CONCORD, N.C. – To begin the month of August, the NASCAR Cup Series will head up north to Michigan International Speedway for the track’s lone event on the 2023 calendar. With only four races remaining until the playoffs begin, the intensity throughout the garage is continuing to build as the playoffs are nearing
Michigan’s premier racing facility shares many similar traits to California’s Auto Club Speedway. Between the 18 degrees of banking and shear length of the circuit itself, watch for speeds to be high as the sport’s top competitors battle for every inch of real estate. The race will be the final event on a track of this length in 2023.
Dating back to 1993 with Ricky Rudd’s first victory for Hendrick Motorsports at Michigan, Rick Hendrick’s team has earned eight total victories at the 2-mile track. Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson each won once at the Brooklyn, Michigan, track. Dale Earnhardt Jr. found victory lane twice in his Hendrick Motorsports career at Michigan. Team vice chairman Jeff Gordon earned three victories at Michigan for the team, which is the most of any driver in the organization’s history.
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While Chase Elliott has yet to find victory lane at Michigan, his results at the track are quite impressive. His first three races at the facility each resulted in runner-up finishes and he holds an average finish of 8.0 across 12 starts. In fact, he holds the best average finish in track history among drivers with more than two starts. Entering this weekend, the 27-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native is sitting 40 points outside the provisional playoff cutoff line and will aim to make significant gains on a playoff spot in the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Michigan has been a solid track for Kyle Larson throughout his Cup Series career. Prior to joining Hendrick Motorsports, the Elk Grove, California, native earned three consecutive victories at the track from 2016-2017. While he has yet to find victory lane with his current team, Larson holds the third-best average finish (5.0) in the last two Michigan races (among drivers in Sunday's field). The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will see Sunday as an opportunity to extend his top-10 streak (three) at the 2-mile facility.
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William Byron’s has a runner-up finish (from 2021) on ledger at Michigan. In the last two races in the Irish Hills, his 213 laps run inside the top 10 are the fifth-most of any driver in the field. Over the past five races there, he has an average finish of 9.6. The 2023 season has seen the driver of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevy at the front of the field as he leads the series in wins (four), laps led (810), stage wins (seven) and laps run in the top five. Currently sitting third in the regular season standings, Byron will look to make up ground on the two drivers ahead of him in the standings over these last four races.
Alex Bowman and the No. 48 Ally Racing team will be sporting a special livery with the NBA's Detroit Pistons on the car. Last season saw Bowman score his track-best finish of ninth at Michigan, which is one of three top-10 finishes he has there. Michigan is also the home track for primary partner Ally. Bowman has shown speed at the other 2-mile track on the schedule, Auto Club Speedway. In 2020,
he paced the field for 110 of the 200 laps on his way to a dominating victory in California. Entering this weekend, the 30-year-old sits 42 points outside the playoff field.
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Here's what you need to know to catch this weekend’s action.
WHAT TIME IS PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING?
Group practice for the Cup Series will take place on Saturday, August 5 and begin at 12:35 p.m. ET on USA Network. Group qualifying will begin immediately after practice at 1:20 p.m. ET and coverage will also be available on USA Network. All four drivers will be in Group A.
WHAT TIME IS THE RACE?
The 400-mile Cup Series race is scheduled for Sunday, August 6 at 2:30 p.m. ET with coverage on USA Network. A post-race show will take place on Peacock.
CAN I LISTEN ON THE RADIO?
The Cup Series race will be broadcast on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
CAN I STREAM ONLINE?
Yes. Download the NBC Sports App or Peacock for online coverage. Fans can also keep up with the action on Twitter by following @TeamHendrick.
FIVE FAST FACTS HEADING INTO MICHIGAN
Data provided by Racing Insights
2: Hendrick Motorsports has won two of the last three races held on August 6th. This Sunday's race falls on that date.
3: Elliott's three runner-up finishes at Michigan are tied for the most of any driver before earning their first win at the track. Gordon finished second three times at Michigan before his 1998 win.
5: Wins on 2-mile tracks by Larson. This number is the third-most of any active Cup Series driver.
8: Bowman's finish at Auto Club in February, which is the only other 2-mile track on the schedule.
9.53: Average running position for Byron in 2023. This mark is the second-best of all drivers in the sport's top division.