Michigan Kicks Off Intense In-Season Challenge Seeding Run

Michigan International Speedway is set to host the next NASCAR Cup Series race, marking the kickoff for the In-Season Challenge seeding. The event will take place on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET on a two-mile paved track in Brooklyn, Michigan.

With a race distance of 200 laps, drivers will cover 400 miles in front of fans tuning in on Prime Video, MRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The total prize purse stands at $11,055,250.

This year, Chase Briscoe secured his third pole in a row, while Tyler Reddick returns as last year’s Michigan winner. The In-Season Challenge adds fresh excitement, with Michigan acting as the first of three seeding events ahead of the main challenge series beginning June 28 at EchoPark Speedway.

The $1 million prize has teams and drivers focused on more than just the regular season standings. Teams are comparing it to college basketball’s March Madness, notes Ryan Blaney, as each race impacts potential matchups later.

The goal now is to finish strong and gain a favorable seed, similar to clinching a spot against a better match-up in a tournament bracket. Drivers must handle Michigan’s unique characteristics carefully.

The track’s 18-degree banking in the turns creates high speeds and numerous passing opportunities but also raises the risk of big incidents. Last year, the second stage saw contenders Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, and Chris Buescher caught in a wreck.

Larson described how the combination of draft, restarts, and the track’s fast grip makes the opening laps especially wild. The paved surface, last repaved in 2012, has stayed consistent and allows cars to reach speeds over 195 mph.

This consistency gives teams the chance to focus on small setup changes from year to year. From the crew chief’s seat, strategy at Michigan is always a puzzle.

Ryan Sparks, crew chief for Justin Haley, explained that fuel strategy can matter more than tire wear here. Getting creative on pit road is key when dealing with the long track and close competition.

Jeremy Bullins, the crew chief for Brad Keselowski, said Michigan’s multiple lanes create passing chances and let drivers find the groove that suits their cars best. As the race plays out, teams will look to maximize track position.

Often, this means opting for right-side tires and fuel-only stops, especially as the final stage approaches. Michigan’s recent races have shown that long-run speed is the key to victory.

Since the Next Gen car debuted in 2022, each winner at this track—Kevin Harvick, Chris Buescher, and Tyler Reddick—ranked in the top three for long-run pace in their winning runs. Strong performance through longer green-flag stretches can make all the difference here.

Local fans will keep an eye on Erik Jones, who grew up in Michigan and drives the No. 43 car. He has notched two top-tens here with the Next Gen car and is rising in recent stats, posting a sixth-best passer rating over the last five races.

This marks a huge improvement from the first two months of the season. His progress, combined with a strong run at Nashville, puts him among the drivers who could surprise on Sunday.

NASCAR Fantasy Live analyst Dustin Albino is making bold moves for this round. After recent qualifying and practice, he swapped out veterans like Joey Logano and Chase Elliott to bring in William Byron and Kyle Busch.

Both had strong qualifying results, with Busch joining Briscoe on the front row and Byron starting from the second. The recommended fantasy group this week includes Larson, Byron, Buescher, Blaney, and Carson Hocevar, with Busch in the garage slot.

Michigan is shaping up for a busy race weekend, with storylines ranging from Chase Briscoe’s pole streak to Denny Hamlin’s off-track family news and ongoing drama between Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

The FireKeepers Casino 400 promises intense racing and strategic battles as the In-Season Challenge seeding gets underway. Each lap at this fast, wide track will matter as drivers look to sharpen their playoff chances and stake their claim on the million-dollar prize.

Additionally, the combination of draft, restarts, and the track’s fast grip makes the opening laps especially wild, demanding precision and focus from every driver.

The track’s unique design and multiple grooves give strategic flexibility, similar to how drivers adapt in complex race scenarios like those seen at Monaco, showing the importance of finding the ideal racing line for success.