2019 FireKeepers Casino 400

The 2019 FireKeepers Casino 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race scheduled for June 9, 2019 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Contested over 203 laps -- extended from 200 laps due to an overtime finish, on the 2 mi D-shaped oval, it was the 15th race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. The race was postponed to Monday, June 10, due to rain. Joey Logano won his second race of the season in his championship defence.

Background
The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a 2 mi moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).

Entry list

 * (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
 * (R) denotes rookie driver.

First practice
Daniel Suárez was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 38.119 seconds and a speed of 188.882 mph.

Final practice
Kevin Harvick was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 38.143 seconds and a speed of 188.763 mph.

Qualifying
Joey Logano scored the pole for the race with a time of 38.474 and a speed of 187.139 mph.

A Day Late, The Green Flag Waves
Logano jumped out to a lead into Turn 1. However, a big run by Denny Hamlin(11) down the backstretch gave him the top spot at the end of Lap 1. Logano regained the lead back a couple of laps later, no one seemed able to pull away as drivers swapped positions all around the track.



Stage 1
At the competition caution, the top five were Logano, Harvick, Almirola, Paul Menard(21), and Michigan’s Erik Jones. Jones started 14th and made the biggest improvement in positions during the first 20 laps.

Cars moving through the pack is almost like racing at Daytona or Talladega. If a driver pulls out to make a pass he better complete it. Two cars running side-by-side lose a lot of momentum, get out of the draft for very long and go to the rear of the pack quickly.

Harvick came to pit road on Lap 53 with a loose wheel, he lost a lap while his crew fixed the issue. Logano held on for the Stage 1 win with Alex Bowman(88) 2nd and Jones 3rd.

Stage 2
Same order 1-2-3 out of the pits for the restart to begin racing in Stage 2. Kyle Weatherman(51) hit the wall out of turn 2 early in the stage. The caution flag allowed Harvick to get the free pass back onto the lead lap.

Mid-way through the Stage, Kyle Larson moved up to the rear bumper of Logano. His run ended there as no one seems to be able to pass the #22 car when at full speed.

Logano pitted for fuel and tires with six laps to go in the Stage. Pitting from the lead, Logano was able to stay on the lead lap. By virtue of the timing of pit stops, Austin Dillon(3) won Stage 2.



The Final Stage
After pit stops cycled through, Logano was back in front. Chase Elliott(9) restarts in 2nd, Jones 3rd, and Harvick 4th.

Three wide through Turns 1 and 2 and Harvick came out with the lead, followed by Truex and Almirola. Logano dropped to 6th place before he could get back in line. Clint Bower spun and hit the wall out of Turn 2 putting the race back under caution. Damage to Bowyer’s car, last year’s winner, takes him out of the race.

On the restart, Logano pushes Larson past Harvick and then dives under Larson to take the lead once again. Austin Dillon spins and taps the wall between Turns 1 and 2 bringing out the 6th caution flag of the day.

Another Restart
After the Dillon incident, the race restarted with 59 laps to go with Logano and Harvick on the front row. With the help of a side draft off Logano’s car, Harvick was able to stay with him through turns 1 and 2. He made the pass down the backstretch.

Erik Jones cut down a tire on the restart and had to pit, losing a lap to the field.

Logano and Harvick swapped the lead back and forth with the Penske Ford of Logano finally prevailing. The battle for the lead allowed Kurt Busch, Truex and Larson back into the battle for the top spot.

Great racing all the way around the track thrilled the fans. A decent crowd returned to see the race play out despite its delay to Monday afternoon.

In the Fox broadcast booth Darrell Waltrip, who will call his last race for Fox in two weeks at Sonoma, shared one of his great stories about the sport. Quoting Tony Stewart, DW said, “This is a chess match and I’m only smart enough to play checkers.”

Final Pit Stops
Green flag pit stops began with 27 laps to go. Most leaders took two new Goodyear tires and a can of Sunoco racing fuel. Except for Harvick, who chose to take four tires and likely eliminating him from a chance at the victory if the race finishes under the green flag. Logano returned to the track with almost a second and a half lead over Truex. But, the 19 car tracked him down.

When pit stops cycled through it was Logano, Truex, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch and Alex Bowman as the top five with 15 laps to go. In clean air, Logano began to stretch the lead.

As the laps wound down, Kurt Busch pushed Truex to the rear bumper of Logano with five laps to go. When Erik Jones spun, bringing out the caution flag and setting up the potential for a slugfest in overtime.

The Finish
What a line up to go into overtime. Two drivers with history, Martinsville last year, Logano and Truex on the front row. Two brothers, the Buschs’, on row two. Dominance wins out. Logano’s Mustang performed flawlessly all day and a big jump on the drop of the green sent him away from the battle behind him. Kurt Busch ultimately finished 2nd.

The Ford Performance contingent of driver’s and teams had dinner at the Ford mansion Thursday night of race week. Edsel Ford talked about the love of racing in his family, the significance of winning at Michigan International Speedway, and the importance of keeping the Manufacturer’s Trophy, awarded for a win at MIS, in Dearborn.

It’s fitting that last year’s NASCAR Cup Champion, the first for Ford in almost two decades, Joey Logano accomplished the win for Ford Performance here at their home track.

Stage results
Stage One Laps: 60

Stage Two Laps: 60

Final stage results
Stage Three Laps: 80

Race statistics

 * Lead changes: 20 among 11 different drivers
 * Cautions/Laps: 7 for 35
 * Red flags: 0
 * Time of race: 2 hours, 59 minutes and 50 seconds
 * Average speed: 140.945 mph

Television
Fox NASCAR televised the race in the United States on FS1 for the fourth time at Michigan. Mike Joy was the lap-by-lap announcer, while three-time Michigan winner, Jeff Gordon and two-time winner Darrell Waltrip were the color commentators. Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Matt Yocum reported from pit lane during the race.

Radio
Radio coverage of the race was broadcast by Motor Racing Network (MRN) and simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and five-time Michigan winner Rusty Wallace announced the race in the booth while the field is racing on the front stretch. Dave Moody called the race from a billboard outside of turn 2 when the field was racing through turns 1 and 2. Mike Bagley called the race from a platform outside of turn 3 when the field was racing through turns 3 and 4. Kim Coon, Steve Post, Pete Pistone and Dillon Welch reported from pit lane during the race.

Standings after the race

 * Drivers' Championship standings


 * Manufacturers' Championship standings


 * Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
 * . – Driver has clinched a position in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.