NASCAR may not have moved on entirely from Richmond. Last weekend, Austin Dillon showcased a rogue finish as he took out two contenders to grab the victory. Although the buzz has settled down, it seems even Mother Nature is taking more time to process the transition to Michigan International Speedway. The 2-mile oval witnessed its Cup Series event affected by bouts of heavy rain.

When a sliver of daylight appeared after a 2-hour delay, drivers resumed racing competitively. But some thrilling developments were rudely cut short yet again by the weather gods. Now the Michigan race has been dragged to another day like before, drawing the ire of NASCAR fans.

Michigan International Speedway magic postponed

Michigan International Speedway has had a drenched fate for the past few years. In 2018, Clint Bowyer fetched a win at the track after almost a three-hour delay due to rain. That started the Fords’ winning tradition in Michigan, which Chris Buescher upheld last year. In 2023, inclement weather stopped the race with 74 of 200 laps complete, and Buescher drove to victory a day later. The 2024 situation has also ended up similarly, as NASCAR fans rightly predicted.

After Denny Hamlin lost his lead and some unexpected leaders soared to the front row, showers descended on the track. Initially, the FireKeepers Casino 400 was scheduled to start at 2:36 p.m. ET, but rain pushed the start to 4:55 p.m. Then another delay came after 51 laps of the race were complete. Eventually, NASCAR postponed the restart to Monday. Bob Pockrass updated the situation on on X as he wrote, “Cup race at Michigan suspended. It will resume at 11am ET Monday.”

Until the weather intervened, Michigan International Speedway witnessed some thrilling developments. Denny Hamlin started on the pole, but soon Kyle Larson grabbed the lead and maintained it for 34 laps. Then on lap 35, Bubba Wallace jumped from 6th to the lead. He held his own until Denny Hamlin spun out and Ryan Blaney overtook him to win stage 1. Before NASCAR could start stage 2, a red flag was thrown due to heavy showers.

The rain marked the second consecutive day that wet weather has disrupted the Michigan schedule. It washed out the Busch Light Pole qualifying, as the starting grid was determined by performance metrics. Rain also delayed the Xfinity race, which Justin Allgaier won in overtime. However, NASCAR’s handling of the situation has irked some fans, considering the odd timing for the resumption.

Fans bash NASCAR for Monday plan

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Rescheduling a race to a working day may be the worst feeling for gearheads. Especially when it is on the cusp of the Cup Series playoffs, only three races remain for non-winners to clinch a playoff spot. Michigan International Speedway is bound to be thrilling in that regard. So one fan offered Pockrass a hilarious proposition: “I’ll be on a flight, Bob. Can you talk to Tim NASCAR, founder of NASCAR, to see if he can delay until 2 eastern?” Another fan rolled their eyes at the odd timing: “Cool, ill find out who won on my way home from work 🙄”

Austin Dillon’s playoff eligibility was stripped, and the competition would be more intense. However, the rescheduled race may just attract less popularity for Michigan International Speedway. After all, rain delays can be time-consuming for both drivers and fans. One fan summed it up: “Thanks bob. NASCAR can blame themselves for low numbers unfortunately most of us work.” Another fan chimed in: “Ratings will definitely be down tomorrow.”

Some people suggested possible solutions to this rain-washed dilemma. Michigan International Speedway stands out as a track with no lights. So one fan brought up this factor, which could be a reason for the rescheduling. “If Michigan Speedway had lights, would they have dried the track and run tonight?” Another fan vehemently argued for lights to be installed. “Mid-afternoon starts at tracks with no lights should never happen.”

The rain has played spoilsport with NASCAR’s plans yet again. Now we can only accommodate the Michigan race in our busy work schedule to see who makes the playoffs this time.