Chris Buescher wins NASCAR Cup Series race

UPDATE: The NASCAR Cup Series race at MIS was pushed back until Monday due to persistent rain on Sunday. The race started at 74 laps and aired on USA Network. The restart was originally scheduled for noon on Monday, but was pushed back until 12:30 p.m. due to more weather concerns.

Chris Buescher won the race at MIS in a Ford Mustang car after the delays, his second straight win.

Will there be a ringing of the Bell at Michigan International Speedway in today’s FireKeepers Casino 400 in Brooklyn, Michigan?

Christopher Bell, 28, took the pole position with a strong final session on Saturday; it’s his second pole of the season, and his first at MIS in five Cup Series races. Last year, he qualified second, but finished 26^th following a crash after leading for 36 laps. Bell will be followed in the lineup by Ross Chastain and Ty Gibbs. That trio were the only drivers to top 193 mph in qualifying. Bell’s top lap of 193.382 mph in the final run is the fastest qualifying lap at any track since the 2020 Daytona 500.

“This is obviously a very important manufacturers race track, but more than that, it’s a big boost for this 20 team,” Bell told reporters. “We’ve been on the struggle bus a bit lately, and a lot of that’s my doing.”

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LAST YEAR’S ISSUES:FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway underway after downpour

Last year’s winner, Kevin Harvick, will have his work cut out for him if he wants to repeat, as he qualified 22^nd.

Harvick is one of four drivers to win at least six times in the Irish Hills, trailing only Hall of Famers Bill Elliott (seven wins in 61 races) Cale Yarborough (eight wins in 36 races) and David Pearson (nine wins in 29 races. That mark is sparked by a recent hot streak: Harvick has won five of the past seven Cup Series races at MIS.

He’s also the highest driver in the playoff standings without a berth-clinching win, though he’s almost certainly in the postseason chase, sitting at sixth entering today’s race. There are three other drivers in the top 16 without wins this season: Brad Keselowski, who hails from Rochester Hills and has driven 25 Cup Series races at MIS without a win, at 11^th; Bubba Wallace, who finished second last year, at 15^th; and Michael McDowell, at 16^th. Gibbs, who won last year’s Xfinity Series race at MIS, sits in 17^th and could also use a win to lock up a playoff spot.

Here is all the information you need to get ready for Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

What time does the race start?

The FireKeepers Casino 400 starts at 2:30 p.m. at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., smack dab in the heart of the Irish Hills of Michigan.

What TV channel is the race on?

USA Network will have the telecast, with a pre-race show at 2 p.m.

Is there a live stream of the race?

NBC Sports will have a live stream of the FireKeepers Casino 400 (for those with a cable/satellite provider); it’s also on the NBC Sports app.

Are tickets available?

Tickets for the FireKeepers Casino 400 start at $39 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under. Kids 12 and under also get a free Sunday Pre-Race Pass courtesy of Henry Ford Health. Tickets are available for purchase via phone at 888-905-7223 or online at mispeedway.com. Fans can view the full 2023 NASCAR Cup Series schedule and purchase tickets at nascar.com/tickets.

How many laps is the race at MIS?

The FireKeepers Casino 400 is 200 laps around the 2-mile oval for a total of 400 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 45 laps, Stage 2: 75 laps, Stage 3: 80 laps.

What’s the weather looking like?

The Irish Hills usually get some rain during the race, leading to extended drama at MIS. ~~This year, there are some early morning showers in the forecast, but it should be dry (albeit cloudy) by the time the green flag waves, with a race-time temperature of 75 degrees.~~ Morning rain required a drying of the track, and a rain forecast stalled the race for about 90 minutes on Sunday afternoon.

Who’s the most recent winner at MIS?

Harvick, driving the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford for Stewart Haas Racing, won 2022’s race after starting 16^th. He took the lead on Lap 163 and never trailed after that, topping 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace by 2.903 seconds.

Are there any Michigan drivers in the FireKeepers Casino 400?

There are two: Rochester Hills’ Brad Keselowski and Byron’s Erik Jones. Neither has ever won at MIS. Keselowski has two poles and seven top-five finishes among his 25 races in Brooklyn. That includes two runners-up, in August 2018 and August 2020. Jones’ top finish among his 10 Cup Series races at MIS came in August 2017, when he finished third. It’s his only top-five result, with an eighth-place finish last August as his other top-10. Keselowski qualified 12^th on Saturday, and Jones will be toward the back, in 25^th.

What is the lineup for the FireKeepers Casino 400?

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 193.382 mph.

2. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 193.242.

3. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 193.024.

4. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 192.921.

5. (19) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, 192.658.

6. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 192.616.

7. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 192.108.

8. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 191.898.

9. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 191.775.

10. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 191.755.

11. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 192.524.

12. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 192.241.

13. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 192.159.

14. (99) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet, 192.108.

15. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 191.658.

16. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 191.658.

17. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 191.321.

18. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford, 191.271.

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