry stepped in last-second to pinch-hit for Noah Gragson, who was suspended by his Legacy Motor Club team and NASCAR for what he called “disappointing” behavior on his social media.

Lap 50: And we’re green green green! William Byron’s end-of-Stage-1-wreck made him take an extended stay in his pit stall ... and the Damaged Vehicle Policy clock has run out on him. He’s done for the day, too. Dang! Byron has been among the most consistent driver in the Cup Series this year with four wins to his name and has been competing with Martin Truex Jr. for the regular-season points title. Tough break for the 24 — and for a bunch of other big names in the Cup Series today (Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott included).

Stage 1

Lap 40: Martin Truex Jr. will take the Stage 1 win! It was a dominant showing for the No. 19 team despite it being a very eventful stage — one that saw the early exits of Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch. (It’s worth noting, too, William Byron wiggled into the wall by himself on the final lap of the stage, which prompted a caution. That cost him a Top 10 finish in the stage.)

Stage 1’s Top 10 (in order): Truex, Bubba Wallace, Ty Gibbs, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones, Corey LaJoie.

Lap 31: Caution! Chase Elliott goes around! The right-rear tire explodes and sends him spinning into the wall. Hard hit. The window net is down, and the No. 9 car is done for the day. Two frustrating days for two of the most popular drivers in NASCAR. The result is particularly tough for Elliott, who entered Sunday 40 points below the cut-line and needed every decent result he could manage to sneak into the playoffs. Now, a win in the final three regular-season races is his only path to postseason racing.

Lap 19: We’re about to go green once more! The reason for the extended caution — the one prompted by Kyle Busch’s race-ending wreck — is because NASCAR designated the first caution as the “competition caution.” Drivers and teams got a chance to take a trip down pit road after the rain to evaluate their cars early on in the race.

Lap 12: Kyle Busch goes around! Caution out. And the 8 car files behind the wall and is thus done for the day. Wow. Busch was quite excited about his team’s potential today after a great session in practice and qualifying earlier this weekend.

Lap 7: At long last, we’re racing. Ross Chastain takes the lead from Christopher Bell on Lap 1 thanks to a helpful shove from rookie Ty Gibbs. Cars at the front are preferring the high line so far today. Martin Truex Jr. is the only guy who’s been trying the lower line, and after multiple tries, has just cleared Chris Buescher. Top 10 through 7: Chastain, Bell, Truex, Buescher, Gibbs, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace, William Byron, Ryan Blaney.

Green flag, 4:13 p.m.: Green green green!

4:05 p.m.: Engines fired! Cars have started making pace laps.

3:52 p.m.: Drivers back in their cars! Green flag coming soon. Engines will be fired at 4:05 p.m. Here’s some (not so) fun trivia regarding this year’s NASCAR season, as reported by Jonathan Fjeld of The Racing Experts: Inclement weather has affected 17 of NASCAR’s 25 weekends in 2023. Tough break(s)!

Here’s his full write-up:

3:33 p.m.: Still in a hold here, but local radars look promising. The sun is out around Turn 4, and it’s quite overcast around Turn 1. But the track dryers have been out and working hard for the past 40 minutes or so; hopefully racing begins soon.

2:58 p.m.: Drivers can come out of their cars, NASCAR announces. The backstretch is getting damp and will need some drying time. Bubba Wallace offered a fun interview just now as he got out of his car: “Mother Nature, she’s consistent,” he said with a smile. “A lot more consistent than any of us in the field.”

2:53 p.m.: Annnnnd cars have filed down pit road thanks to light rain. Still only the yellow flag is out. Drivers are staying strapped in the cars.

2:45 p.m.: Light rain has returned. Drivers still making laps; track still relatively dry. Green flag seems incoming. Here’s a look at the radar, from FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass:

2:34 p.m.: Engines fired! Green flag incoming. There will be a few extra pace laps made to ensure the track is dry. My pick to win it? Give me rookie Ty Gibbs. He hasn’t yet won a Cup race, yes, and it’s reasonable to assume Gibbs would trade a good points finish over going for the win (considering the team is 18 points below the 16-car playoff cut-line). But the 54 car has been fast all weekend starting P3, and I think it’s Gibbs’ time.

2:23 p.m.: Light rain has started to pop up at different parts of the track. The start of the race is on hold. Drivers in cars, but engines not fired yet. Will keep you updated here.

2:07 p.m.: We’re about 23 minutes from the green flag! The race’s green flag was originally scheduled for 2:49 p.m., with TV coverage beginning on USA Network around 2 p.m., but the threat of storms later Sunday afternoon prompted NASCAR to push that time up. Michigan doesn’t have lights, so the race will need to conclude sometime before sunset (just before 9 p.m.). Who’s ready?

Quick details for NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan

• Race: FireKeepers Casino 400

• Place: Michigan International Speedway

• Date: Sunday, August 6

• Time: 2:30 p.m.

• Purse: $7,544,696

• TV: USA, 2 p.m.

• Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

• Distance: 400 miles (200 Laps)

• Stages: Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)

NASCAR starting lineup at Michigan: Christopher Bell on pole

One note: The 7, the 15, the 42 and the 62 cars will all drop to the rear prior to the green flag to start the race due to unapproved adjustments.