FireKeepers Casino 400 Race Preview and Pick
NASCAR Cup Series: FireKeepers Casino 400
Sunday, August 7, 2022 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan
Last Week's Race
The Verizon 200 took place last week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
Tyler Reddick earned his second win of the season.
His first win this season came at Road America.
Given his performances in Road America and Indianapolis' road course, he has emerged as a force worth considering on road courses.
Normally, one thinks of Chase Elliott as the road course champ, and he's also having a terrific season.
He ended up finishing 16th, though.
Reddick's win was literally start to finish.
He had earned pole position and won.
But there were also nine lead changes in this race, and Reddick did not win Stage 1 or Stage 2.
Ross Chastain initially finished second place, but he was penalized and officially forced to finish 28th after the race.
Officially, second place was Austin Cindric.
Reddick's win positions him at fifth in the standings, while Elliott and then eventually Chastain remain one-two in the standings.
Race Info
The Michigan International Speedway near Brooklyn, Michigan hosts this week's upcoming race, the FireKeepers Casino 400.
It is basically right to list Brooklyn as the location for this race, but it actually takes place off the highway in Brooklyn's close vicinity.
For this race, drivers must complete a total of 200 laps.
As has almost always been the case this season, there will be three stages for this race.
Stage 1 consists in the first 45 laps.
Stage 2 terminates upon completion of the 120th lap.
Stage 3 requires drivers to accrue 80 more laps.
Entry List
By the middle of the week, the entry list for the upcoming race gets published.
For this week's entry list, 37 teams/drivers out of 40 possible spots are posted.
So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we already know which drivers will participate in this race.
We may expect all the usual suspects.
Starting Lineup
The starting lineup gets determined via qualifying.
Qualifying takes place in the afternoon on the day before the race.
It starts on Saturday at 1:20 p.m. ET and ends at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The format for qualifying is two groups, single-vehicle, one lap, and two rounds.
A two-group practice session will directly precede qualifying.
Practice is at 12:35 p.m. ET to 1:20 p.m. ET.
Track Info
Based on qualifying speeds, for example, Michigan International Speedway may rightly boast to be the fastest track on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit.
This track is large, allowing drivers plenty of time to collect speed especially on its long straightaways.
Moreover, one can pass drivers while maintaining high speeds because this course is wide.
The start and finish enjoys a superb level of banking, which further helps drivers corral more momentum and speed for their vehicles.
The start/finish is banked at 12 degrees, the backstretch at five degrees, and the turns at a very respectable 18 degrees.
Michigan's track is a d-shaped oval that is two miles long per lap.
So, in completing 200 laps, drivers will have accumulated 400 miles.
Guys I Dislike
I recommend going against Tyler Reddick.
He already merits minimal optimism this week because it is so hard and rare to win back-to-back races in NASCAR.
But also, his history at this track is abysmal.
In his career, he has finished 18th, 24th, and 29th in three races at the Michigan International Speedway.
While Brad Keselowski's history at this track is stronger than Reddick's, he has been very hit-or-miss here.
I also dislike Keselowski because of the high frequency with which he fails to break the top 10.
Keselowski finished 14th and 20th, respectively, in his last two races.
My Guy
I am resisting the temptation to invest in Kevin Harvick, who has collected many wins at this track in recent years.
He is having a terrible season right now, and his elite performances in Michigan have come in his better years.
My guy is Denny Hamlin,
Hamlin has been superb in his best courses, winning in Richmond, which is his second-best course, finishing sixth in New Hampshire, which is his third-best course.
Moreover, Hamlin crossed the line first at Pocono, which is his eighth-best course.
Michigan is Hamlin's fourth-best course.
Best Bet: Denny Hamlin Outright (Odds TBA)
NASCAR Cup Series: FireKeepers Casino 400
Sunday, August 7, 2022 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan
Last Week's Race
The Verizon 200 took place last week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
Tyler Reddick earned his second win of the season.
His first win this season came at Road America.
Given his performances in Road America and Indianapolis' road course, he has emerged as a force worth considering on road courses.
Normally, one thinks of Chase Elliott as the road course champ, and he's also having a terrific season.
He ended up finishing 16th, though.
Reddick's win was literally start to finish.
He had earned pole position and won.
But there were also nine lead changes in this race, and Reddick did not win Stage 1 or Stage 2.
Ross Chastain initially finished second place, but he was penalized and officially forced to finish 28th after the race.
Officially, second place was Austin Cindric.
Reddick's win positions him at fifth in the standings, while Elliott and then eventually Chastain remain one-two in the standings.
Race Info
The Michigan International Speedway near Brooklyn, Michigan hosts this week's upcoming race, the FireKeepers Casino 400.
It is basically right to list Brooklyn as the location for this race, but it actually takes place off the highway in Brooklyn's close vicinity.
For this race, drivers must complete a total of 200 laps.
As has almost always been the case this season, there will be three stages for this race.
Stage 1 consists in the first 45 laps.
Stage 2 terminates upon completion of the 120th lap.
Stage 3 requires drivers to accrue 80 more laps.
Entry List
By the middle of the week, the entry list for the upcoming race gets published.
For this week's entry list, 37 teams/drivers out of 40 possible spots are posted.
So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we already know which drivers will participate in this race.
We may expect all the usual suspects.
Starting Lineup
The starting lineup gets determined via qualifying.
Qualifying takes place in the afternoon on the day before the race.
It starts on Saturday at 1:20 p.m. ET and ends at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The format for qualifying is two groups, single-vehicle, one lap, and two rounds.
A two-group practice session will directly precede qualifying.
Practice is at 12:35 p.m. ET to 1:20 p.m. ET.
Track Info
Based on qualifying speeds, for example, Michigan International Speedway may rightly boast to be the fastest track on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit.
This track is large, allowing drivers plenty of time to collect speed especially on its long straightaways.
Moreover, one can pass drivers while maintaining high speeds because this course is wide.
The start and finish enjoys a superb level of banking, which further helps drivers corral more momentum and speed for their vehicles.
The start/finish is banked at 12 degrees, the backstretch at five degrees, and the turns at a very respectable 18 degrees.
Michigan's track is a d-shaped oval that is two miles long per lap.
So, in completing 200 laps, drivers will have accumulated 400 miles.
Guys I Dislike
I recommend going against Tyler Reddick.
He already merits minimal optimism this week because it is so hard and rare to win back-to-back races in NASCAR.
But also, his history at this track is abysmal.
In his career, he has finished 18th, 24th, and 29th in three races at the Michigan International Speedway.
While Brad Keselowski's history at this track is stronger than Reddick's, he has been very hit-or-miss here.
I also dislike Keselowski because of the high frequency with which he fails to break the top 10.
Keselowski finished 14th and 20th, respectively, in his last two races.
My Guy
I am resisting the temptation to invest in Kevin Harvick, who has collected many wins at this track in recent years.
He is having a terrible season right now, and his elite performances in Michigan have come in his better years.
My guy is Denny Hamlin,
Hamlin has been superb in his best courses, winning in Richmond, which is his second-best course, finishing sixth in New Hampshire, which is his third-best course.
Moreover, Hamlin crossed the line first at Pocono, which is his eighth-best course.
Michigan is Hamlin's fourth-best course.
Best Bet: Denny Hamlin Outright (Odds TBA)
