NASCAR changes Michigan schedule due to bad weather
By Asher Fair
The start time for Sunday afternoon’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway has been moved up due to the threat of bad weather.
In a summer that has been littered with weather-related schedule changes, Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway has been added to the list.
The 200-lap FireKeepers Casino 400 around the four-turn, 2.0-mile (3.219-kilometer) Brooklyn, Michigan oval was initially scheduled to go green at 2:49 p.m. ET this afternoon. But due to the threat of bad weather, the start time has been moved up by 19 minutes to 2:30 p.m. ET.
It remains to be seen if this change will end up making any sort of a difference between getting the race in today and having to postpone it.
A NASCAR Cup Series race is deemed official once it reaches the earlier of the halfway mark or the end of stage two.
With stage two set to end after lap 120, Sunday’s race much reach halfway (lap 100) to be classified as an official race.
There is a 75% chance of rain throughout the rest of the afternoon and a 47% chance of rain throughout the evening, but Michigan International Speedway does not have lights, meaning that the 19-minute change at least gives NASCAR an extra 19-minute buffer to try to get the event in. Sundown is set for 8:49 p.m. ET.
In the event of a postponement, NASCAR might struggle to get the race in on Monday as well, as the weather forecast looks even worse. There is an 84% chance of rain throughout the day. There is only a 16% chance of precipitation on Tuesday.
The race is still set to be broadcast live on USA Network, not NBC.
DraftKings Sportsbook, which is now offering fans $150 just for betting $5, lists Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell as the +700 favorite to win Sunday’s race. Bell is set to start from the pole position behind the wheel of his No. 20 Toyota.
With odds and availability subject to change, lock in your $150 now!
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Tune in to USA Network at 2:30 p.m. ET this afternoon for the live broadcast of the FireKeepers Casino 400 from Michigan International Speedway, but stay tuned for any further changes. If you have yet to take advantage of FuboTV’s free trial offer, do so now!