On Sunday, the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will take on the two-mile Michigan International Speedway in the FireKeepers Casino 400 (3 p.m. ET, Prime Video, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the 15th race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Favorite: Tyler Reddick (+350, per DraftKings)
The Cup Series points leader and winner of five races so far is the favorite to win Sunday’s race, and for good reason. Reddick won at MIS in 2024, was fastest in practice on Saturday and qualified third.
The No. 45 team is yet to finish a race outside of the top-15 so far this season, and while Reddick is on his longest winless “drought” of the season (five races), he’s finished top-six in the last four. Expect the No. 45 Toyota to be up front and in contention all afternoon.
Ford looking to avoid home-field flop
Much has been made of Ford’s Cup Series struggles in 2026. The Blue Oval has only one win this season with Ryan Blaney at Phoenix.
Toyota and Chevrolet locked out the top 13 positions in Saturday’s qualifying session. RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher in 14th was Ford’s best qualifier, and for the first time since the 2015 fall race at Phoenix Raceway, Ford didn’t have a driver qualify inside the top-13.
In what is the home race for both Ford and Chevrolet, the former is searching desperately for speed.
What does Denny Hamlin have for an encore?
Hamlin, who won last week at Nashville and is now on a mission to chase down Reddick for the points lead, earned career pole No. 50 on Saturday afternoon — but it doesn’t matter.
Damage on the No. 11 Toyota from practice will have to be fixed by Hamlin’s team, forcing him to drop to the rear ahead of the green flag on Sunday afternoon.
So, for the second straight week, Hamlin will have a quick car at his disposal but a need to make up ground early on. He started from the pole at Nashville but jumped the start, incurring a penalty that led to a thrilling rally and victory for the veteran driver.
If Hamlin wants a second consecutive Michigan triumph, he’ll have to snag it after starting at the back of the field.
Michigan natives looking to make history
In 108 Cup races at the Michigan International Speedway, no Michigan native has ever made it to victory lane.
Brad Keselowski, Carson Hocevar and Erik Jones are all looking to change that on Sunday.
Hocevar seems the most likely of the three to do so, as he nearly won at MIS in 2025 before a flat tire late in the race took him out of contention. He qualified second but will start on the pole due to Hamlin’s penalty.
Jones put together a solid 10th-place qualifying effort, but it’s questionable as to whether or not his No. 43 LEGACY Motor Club Toyota will have winning pace in the race. Keselowski, meanwhile, will face an uphill climb after qualifying 26th.