The
NASCAR Cup Series has held
stock car races
In finance, stock (also capital stock) consists of all the shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided.Longman Business English Dictionary: "stock - ''especially AmE'' one of the shares into which ownership of a company ...
annually at
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway (MIS) is a moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than approximately south of the village of Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track ...
in
Brooklyn, Michigan
Brooklyn is a village in Jackson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,206 at the 2010 census. It is located in the Irish Hills region of southern Michigan, just north of U.S. Route 12 along M-50. The village is located w ...
since 1969. Traditionally, the track held two Cup Series races, one in June, around
Father's Day
Father's Day is a holiday of honoring fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society. In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on 19 March as Saint Joseph's Day since the Middle Ages. In the Unite ...
weekend and another in August. The August race was not held in 1973 after track owner
Roger Penske
Roger Searle Penske (born February 20, 1937) is an American businessman and entrepreneur involved in professional auto racing and a retired professional auto racing driver. He is most famous for his ownership of Team Penske, DJR Team Penske, t ...
replaced the race with a
Champ Car
Champ Car World Series (CCWS) was the series sanctioned by Open-Wheel Racing Series Inc., or Champ Car, a sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing that operated from 2004 to 2008. It was the successor to Championship Auto Racing Teams ...
event.
In 2020, both races were held over a single weekend in August due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. In 2021, the June race was dropped from the schedule as part of a realignment, with its place on the schedule being given to
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The reconfigured track measures with banked 20° in turns 1 and 2 and banked 24 ...
to host the All-Star Race.
The races have had many different corporate sponsors over the years and the 2022 event was known as the FireKeepers Casino 400.
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Michael Harvick (born December 8, 1975) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing.
Harvick is the 2014 Cup Series champion, ...
is the defending winner of the race.
Past August winners
Notes
*1969 & 2001: Race shortened due to rain.
*1977: Race postponed from Sunday to Monday due to rain.
*2007: Race postponed twice from Sunday to Tuesday morning due to rain
*2007, 2011–12, 2017: Race extended due to an
overtime finish.
*2020: Race shortened by 22% to 500 km (312 mi) due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. However, the race retained the "Consumers Energy 400" name.
Multiple winners (drivers)
Multiple winners (teams)
Manufacturer wins
Notable August races
*1970:
Restrictor plates made their racing debut in the 1970 Yankee 400 and
Charlie Glotzbach
Charles Lee Glotzbach (June 19, 1938 – April 23, 2021) was an ARCA and NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver. He holds one of the oldest race records in NASCAR. He has the record for fastest pace at Bristol Motor Speedway for a NASCAR race. He was ...
drove a
Dodge Daytona
The Dodge Daytona is an automobile which was produced by the Chrysler Corporation under their Dodge division from 1984 until 1993. It was a front-wheel drive hatchback based on the Chrysler G platform, which was derived from the Chrysler K platfo ...
to the win.
*1971:
Bobby Allison
Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937) is a former American professional stock car racing driver and owner. Allison was the founder of the Alabama Gang, a group of drivers based in Hueytown, Alabama, where there were abundant short tracks ...
dueled Allison edged Petty at the stripe for a season sweep at Michigan in the
Holman-Moody
Holman-Moody is an American racecar manufacturer, marine engine manufacturer and former auto racing team. The company currently operates out of Charlotte, North Carolina, but is no longer a race team. Holman-Moody continues to manufacture racing v ...
Mercury.
*1973: Although the Yankee 400 was on the NASCAR Winston Cup schedule at the beginning of the 1973 season, set for August 5, Roger Penske announced on June 8 that the 1973 Yankee 400 would not be held, citing the tight schedule that Michigan International Speedway had to accommodate in the summer of 1973.
*1974: Promoter
Roger Penske
Roger Searle Penske (born February 20, 1937) is an American businessman and entrepreneur involved in professional auto racing and a retired professional auto racing driver. He is most famous for his ownership of Team Penske, DJR Team Penske, t ...
reinserted the Yankee 400 to Michigan's schedule after 1973 after the
Michigan 400
The NASCAR Cup Series has held stock car races annually at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan since 1969. Traditionally, the track held two Cup Series races, one in June, around Father's Day weekend and another in August. The ...
that June turned a strong profit.
David Pearson and
Cale Yarborough fought hard before Cale was stopped by a mismatched set of tires late in the race. The lead changed 45 times among eight drivers.
*1975: A late yellow-flag set up a five-lap finish; Pearson and
Richard Petty went at it and the lead changed on every lap down to the finish as Petty edged Pearson by a nose.
*1977: Rain postponed the race to Monday and
Darrell Waltrip edged Pearson to the stripe.
*1978: Pearson's final win for the
Wood Brothers came on a one-lap shootout as he passed Waltrip.
Richard Petty crashed in the final laps, setting up the finish; he was making his debut in a second-hand 1974 bodied Chevrolet after abandoning his 1978 Dodge Magnum.
*1979: Pearson was hired to drive
Rod Osterlund
Rod Osterlund was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series car owner spanning from 1977–1981, and then again from 1989–1991. He earned his money off rental property in California. Osterlund's first race as a car owner was at the 1977 Cam 2 Motor Oil 400 whi ...
's Chevrolet after
Dale Earnhardt was injured at Pocono and he won the Michigan pole, ultimately finishing fourth.
Buddy Baker led late but
Richard Petty took tires on a late stop and gunned him down on the final lap; the win began a rally from a 229-point deficit to the season championship.
*1981: The most competitive Michigan race ever erupted as
Ron Bouchard
Ronald R. Bouchard (November 23, 1948December 10, 2015) was an American NASCAR driver who was the 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year. His brother Ken Bouchard was the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year. His father-in-law, Ed Flem ...
won his first pole fresh off his electrifying Talladega win. There were 65 lead changes among 14 drivers and
Richard Petty, who led 65 laps, roared from fifth to the lead with five to go and held off six other challengers. "This wasn't the toughest race, but it sure was the most aggravating," Petty said afterward.
*1987: Fellow drivers revolted against
Tim Richmond
Timothy Lee Richmond (June 7, 1955 – August 13, 1989) was an American race car driver from Ashland, Ohio. He competed in IndyCar racing before transferring to NASCAR's Winston Cup Series. Richmond was one of the first drivers to change from ...
at Watkins Glen the week before when he reported to the pre race drivers meeting looking sickly and acting belligerently. Before Michigan qualifying Richmond had to be rousted out of his motorhome and when he arrived at the qualifying line asked aloud, "Where are we?" When NASCAR officials
Les Richter
Leslie Alan Richter (October 6, 1930 – June 12, 2010) was an American football linebacker who played for the Los Angeles Rams of National Football League (NFL). He also served as the head of operations for NASCAR and president of the River ...
and
Dick Beaty
Dick, Dicks, or Dick's may refer to:
Media
* ''Dicks'' (album), a 2004 album by Fila Brazillia
* Dicks (band), a musical group
* ''Dick'' (film), a 1999 American comedy film
* "Dick" (song), a 2019 song by Starboi3 featuring Doja Cat
Names
...
asked Hendrick officials what was wrong with Tim, Richmond appeared from nowhere and confronted both of them, then showed up late for the pre race drivers meeting. During the 400 he had an anxiety attack and the engine blew; he drove to the garage and when the crew checked the tachometer they found it had been pegged, because Richmond had deliberately over revved the engine to blow it. It became his final race ever.
Richard Petty rallied to the lead in the final 40 laps but had to pit on a late caution and crashed after colliding with
Davey Allison
David Carl Allison (February 25, 1961 – July 13, 1993) was an American NASCAR driver. He was best known for driving the No. 28 Texaco-Havoline Ford for Robert Yates Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Born in Hollywood, Florida, he was th ...
on the final lap as
Bill Elliott took the win, his sixth Michigan win in an eight-race span.
*1991:
Dale Jarrett
Dale Arnold Jarrett (born November 26, 1956) is a former American race car driver and current commentator for NBC. He is best known for winning the Daytona 500 three times (in 1993, 1996, and 2000) and winning the NASCAR Winston Cup Series champi ...
stayed out on a late caution, and in the final laps
Davey Allison
David Carl Allison (February 25, 1961 – July 13, 1993) was an American NASCAR driver. He was best known for driving the No. 28 Texaco-Havoline Ford for Robert Yates Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Born in Hollywood, Florida, he was th ...
ran him down, but became locked in a side-by-side battle won by Jarrett by inches for his first win and the first for the
Wood Brothers since 1987 at Charlotte.
*1994: Just after
Wally Dallenbach Jr. was released from his seat in
Richard Petty's Pontiac, Indycar veteran
John Andretti
John Andrew Andretti (March 12, 1963January 30, 2020) was an American race car driver. He won individual races in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series, and NASCAR during his career. He was the son of Aldo Andretti, older brother of racer Adam ...
took over the seat and turned heads by qualifying second. However, the story of the weekend was a savage crash in practice that left
Ernie Irvan
Virgil Earnest "Ernie" Irvan (born January 13, 1959), occasionally referred to as Swervin' Irvan, is an American former professional stock car racing driver. A retired NASCAR competitor, he is best remembered for his comeback after a serious head ...
critically injured with head injuries. Irvan would recover from near-fatal injury over a year later. The race itself began with a six-car melee where
Bobby Hillin Jr. nearly flew over the second turn wall.
Geoff Bodine
Geoffrey Edwin Bodine (born April 18, 1949) is a retired American motorsport driver and bobsled builder. He is the oldest of the three Bodine brothers (with Brett Bodine and Todd Bodine), and sister Denise. Bodine lives in West Melbourne, Florid ...
won on
Hoosier Tires.
*1998: Irvan dominated the race, but
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, who is the Vice Chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick M ...
ran down the leaders and won handily.
Mark Martin
Mark Anthony Martin (born January 9, 1959) is a retired American stock car racing driver. He has the second most wins all time in what is now the Xfinity Series with 49. He scored 40 Cup Series wins. He finished second in the NASCAR Cup Series s ...
was denied the win, the race coming days after the death of his father in a plane crash.
*1999:
Goodyear brought tires to Michigan designed for Fontana for
Winston West
The ARCA Menards Series West, formerly the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, NASCAR AutoZone West Series, NASCAR Winston West Series and NASCAR Camping World West Series, is a regional stock car racing series owned and operated by the Automobile Racin ...
racing, where
Hoosier Tire was still a presence in competition against Goodyear; the new tire featured greater stagger and handled more like
bias-ply tires than
radials.
Dale Earnhardt grabbed the lead late and got into a spirited battle with
Bobby Labonte
Robert Allen Labonte (born May 8, 1964) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver and current analyst for ''NASCAR on Fox''. He also currently competes full-time in the Superstar Racing Experience, driving the No. 18 car. L ...
before Labonte cleared for the win.
*2007. This was the first modern-day NASCAR race to be run on a Tuesday.
Kurt Busch dominated all day, leading 96 laps out of the 203. Busch held off Martin Truex Jr and Jimmie Johnson in a Green White Checkered finish for his second win of the season.
*2012:
Greg Biffle won his second race of 2012 after
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson (born September 17, 1975) is an American professional auto racing driver. A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, he competes part-time in the series driving for Petty GMS Motorsports. Johnson's seven Cup championships, ...
's engine blew up with five laps to go. The race was also marked by a scary crash on lap 64.
Mark Martin
Mark Anthony Martin (born January 9, 1959) is a retired American stock car racing driver. He has the second most wins all time in what is now the Xfinity Series with 49. He scored 40 Cup Series wins. He finished second in the NASCAR Cup Series s ...
was leading
Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kenneth Kahne (; born April 10, 1980) is an American dirt track racing driver and former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2018, driving the No. 95 Dumont Jets/ Procore Technolo ...
into turn 4 and was about to lap
Bobby Labonte
Robert Allen Labonte (born May 8, 1964) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver and current analyst for ''NASCAR on Fox''. He also currently competes full-time in the Superstar Racing Experience, driving the No. 18 car. L ...
and
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán (; born September 20, 1975) is a Colombian racing driver.
He won the International F3000 championship in 1998, the CART FedEx Championship Series in 1999 in his debut year in the series, and the IMSA WeatherTech ...
when Labonte got loose and spun. Montoya got away, but Labonte collected Martin and Kahne. While Labonte and Kahne spun into the trioval grass, Martin's car spun down pit road and was impaled on the left rear side by an opening in the pit wall at Kahne's pit stall. Martin climbed out, unharmed. The day was also a sour day for Hendrick supplied engines as three of the six cars with this engine package -
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, who is the Vice Chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick M ...
,
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson (born September 17, 1975) is an American professional auto racing driver. A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, he competes part-time in the series driving for Petty GMS Motorsports. Johnson's seven Cup championships, ...
and
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne Stewart (born May 20, 1971), nicknamed Smoke, is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, current NASCAR team co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, and current co-owner of the Superstar Racing Experience. He is ...
- all had engine part failures (Johnson had two failed engines, as he blew another one in practice). The other three,
Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kenneth Kahne (; born April 10, 1980) is an American dirt track racing driver and former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2018, driving the No. 95 Dumont Jets/ Procore Technolo ...
,
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. (born October 10, 1974) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, team owner, author, and an analyst for '' NASCAR on NBC''. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving ...
and
Ryan Newman, survived for top ten finishes.
*2016: This race is memorable for it being the first NASCAR Cup Series victory for
Kyle Larson
Kyle Miyata Larson (born July 31, 1992) is an American professional auto racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson is the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champi ...
. Chase Elliott would end up finishing second as he did in the prior June race earlier in the year.
Past June winners
Notes
*1974: The race was shortened by 10% in response to the
fuel crisis.
*2000: Race shortened due to rain/darkness.
*2006, 2015, and 2018: Race shortened due to rain.
*2008, 2019, and 2020: Race extended due to a
NASCAR Overtime finish.
*2015: The race was red-flagged for a record of four times, laps 13, 19, 44, and 139.
*2019: Race postponed from Sunday to Monday afternoon due to rain and extended due to a
NASCAR Overtime finish.
*2020: Race postponed from June 7 to August 8 and shortened to 500 kilometers (312 miles) due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
and shortened races caused by new rules for two races on the same weekend. However, the race retained the "FireKeepers Casino 400" name.
Multiple winners (drivers)
Multiple winners (teams)
Manufacturer wins
Notable June races
*
1969
This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon.
Events January
* January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco.
* January 5
**Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...
: NASCAR's debut at Michigan International Speedway was a 500-miler where the lead changed 35 times and writer Benny Phillips wrote afterward, "If they gave an Oscar for NASCAR's most exciting race, it would win hands down."
Cale Yarborough escaped to the win when
LeeRoy Yarbrough
Lonnie "LeeRoy" Yarbrough (September 17, 1938 – December 7, 1984) was an American stock car racer. His best season was 1969 when he won seven races, tallied 21 finishes in the top-ten and earned $193,211 ($ when inflation is taken into account ...
crashed on the final lap.
*1970: A scoring controversy marred
Cale Yarborough's rally to edge
Pete Hamilton
Peter Goodwill Hamilton (July 20, 1942 – March 21, 2017) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He competed in NASCAR for six years, where he won four times in his career (including the 1970 Daytona 500), three times driving ...
in a four-lap battle to the flag. Yarborough had lost two laps earlier but was scored on the lead lap at the end; Hamilton's car owner
Richard Petty protested, "The (scoring) cards have Cale lapping Pete (on a late caution) without the pace car lapping Pete. That's impossible." Hamilton and Petty led over 100 laps between them in high-winged
Plymouth Superbird
The Plymouth Superbird is a highly modified, short-lived version of the Plymouth Road Runner with applied graphic images as well as a distinctive horn sound both referencing the popular ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon character the Road Runner. It was ...
s.
*1971:
Bobby Allison
Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937) is a former American professional stock car racing driver and owner. Allison was the founder of the Alabama Gang, a group of drivers based in Hueytown, Alabama, where there were abundant short tracks ...
edged
Bobby Isaac
Robert Vance Isaac (August 1, 1932 – August 14, 1977) was an American stock car racing driver. Isaac made his first NASCAR appearance in 1961, and quickly forged a reputation of one of the toughest competitors of the 1960s and 1970s. He was most ...
by a car length for his third straight win of the season, driving the
Holman-Moody
Holman-Moody is an American racecar manufacturer, marine engine manufacturer and former auto racing team. The company currently operates out of Charlotte, North Carolina, but is no longer a race team. Holman-Moody continues to manufacture racing v ...
Mercury. The lead changed 35 times with Allison, Isaac, and
Donnie Allison
Donnie Allison (born September 7, 1939) is an American former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned from 1966 to 1988. He is part of the "Alabama Gang", and is the bro ...
at times racing three abreast down the mammoth trioval and the lead changing twice on several laps between Bobby Allison and Isaac.
*1972:
David Pearson took the second of his record nine Michigan wins, dominating in the
Wood Brothers Mercury; the win was the third for the Woods in the Michigan 400's first four runnings. It was the final season the track was operated under the aegis of the defunct empire of
Larry Lopatin, as
Roger Penske
Roger Searle Penske (born February 20, 1937) is an American businessman and entrepreneur involved in professional auto racing and a retired professional auto racing driver. He is most famous for his ownership of Team Penske, DJR Team Penske, t ...
would purchase the facility in 1973.
*1974: The rivalry between
Richard Petty in the
STP
STP may refer to:
Places
* São Tomé and Príncipe (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code, IOC country code, and FIFA country code STP)
* St Pancras railway station, London St Pancras (Domestic) railway station (National Rail code STP)
* St. Paul Downtown Air ...
Dodge and
David Pearson and the
Purolator Mercury had begun intensifying in 1973 and reached a new level in 1974 as Petty won the
Daytona 500 and
Carolina 500 while Pearson had stormed to win the
Rebel 450,
Winston 500, and
World 600
The Coca-Cola 600, originally the World 600, is an annual NASCAR Cup Series points race held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on a Sunday during Memorial Day weekend. The first race, held in 1960, was also the first on ...
. Petty and Pearson faced off with challenges from the Allison brothers,
Cale Yarborough, and
Buddy Baker, but on this June 1974 day a rookie from Alsa Craig, Ontario,
Earl Ross
Earl Ross (September 4, 1941 – September 18, 2014) was a Canadian race car driver who competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series from 1973 to 1976 driving the Carling Red Cap #52.
Career summary
Ross was born in Fortune, Prince Edward Island, C ...
, found himself in the fight as well. A late crash put the race under yellow in the final four laps; Pearson pitted for tires thinking the race would restart but it didn't, as Petty took the win and the Canadian rookie Ross finished second with Pearson third. The lead changed 50 times among nine drivers. Also, this race marked the only Top 5 finish for
Marty Robbins
Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, and NASCAR racing driver. Robbins was one of the most popular and succ ...
.
*1976: Pearson's superspeedway vengeance tour of 1976 hit Michigan as
Cale Yarborough dominated before losing enough power to finish second to the late rally of The Silver Fox, who posted his seventh win of the season.
*1977:
Cale Yarborough took his seventh win of the season over
Richard Petty, but was upset after the race over the track surface, which had buckled after a hard winter and caused "my car (to jump) out of gear three times."
*1979: The lead changed 47 times among eleven drivers and the finish shook into an eight-car battle. In the final laps rookie,
Dale Earnhardt hit the apron of Turn Three trying a pass and nearly crashed into
Neil Bonnett, Petty, and
Darrell Waltrip; both Waltrip and Petty were pointedly critical of Earnhardt ("He nearly took us all out," Waltrip said afterward). Waltrip's blown transmission in the final two laps secured the win for
Buddy Baker.
*1980:
Benny Parsons
Benjamin Stewart Parsons (July 12, 1941 – January 16, 2007) was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst/pit reporter on SETN, TBS, ABC, ESPN, NBC, and TNT. He became famous as the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion, ...
, raised in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, took the win at the speedway in his home state.
*1981: Another eight-car battle exploded with five to go when
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty (born June 2, 1960) is an American former stock car racing driver, and current racing commentator. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of racer Adam Petty, who was killed in a crash d ...
blew his engine in, Turn, Two as the leaders were entering One;
Bobby Allison
Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937) is a former American professional stock car racing driver and owner. Allison was the founder of the Alabama Gang, a group of drivers based in Hueytown, Alabama, where there were abundant short tracks ...
was running seventh when five of the top seven spun in the oil, then down the backstretch,
Darrell Waltrip and
Dale Earnhardt collided and crashed. The win was Allison's fourth of the 1981 season and the race turned out to be the final one for car owner
Rod Osterlund
Rod Osterlund was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series car owner spanning from 1977–1981, and then again from 1989–1991. He earned his money off rental property in California. Osterlund's first race as a car owner was at the 1977 Cam 2 Motor Oil 400 whi ...
as he sold his team to mysterious
J.D. Stacy.
*1982:Televised live on
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
, the race completed 56 laps before rain delayed resumption until late in the evening.
Cale Yarborough setup
Darrell Waltrip for a last-lap pass on the backstretch, with Waltrip, aggressively blocking and making contact. Yarborough made the pass and won, while Waltrip tried to make contact with Cale after the checkered, but thought better of it and spun into the turn 1 infield. An agitated Waltrip gave a very blunt interview to CBS pit announcer
Larry Nuber
Larry Nuber (November 29, 1948 – June 8, 2000) was an American auto racing announcer, best known for his work on ESPN broadcasts of NASCAR, CART and Formula One races in the 1980s.
Before ESPN
Nuber graduated from Ohio State University and ...
for the late-night race summary, as the live telecast was abandoned after the rain delay. Helped by the very late mid-June sunset in Michigan, it is probably the latest a NASCAR Cup race ever concluded (about 9:15 pm EDT) at a track without night lighting.
*1984:
Cale Yarborough's bid for a ninth Michigan win faltered and
Bill Elliott ran away from
Dale Earnhardt for his first Michigan win and first win on an oval.
*1986: Elliott posted a third straight Michigan 400 win, edging
Harry Gant, who was competing despite injuries sustained at Pocono the week earlier.
*1987:
Dale Earnhardt took the win as
Tim Richmond
Timothy Lee Richmond (June 7, 1955 – August 13, 1989) was an American race car driver from Ashland, Ohio. He competed in IndyCar racing before transferring to NASCAR's Winston Cup Series. Richmond was one of the first drivers to change from ...
finished fourth, what would be the final top-five of Richmond's career.
*1989:
Rusty Wallace
Russell William "Rusty" Wallace Jr. (born August 14, 1956) is an American former NASCAR racing driver. He has won the 1984 NASCAR Cup series Rookie of the Year and the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Championship. Over the course of his successful care ...
dominated but on a late pitstop
Barry Dodson
Barry Dodson was an American stock car crew chief. He was the crew chief for Rusty Wallace's 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship for Blue Max Racing. He pitted for several drivers won a combined 19 Cup races.
Racing career
Dodson began ...
missed the peg under the door for the jack to be secured; the lengthy stop dropped Wallace too far back to challenge
Bill Elliott, who took his fourth Michigan 400 win.
Darrell Waltrip led late but "I had too high a gear and it was killing me off the corners."
*1990:
Bill Elliott's blown engine opened the door to a late duel between
Dale Earnhardt and fiery upstart
Ernie Irvan
Virgil Earnest "Ernie" Irvan (born January 13, 1959), occasionally referred to as Swervin' Irvan, is an American former professional stock car racing driver. A retired NASCAR competitor, he is best remembered for his comeback after a serious head ...
, who finished 1–2; Irvan was driving Oldsmobiles for
Morgan-McClure Motorsports and before the race, it was revealed that Chevrolet would provide the team with factory backing.
*1991: Only one caution flew as the first half of the race erupted into a ferocious multicar duel.
Geoff Bodine
Geoffrey Edwin Bodine (born April 18, 1949) is a retired American motorsport driver and bobsled builder. He is the oldest of the three Bodine brothers (with Brett Bodine and Todd Bodine), and sister Denise. Bodine lives in West Melbourne, Florid ...
and car owner
Junior Johnson
Robert Glenn Johnson Jr. (June 28, 1931 – December 20, 2019), better known as Junior Johnson, was an American NASCAR driver of the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966. In the 1970s and 1980s, he became ...
returned to action after Johnson was suspended for several races, but the primary battle was between Earnhardt,
Davey Allison
David Carl Allison (February 25, 1961 – July 13, 1993) was an American NASCAR driver. He was best known for driving the No. 28 Texaco-Havoline Ford for Robert Yates Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Born in Hollywood, Florida, he was th ...
,
Mark Martin
Mark Anthony Martin (born January 9, 1959) is a retired American stock car racing driver. He has the second most wins all time in what is now the Xfinity Series with 49. He scored 40 Cup Series wins. He finished second in the NASCAR Cup Series s ...
, and upstart
Hut Stricklin
Waymond Lane "Hut" Stricklin Jr. (born June 24, 1961) is an American former professional stock car racing driver.
Racing career
Stricklin grew up in Calera, Alabama. He married Pam Allison, the daughter of NASCAR legend Donnie Allison after the ...
, driving for Davey's dad Bobby; the foursome fought it out after a Lap 35 caution and the lead changed over 30 times officially and otherwise, with Earnhardt, in particular, blasting his car into the corners two full seconds deeper than anyone else and the draft kicking into striking effect for Michigan. Past halfway the race shook into a caution-free breeze home for Allison and Stricklin and a satisfying day for
Bobby Allison
Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937) is a former American professional stock car racing driver and owner. Allison was the founder of the Alabama Gang, a group of drivers based in Hueytown, Alabama, where there were abundant short tracks ...
.
*1994: A slow stop put
Rusty Wallace
Russell William "Rusty" Wallace Jr. (born August 14, 1956) is an American former NASCAR racing driver. He has won the 1984 NASCAR Cup series Rookie of the Year and the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Championship. Over the course of his successful care ...
, in his first year in a Ford, well behind
Dale Earnhardt, but Wallace handily clawed his way forward and stormed to his third straight win of the season.
*1995: Chevrolet's controversial Monte Carlo dominated as
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, who is the Vice Chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick M ...
was bested by
Bobby Labonte
Robert Allen Labonte (born May 8, 1964) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver and current analyst for ''NASCAR on Fox''. He also currently competes full-time in the Superstar Racing Experience, driving the No. 18 car. L ...
; Labonte
Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is an American professional stock car racing organization owned and operated by former Washington Redskins (today the Washington Commanders) coach Joe Gibbs, which first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991. His ...
Chevy ran Hendrick Motorsports engines, a fact that irked primary Hendrick driver Gordon afterward and led to plans by Gibbs to hire Mark Cronquist to organise its own engine progamme that started from 1997 to 2010.
*1997:
Ernie Irvan
Virgil Earnest "Ernie" Irvan (born January 13, 1959), occasionally referred to as Swervin' Irvan, is an American former professional stock car racing driver. A retired NASCAR competitor, he is best remembered for his comeback after a serious head ...
, two months removed from a controversial weekend and bad crash at
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The reconfigured track measures with banked 20° in turns 1 and 2 and banked 24 ...
, ran away for the Michigan win, his lone win of the season, final win for
Robert Yates, and only career win at the track where he was gravely injured three years earlier.
*1999: For the first and only time at Michigan, the race goes caution-free.
*2001:
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, who is the Vice Chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick M ...
out-dueled
Ricky Rudd
Richard Lee Rudd (born September 12, 1956), nicknamed "The Rooster", is an American former racing driver. He is the uncle of actor Skeet Ulrich and former NASCAR Busch Series driver Jason Rudd. He retired in 2007 with 23 career wins. He was name ...
to score the 100th win for car owner Rick Hendrick.
*2008: On
Father's Day
Father's Day is a holiday of honoring fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society. In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on 19 March as Saint Joseph's Day since the Middle Ages. In the Unite ...
and hanging around in 5th conserving fuel,
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. (born October 10, 1974) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, team owner, author, and an analyst for '' NASCAR on NBC''. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving ...
pulled off the biggest upset of the year by winning at Michigan for the first time and snapping a 76 race winless streak (his father won 76 races) and scored his first points race win with car owner
Rick Hendrick
Joseph Riddick "Rick" Hendrick III (born July 12, 1949), nicknamed "Mr. H", is an American businessman. He is best known as the owner of the NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports. He is also a co-owner of JR Motorsports and founder of the Hendrick Au ...
in the 88 car. At the time it was Chevrolet's first win at Michigan since
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, who is the Vice Chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick M ...
won there in June 2001.
*2012: First race on the new surface. Four years and two days after scoring his first win with
Hendrick Motorsports,
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. (born October 10, 1974) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, team owner, author, and an analyst for '' NASCAR on NBC''. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving ...
snapped a 143 race winless streak by leading 95 of the 200 laps to score the win for the second time on Father's Day. His last win also came at Michigan on Father's Day in 2008. The race was delayed for two hours because of rain.
*2014:
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson (born September 17, 1975) is an American professional auto racing driver. A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, he competes part-time in the series driving for Petty GMS Motorsports. Johnson's seven Cup championships, ...
won his first Michigan race after a streak of bad luck that included engine failures and poor fuel strategy.
*2015:
Kurt Busch, driving in a back-up car, was declared the winner after the race was called for rain after 138 laps. The first 50 laps had seen three red flags resulting from persistent rain.
*2017:
Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Lee Truex Jr. (born June 29, 1980) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 19 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. He is the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Serie ...
led for most of the race but after a late-race debris caution,
Kyle Larson
Kyle Miyata Larson (born July 31, 1992) is an American professional auto racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson is the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champi ...
bested him on the restart to win the race. It would be Larson's 2nd of 3 wins in a row at Michigan.
*2019: Due to rain and FS1's broadcasts of
World Cup
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...
games in France on Monday, the race started at 5 pm EDT with more than three and a half hours before sunset. Despite the fact it started late, darkness was never a factor. Joey Logano led a Michigan-record 163 of the 203 laps in a green-white-checkered finish, holding off
Kurt Busch.
References
External links
*
{{NASCAR Cup Series races, state=collapsed
1969 establishments in Michigan
NASCAR races at Michigan International Speedway
NASCAR Cup Series races
Recurring sporting events established in 1969
Annual sporting events in the United States