Michigan International Speedway Tag

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Matt DiBenedetto’s momentous first year with Wood Brothers Racing continued after a one-day turnaround puts him a bit closer of making the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with just Daytona (road course and oval) and the Dover doubleheader remaining in the regular season. Following a disappointing 15th in Saturday’s FireKeepers Casino 400, DiBenedetto’s second go around at Michigan International Speedway was more encouraging as he finished seventh in Sunday’s Consumers Energy 400. In what can be best described as a tough race that even DiBenedetto had himselfRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer For the first time in his entire NASCAR Cup Series career, Brad Keselowski finished last following a Lap 96 tangle with teammate Ryan Blaney in Sunday’s Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway. During the final stage, Keselowski got a push from Kevin Harvick going into Turn 1, allowing him to get by Denny Hamlin for the runner-up spot. This allowed Keselowski to quickly gain ground on his Team Penske teammate, who was leading the 156-lap event. Keselowski was on the bottom groove before his No.Read More

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service Kevin Harvick’s victory in Sunday’s Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway gave the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford team a weekend race sweep and a whole lot of momentum as the NASCAR Cup Series closes out its regular season schedule at the end of this month. Harvick’s win is a series-best sixth of the season and 55th of his career – placing the 44-year old Californian 10th on the NASCAR Cup Series all-time wins list tied with NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace.Read More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Detroit’s Armani Williams had a milestone afternoon in his home track at Michigan International Speedway, finishing 10th in Sunday’s VizCom 200. This was the 20-year-old’s second career ARCA Menards Series start and while he finished four laps behind race winner Riley Herbst, it was a positive learning experience for the Fast Track Racing (owned by Andy and Michelle Hillenburg) driver with autism. “It was a big and special day. I can’t thank Centria Autism. Without their support and goal to raise awareness with autism, none ofRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Martin Truex, Jr. had a eventful Saturday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway, finishing third in the FireKeepers Casino 400. The most notable highlight of Truex’s race-extended 161 laps took place on Lap 21 when a backstretch battle between rookie Tyler Reddick went wrong as contact between the two resulted Truex to have a flat tire and went off the pace in Turn 3. Truex was able to keep the No. 19 Auto Owners Insurance Toyota Camry off the wall, but was required to make an unscheduledRead More

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service In ways both literally and figuratively the NASCAR Cup Series field saw red most of Saturday afternoon – Kevin Harvick’s red-colored No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, which dominated the Firekeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway – resulting in Harvick’s third Michigan win in the last four races and fourth of his career. Harvick’s red car was out front the majority of the afternoon – leading a race best 92 of the 161 laps – but five restarts in the final 30 laps  –Read More

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service Zane Smith made a last lap pass in double overtime to earn his first career NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series victory Friday night in the Henry Ford Health System 200 at Michigan International Speedway. The 21-year old Smith held off his friend, Sunoco rookie Christian Eckes by a mere 0.318-second for the victory and his official berth into the upcoming 2020 series Playoffs. Their duel was made possible after the race’s most dominant driver Grant Enfinger was taken from the lead onRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Normally Michigan International Speedway’s two annual NASCAR Cup Series races would take place roughly two months apart, but this year, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic means both races will take place over one weekend. Double the fun. The first race of the weekend on August 8 will be the rescheduled Firekeepers Casino 400, originally planned for June 7, with the Consumers Energy 400 taking place the following day on August 9. With these races taking place near the home of two of the three manufacturersRead More

By INDYCAR INDIANAPOLIS — Simon Pagenaud used a combination of smarts, speed and strategy to win Round 3 of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge on Saturday, the Chevrolet 275 at Michigan International Speedway. Reigning Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Pagenaud beat Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin by 13.409 seconds – a deceptively large margin in a thrilling race that featured nine leaders and 18 lead changes. It was his first victory in the virtual racing series, in which NTT INDYCAR SERIES athletes and special guests compete in the iRacing computerRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished third at Michigan International Speedway – in a virtual INDYCAR. You’ve read that right. The two-time Daytona 500 champion had enough fuel to bring his No. 3 Nationwide Insurance Chevrolet home in one piece in Saturday’s Chevrolet 275. “I really appreciated the invite. I think I need to do a better account of myself as far as just showing some pure speed. I wasn’t really able to show it today,” Dale Jr. on his debut sim open wheel race. “We had aRead More