The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Michigan for the FireKeepers Casino 400 on Sunday, August 7. The race will be live streamed on DirecTV Stream, which offers a free trial.
Bubba Wallace won his first career pole Saturday, becoming the only driver to break 190 mph in the Next Gen car during qualifying this season. Wallace also gave 23XI Racing, formed by Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin in 2020, its first pole.
“With the speed that we have, there’s no reason that we can’t go out and win,” said Wallace, who became the second Black driver to win a Cup race 10 months ago at Talladega Superspeedway.
When is the NASCAR Cup Race?
NASCAR Cup Series heads to Michigan for the FireKeepers Casino 400 on Sunday, August 7, at 2 p.m. (3 p.m. ET).
Will it be live streamed?
DirecTV Stream offers a free trial.
There are four options of DirecTV Stream, but the Entertainment Package doesn’t carry the SEC Network:
The Entertainment Package, which consists of 65+ channels, is $54.99 until the promotion runs out April 30. It’s the basic package for can’t-miss entertainment - including ESPN, TNT, Nickelodeon and HGTV.
The Choice Package has more than 90 channels and is $74.99 during the promotion. The channels in ENTERTAINMENT, plus MLB Network, NBA TV, college sports networks, and more. Enjoy Regional Sports Networks with no additional fees.
The Ultimate Package has more than 130 channels and is $89.99 during the promotion. Everything in CHOICE, plus Oxygen, Golf Channel, NHL Network, Universal Kids and more.
The Premier Package has more than 140 channels and is $134.99 during the promotion. Everything in ULTIMATE, plus HBO Max, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax and more.
DirecTV Stream offers a free trial that doesn’t require much effort.
To sign up, enter a phone number, email address and credit card, and you’ll receive five days of the service without charge.
What channel will broadcast the race?
The NASCAR Cup series race will be televised on USA Network.
Preview
PLAYOFF PUSH: Four races remain in the regular season, creating a sense of urgency to qualify for the playoffs. That’s true even for some drivers who have won a race.
NASCAR has had 14 different Cup winners this season, closing in on the playoff-era record of 16 set last year. If a new mark is made and there are three new winners over the next four races, one driver with a victory would be eliminated from the 16-car playoff with a tiebreaker based on points.
Chase Briscoe, who has one victory and is No. 12 in points, is confident his postseason bid is safe if there is not a new winner at MIS, though he would love to seal a spot on his own.
“Another win would be the easiest way to take the pressure off 100%,” said Briscoe, who will start 23rd in the 37-car field in the No. 14 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing.
FORD’S TOUGH STRETCH: Chevrolet has 13 victories, including points leader Chase Elliott’s series-high four wins, leaving Toyota (five) and Ford (four) searching for answers.
Ford is hoping its previous success on the track in its backyard will provide a much-needed boost.
The manufacture has won seven straight Cup races, including last year with Ryan Blaney, on the two-mile oval about 50 miles west of its world headquarters in the Motor City.
This season, though, Ford has gone two months without a victory since Joey Logano won his second race in 2022.
Logano said he plans to compete aggressively.
“If you’re not the one making the move, a move is going to be put on you,” he said.
ODDS AND ENDS: Toyota has the top three starting positions, including Christopher Bell, who was second in qualifying. ... Kevin Harvick has not won since Sept. 19, 2020 but does lead all active drivers with five wins at Michigan. ... Kurt Busch is missing his third straight race with concussion-like symptoms after crashing July 23 in qualifying at Pocono Raceway. Ty Gibbs is filling in for him in the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing. ... Austin Hill is making his Cup debut for Richard Childress Racing. ... Kyle Busch is a 6-1 favorite to win, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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