Here are the hot topics, trending news and key story lines to get you ready for this weekend’s races at Michigan International Speedway and Road America.
WEATHER
In Brooklyn, Michigan, the forecast shows partly cloudy skies with a 50 percent chance of rain, scattered thunderstorms during the day and a high of 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin – the site of the XFINITY Road America race — calls for a mix of sunshine and clouds with scattered thunderstorms, a 60 percent chance of rain and a high of 73 degrees Fahrenheit.
KEY TIMES
Sprint Cup Series: The Sprint Cup Series holds its first practice and Coors Light Pole qualifying session on Friday, beginning at noon and 5:15 p.m. ET, respectively. The race begins at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday on NBCSN/NBC Sports App.
XFINITY Series: The XFINITY Series practices twice at Road America on Friday (10 a.m. and noon ET) before qualifying at 6:35 p.m. ET. The race takes place Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App.
Camping World Truck Series: The Camping World Truck Series has its pair of practices on Friday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET. The race gets underway Saturday at 1 p.m. on FS1.
CATCH DRIVERS LIVE
We stream every driver press conference in the media center at NASCAR.com/presspass. The Michigan press conferences begin Friday with Camping World Truck Series drivers Tyler Reddick (11:30 a.m.) and Cameron Hayley (11:45 a.m.), followed by Sprint Cup Series’ Austin Dillon (2 p.m.), Greg Biffle (2:15 p.m.) and Alex Bowman (3:45 p.m.), who is filling in for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88 Chevorlet.
LAST TIME
Joey Logano dominated the event, leading 138 of the 200 laps and earning Team Penske‘s 50th Sprint Cup career victory and 100th premier series win for Roush Yates Engines. Rookie Chase Elliott contended for the win, passing Logano for the lead briefly at Lap 117, but Logano ultimately took back the top spot for the win, while Elliott finished second.
YOU SHOULD KNOW …
• Kyle Busch called Brad Keselowski a “dirty racer” following the pair’s collision in Friday night’s XFINITY race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The two stayed away from one another in Sunday’s Sprint Cup event, but will there be leftover tension in the Irish Hills?
• The No. 3 team is eyeing Victory Lane this weekend: After Sunday’s rain-delayed race at Bristol, No. 3 crew chief Slugger Labbe said that they’ve had Michigan — one of driver Austin Dillon‘s favorite tracks — circled on their team calendar and Dillon is looking to earn his first Sprint Cup win in the Irish Hills.
• Pocono winner Chris Buescher launched himself into the top 30 with a top-five finish last weekend at Bristol. To make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the rookie needs to maintain or improve upon his 30th-place position in the driver standings in the three races before the playoffs begin.
• Michigan has produced a different Sprint Cup winner in each of the last five races at the two-mile track. Four of the last six winners have started from the pole position.
THE FAVORITE
Joey Logano. The Team Penske driver has finished the past seven races at Michigan inside the top 10 and nabbed two wins in that span. He’s also the reigning winner at the track and knows how to get around the Irish Hills.
Others to consider: Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick.
THE SLEEPER
Chase Elliott. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate has only made one start at the two-mile track, but also made quite the first impression: Elliott led 35 laps and was race winner Joey Logano’s biggest competitor in the last leg of the race before eventually finishing second.
Others to consider: Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Paul Menard.
STAFF PICKS
Joey Logano: 3
Chase Elliott: 3
Brad Keselowski: 2
Matt Kenseth: 1
Carl Edwards: 1