Preview: The FireKeepers Casino 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Race at Michigan

It's all about speed at Michigan International Speedway, but will the pole-sitter Kurt Busch win the FireKeepers Casino 400?
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Restrictor plates are not welcome at Michigan International Speedway. As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series prepares to race at the series’ fastest track, drivers will turn some of the quickest laps of the season at the two-mile D-shaped oval. The long straightaways and wide sweeping corners allow for blazing speeds. The high banking of the track enables drivers to maintain quickness into the corners. Thanks to a resurface in 2012, with a smoother pavement than most tracks on the NASCAR circuit, the FireKeepers Casino 400 is set to be an entertaining race.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Schedule for the FireKeepers Casino 400:

FireKeepers Casino 400 (Follow live)

The Place: Michigan International Speedway

The Date: Sunday, June 10, 2018

The Time: Approximately 2 p.m. EST

TV: FOX, 1:30 p.m. EST

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Hashtag: #FireKeepersCasino400

Distance: 400 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 60), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)

Press Pass (Watch live)

Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race: 5:00 p.m. EST

Listen: A Three Man Show

Starting Lineup

(Position, Driver, Manufacturer, Speed)

1. Kurt Busch, Ford, 203.361

2. Brad Keselowski, Ford, 203.166

3. Kyle Busch, Toyota, 203.120

4. Kevin Harvick, Ford, 202.954

5. Joey Logano, Ford, 202.168

6. Aric Almirola, Ford, 201.607

7. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Ford, 201.263

8. Erik Jones, Toyota, 201.140

9. Ryan Blaney, Ford, 200.792

10. Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 200.401

11. Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 200.061

12. Clint Bowyer, Ford, 199.784

13. Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 200.535

14. William Byron, Chevrolet, 200.490

15. Paul Menard, Ford, 200.328

16. Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 200.323

17. Martin Truex, Jr., Toyota, 200.228

18. Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 200.083

19. Matt Kenseth, Ford, 199.806

20. Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 199.784

21. Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 199.700

22. Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 199.645

23. Michael McDowell, Ford, 199.358

24. Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 199.302

25. A.J. Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 199.049

26. Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 198.999

27. David Ragan, Ford, 198.741

28. Bubba Wallace, Chevrolet, 198.555

29. Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 197.954

30. Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 197.704

31. Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 196.915

32. Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 194.437

33. Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 194.170

34. Gray Gaulding, Toyota, 192.647

35. B.J. McLeod, Ford, 192.082

36. Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 191.449

37. D.J. Kennington, Chevrolet, 187.896

38. Timmy Hill, Toyota, 186.446

39. Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 186.442

Past 10 Winners at Michigan International Speedway

(Year, Driver, Manufacturer)

2008, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Chevrolet

2009, Mark Martin, Chevrolet

2010, Denny Hamlin, Toyota

2011, Denny Hamlin, Toyota

2012, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Chevrolet

2013, Greg Biffle, Ford

2014, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet

2015, Kurt Busch, Chevrolet

2016, Joey Logano, Ford

2017, Kyle Larson, Chevrolet

The Monster Energy Cup Series started racing at Michigan International Speedway in 1969. NASCAR’s premier series races at the Speedway twice a year. The past 10 winners above represent the first race of the year at Michigan.

Broken Records?

Jeff Gordon reached a speed of 206.558 mph during qualifying at Michigan in 2014. Records are meant to be broken, but his record appears safe for now. Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kurt Busch was the fastest in qualifying with a speed of 203.361. However, he was over 3 mph slower than Gordon’s record. Gordon set a record, captured the pole, and won the Pure Michigan 400 in August 2014. Can Busch do the same and win the FireKeepers Casino 400?

Fast Three Times

Harvick’s No. 4 Busch Beer Ford Fusion is ‘Freaky Fast’ every week. Martin Truex Jr. is no stranger to speed either. As of late, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch is in a record-breaking mood and Kyle Larson is on the verge of setting his own records.

Larson has three consecutive runner-up finishes this season and three consecutive race wins at Michigan. His first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win was in 2016 when he took the checkered flag for the Michigan Pure 400. State native Brad Keselowski has a pair of Xfinity wins in his hometown but has yet to win a Cup Series race on his local track. If you were wondering, Kurt Busch has three wins at Michigan International Speedway—he won in 2003, 2007, and 2015. The only other driver with three wins at Michigan is Matt Kenseth.