After an action-packed Richmond race, are you ready for Michigan? NASCAR’s next stop is the Michigan International Speedway. Remember when Chris Buescher took the chequered flag and went on a roll? He won two out of the three final races in the regular season of 2023. Buescher needs that magic as he is currently struggling to stay above the playoff cutoff line.

Kyle Larson is the top pick to win Sunday’s race and with good reason. He’s a three-time Michigan winner with a stellar recent record at the track, never finishing lower than seventh in his last four attempts. However, Racing Insights is leaning slightly toward his rival Denny Hamlin, who also has two Michigan wins and a consistent top-six record since 2019. The series is at a crucial juncture, as many in the bubble are eyeing a win, and table toppers are eyeing the coveted playoff points.

When and where to watch: Whole Race Schedule

For all the Xfinity Series fans, there is good news. The series is finally returning after a three-week break. John Hunter Nemechek is coming in the race to score a back-to-back Richmond victory in the Xfinity series.

This weekend, there will be no Craftsman Truck Series race at the venue. However, the track will host the ARCA race. Friday will kick off with the ARCA practice session at 1:30 p.m. ET. Followed by the ARCA qualifying round at 2:30 p.m. ET. The 100-lap race is scheduled to start at 6:10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on Fox Sports (FS1) and Motor Racing Network (MRN). The same day will also host the Xfinity series practice at 3:30 p.m. ET and the qualification round at 4:10 p.m. ET. Both rounds can be viewed by fans on the NBC Sports app.

After an action-packed Friday, Saturday will kick off with the much-awaited Cup Series sessions. First up will be the practice session at 12:35 p.m. ET, followed by the qualification round at 1:20 p.m. ET. Fans can catch the action live on the USA network or on MRN. The day will conclude with a thrilling Xfinity series. Drivers eager to return after the break will surely put on a great show. The race will commence at 3:36 p.m. ET fans can catch the 125-lap-long action on the USA Network or MRN.

The show-stopper for the weekend is the crucial Cup Series race. The Michigan race is crucial, as including it, only three races are remaining in the regular season. Like Richmond, we might see some desperation from the racers eyeing a win to secure their playoff spot. On Sunday, the garage will open at 11:30 a.m. ET while the 200-lap race will take the green flag at 2:36 p.m. ET. All the actions will be broadcast on the USA network or MRN.

Tickets for the events have mostly sold out, but for those still looking to attend the race, they can be booked on Michigan International Speedway’s official website, https://www.mispeedway.com. The Cup Series tickets might already have been sold out, as no one wants to miss the action. However, there is a chance of availing the Xfinity Series race tickets.

The one factor that can cause hindrance in the above-mentioned race timings and your plans to watch the race is rain. According to the weather forecast, the conditions don’t seem very dry.

NASCAR Weekend weather forecasts, qualification lineup

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According to the Weather Underground forecast, the race weekend is expected to be unsettled. Friday will start off partly cloudy with a high of 80 degrees, but there’s a 24% chance of thunderstorms during Xfinity qualifying.

Saturday will be cooler with a high of 72 degrees and a 47% chance of showers for Cup practice, increasing to a high of 74 degrees and a 66% chance of rain by the start of the NASCAR Xfinity race.

Conditions will be slightly better on Sunday, with a high of 75 degrees and a 38% chance of showers at the start of the NASCAR Cup race. Rain will surely add a higher level of thrill and entertainment to the race.

The qualification lineup for the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series is as follows:

Cup Series: 

1. #1 Ross Chastain
2. #2 Austin Cindric
3. #3 Austin Dillon
4. #4 Josh Berry (R)
5. #5 Kyle Larson
6. #6 Brad Keselowski
7. #7 Corey LaJoie
8. #8 Kyle Busch
9. #9 Chase Elliott
10. #10 Noah Gragson
11. #11 Denny Hamlin
12. #12 Ryan Blaney
13. #14 Chase Briscoe
14. #15 Riley Herbst (i)
15. #16 Ty Dillon (i)
16. #17 Chris Buescher
17. #19 Martin Truex Jr.
18. #20 Christopher Bell
19. #21 Harrison Burton
20. #22 Joey Logano
21. #23 Bubba Wallace
22. #24 William Byron
23. #31 Daniel Hemric
24. #34 Michael McDowell
25. #38 Todd Gilliland
26. #41 Ryan Preece
27. #42 John Hunter Nemechek
28. #43 Erik Jones
29. #45 Tyler Reddick
30. #47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
31. #48 Alex Bowman
32. #51 Justin Haley
33. #54 Ty Gibbs
34. #66 Parker Retzlaff (i)
35. #71 Zane Smith (R)
36. #77 Carson Hocevar (R)
37. #99 Daniel Suárez

Xfinity Series: 

1. #00 Cole Custer
2. #1 Sam Mayer
3. #2 Jesse Love
4. #5 Anthony Alfredo
5. #07 Patrick Emerling
6. #7 Justin Allgaier
7. #8 Sammy Smith
8. #9 Brandon Jones
9. #10 Daniel Dye
10. #11 Josh Williams
11. #14 Logan Bearden
12. #15 Lawless Alan
13. #16 A.J. Allmendinger
14. #18 Sheldon Creed
15. #19 Taylor Gray
16. #20 John Hunter Nemechek
17. #21 Austin Hill
18. #26 Jeffrey Earnhardt
19. #27 Jeb Burton
20. #28 Kyle Sieg
21. #29 Blaine Perkins
22. #30 Noah Gragson
23. #31 Parker Retzlaff
24. #35 Joey Gase
25. #38 Matt DiBenedetto
26. #39 Ryan Sieg
27. #42 Leland Honeyman
28. #43 Ryan Ellis
29. #44 Brennan Poole
30. #45 Caesar Bacarella
31. #48 Parker Kligerman
32. #51 Jeremy Clements
33. #53 Morgen Bairrd
34. #81 Chandler Smith
35. #88 Carson Kvapil
36. #91 Kyle Weatherman
37. #92 Josh Bilicki
38. #97 Shane van Gisbergen
39. #98 Riley Herbst

Pole position is paramount at any race, but with only four races left before the playoffs, its importance is magnified. Drivers on the bubble desperately need a good finish, at least in the top 5. Will two-time Kyle Busch get a win? Will Ross Chastain be able to come above the playoff cutoff line? We’ll know in a short while; get ready for the action!