The NASCAR lineup for the upcoming race at Michigan International Speedway has been set, and the stage is set for an exciting and competitive race this weekend. Qualifying for the race was supposed to take place yesterday, but Mother Nature had other plans, as rain washed out the qualifying session. As a result, the starting lineup for the race was determined by the current NASCAR rule book, which states that if qualifying is rained out, the starting lineup is set by the current owner points standings.
With that protocol in place, Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, was awarded the pole position for the race. Hamlin is currently fourth in the NASCAR Cup Series standings and has been performing consistently well throughout the season. This marks Hamlin’s second pole of the season, as he also started from the front at the Talladega Superspeedway earlier this year.
The decision to award the pole to Hamlin based on the owner points standings came as somewhat of a surprise, as many had expected Kyle Larson, who currently leads the Cup Series standings, to start from the front. However, due to the rainout, Larson will have to settle for starting in the second position alongside Hamlin.
The rest of the top five starting positions for the race are filled by William Byron in third, Brad Keselowski in fourth, and Joey Logano in fifth. All of these drivers have shown strong performances throughout the season and will be looking to capitalize on their starting positions to secure a strong finish in Michigan.
As the drivers and teams prepare for the race, the excitement and anticipation among fans are palpable. With the lineup set and the stage set for a thrilling race, all eyes will be on Michigan International Speedway this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series drivers battle it out for the win.
Stay tuned for more updates and coverage of the NASCAR lineup at Michigan as the race weekend unfolds.