BROOKLYN, Michigan — NASCAR has postponed the FireKeepers Casino 400 until Monday because there was not enough time to complete the Cup Series race Sunday at Michigan International Speedway after it was delayed and interrupted by rain.

On lap 51 of the 200-lap race, drivers were sent to the pits to wait and see if the rain would stop in time to finish at least half of the race to make it official and not take an extra day for the second consecutive year in Michigan.

The race was scheduled to resume at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time and would be televised across the United States.

During the driver introduction under dark clouds, Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon drew some boos – and responded by kissing his right palm and waving to the crowd – a week after he terrified Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin and Team Penske’s Joey Logano en route to a victory at Richmond Raceway in Virginia.

Three days after that win, NASCAR revoked Dillon’s automatic playoff eligibility without acknowledging his victory.

Hamlin started on the pole after Saturday’s qualifying was canceled due to rain and the start of the race was delayed by precipitation, forcing the cars to pit road after a few formation laps. Jet dryers made their rounds to remove at least some of the moisture and potentially make the race possible, but the weather did not cooperate.

More than two hours later, the drivers got back in their cars. Syle Larson, in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, took the lead on the first lap and held on to it, driving more than 200 mph on the straightaways and around 180 mph in the corners.

As Larson and Hamlin were driving side-by-side on lap 36, 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace went low and passed them both. Basketball legend Michael Jordan, who co-owns 23XI with Hamlin, smiled after Wallace executed the maneuver.

A few laps later, Hamlin attempted to catch up to Wallace but lost control of the car, resulting in a yellow flag and a caution period.

Wallace opted to pit, foregoing the chance to win 10 points for the first stage – he had pursued a strategy with fuel and tires that could perhaps help him win – and Penske’s Ryan Blaney took advantage to finish first after 45 laps.

12 drivers have secured a place in the playoffs, four spots are still open, and there are still three races of the regular season to go: in Michigan, next Saturday at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida and on September 1 at the Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. Drivers and teams will get from Michigan to Daytona even faster than planned, because qualifying takes place on Friday in Florida.

Duel goes from California to Carolina

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — For the first time in more than half a century, Bowman Gray Stadium will host a NASCAR event, opening next season with an exhibition at a site with a rich history in auto racing.

NASCAR announced Sunday that Winston-Salem will be home to the Clash on Feb. 2, 2025, marking the first time the Cup Series has been contested on the short track since 1971.

The Clash leaves the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum after a three-year stay. The stay in Florida began in 1979 as the prelude to the Daytona 500.

Racing operations at Bowman Gray Stadium have been managed by NASCAR since March following a lease agreement with the city of Winston-Salem through 2050.

The founders of NASCAR bought the North Carolina stadium in 1949, twelve years after it was built, and began hosting weekly races. Cup Series races were held here from 1958 to 1971.

“As NASCAR’s first weekly racetrack, Bowman Gray Stadium holds a special place as the original home of grassroots racing,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR executive vice president, in a press release. “With a history of intense competition, we are proud to host The Clash at ‘The Madhouse.'”

NASCAR tried something new and built a temporary race track at the Coliseum in 2022, the first year of a three-year series in California. When Los Angeles hosts the Summer Olympics in 2028, the opening ceremony will incorporate the century-old facility, and the venue will also be the home of track and field, as it was in 1932 and 1984.