FireKeepers Casino 400 Tag

By: Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BROOKLYN, Mich. – Two weeks ago at Dover, Kyle Larson took a painful master class in restarts from Professor Jimmie Johnson. In Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Larson graduated with high honors, using a series of exceptional restarts to win his second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season and his second in a row, dating to last August, at the two-mile track in the Irish Hills. At Dover, Larson lost a race in which he had the dominantRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer The FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway was a struggle for the 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year (ROTY) contenders in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Of the four official ROTY contenders, Corey LaJoie is the only driver with no experience at the 2-mile track. Erik Jones once again had the best starting spot among the ROTY contenders, placing his No. 77 5-hour ENERGY Extra Strength Toyota Camry 14th on the starting grid. Jones slowly worked his way inside the Top 10. However,Read More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor There is something about Chase Elliott and finishing second at Michigan. After notching a pair of second place finishes at the two-mile track last season, Elliott found himself in a familiar position late in Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 behind eventual winner Kyle Larson as he would score a runner-up finish for the third straight time at the track. Though he wasn’t able to finish one position better and win his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race, Elliott still held his head high afterRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor After finishing a dismal 38th at Pocono last weekend after blowing two engines during the race weekend, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. headed into Michigan looking to bounce back and bounce back is exactly what he did as he was scored ninth when the checkered flag flew. Aside from the Pocono finish, Earnhardt’s finish on Sunday marks finishes of 11th or better in three of the last four races, giving his No. 88 team some momentum heading into a summer stretch that will be crucial for hisRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer  Since scoring his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. has not finished inside the Top 10. As the Series moved on to Michigan International Speedway for the FireKeepers Casino 400, the Roush Fenway Racing driver was looking to change that. As the team unloaded off the transporter, Stenhouse’s team struggled to find speed in the No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Fusion, managing to be 21st on the speed charts. Stenhouse also qualified 21st. In the secondRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor After a barn burner of a finish at Pocono last weekend that culminated in Ryan Blaney taking the Wood Brothers back to victory lane, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Michigan to race on one of the biggest and fastest tracks on the circuit, Michigan International Speedway and Sunday’s running of the FireKeepers Casino 400. With this race taking place near the home of two of the three manufacturers (Chevrolet and Ford), teams put extra emphasis on winning this race for bragging rights.Read More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer After 13 starts with BK Racing, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Gray Gaulding will not compete for the team in Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. This comes one week after it was announced that crew chief Patrick Donahue and BK Racing would part ways after Pocono and Doug George would assume crew chief duties of the No. 23 Toyota Camry. Behind the wheel of the No. 23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry this weekend will be Ryan Sieg, who made his PremierRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor Following a third-place finish in the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway, we learned that Kyle Larson’s car failed post race laser inspection. As a result we knew there would be punishments, Wednesday we learned as to what extent the team would be punished as NASCAR sent out it’s penalty report. The No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team received a P3 penalty in Michigan post-race inspection. As a result, driver Kyle Larson and team owner Chip Ganassi have each been docked 15 championship pointsRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer Tony Stewart’s weekend at Michigan International Speedway did not start fast as he was 20th after the first practice. However, Stewart qualified third for the FireKeepers Casino 400. Stewart was also outside the top 15 in both of Saturday’s practice sessions. When the race started, Stewart stayed in the top five for the first 40 laps. Stewart had some close calls as both he and those around him fought hard to control their loose racecars with the new rules package, which took away more downforceRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor Kyle Larson, who was without his full-time crew chief Chad Johnston this week, because of a lug nut violation at Pocono Raceway has failed post-race inspection following the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Larson came home with an impressive third-place finish, but according to NASCAR his No. 42 Target Chevrolet, prepared this week by interim crew chief Philip Surgen, fell outside of the tolerance on the laser scanner following the event. A NASCAR Spokesperson states that any penalties stemming from this violation willRead More