Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway… In 188 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has recorded three wins with drivers Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990) and Kevin Harvick (2010), and one pole award with Jeff Burton (2006). RCR has 26 top-five finishes and 60 top-10 finishes in Cup Series competition at Michigan. Earnhardt scored the first Michigan win for the organization in dominating fashion, leading 152 of 200 laps in June 1987. His second win, in June 1990, came when he beat Ernie Irvan to the checkered flag by just .22 seconds. Harvick’s victory in August 2010 came after the No. 29 team elected to gamble late in the race, giving the California native his first win at in the Irish Hills.

Did You Know… Richard Childress made 17 starts at Michigan International Speedway during his NASCAR Cup Series driving career between 1972 and 1981. Childress earned four top-10 finishes at Michigan, with a career-best finish of sixth in June 1974.

Tickets to the 2025 Carolina Cowboys Home Stand Are Available Now… Driven by the same passion for performance that guides his race team, Richard Childress’ latest endeavor brings Professional Bull Riding to the Carolinas. The Carolina Cowboys represent the Carolinas in the PBR Team Series, an elite league featuring the world’s top bull riders competing in games throughout the country. The team is owned by Richard Childress and Jeff Broin with 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Dillon serving as General Manager. Don’t miss the Carolina Cowboys 2025 “Cowboy Days” Home Stand September 12-14 at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tickets are on sale at PBR.com and Ticketmaster.

Watch Us on Amazon Prime… The NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, June 8, beginning at 2 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime, the third of five consecutive races this season that will air on the streaming service. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NASCAR Cup Series Practice & Qualifying at Michigan International Speedway will also be broadcast on Amazon Prime. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.
Facebook X Instagram

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Dow MobilityScienceTM Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway… Austin Dillon has 21 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway, posting his best finish of fourth in August 2018. He owns two top-five finishes, five top-10 finishes and has led 39 laps in Cup Series competition at the track. Additionally at Michigan, Dillon owns one NASCAR Xfinity Series win (2018) and two pole awards (2012 and 2013) in four Series starts. He also has four starts in the NASCAR Truck Series at Michigan, earning two top-five finishes and one pole (2010) with 38 laps led. In his lone ARCA Menards Series start at Michigan, Dillon finished second (2009).

Winner, Winner… Dillon won a rain-shortened NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Michigan International Speedway in 2018, leading 18 laps enroute to victory in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Cabella’s Chevrolet.

Dow brings a science and engineering crew who is driven by limitless curiosity to the RCR Team… Dillon and the RCR team are again supported by Dow’s materials science expertise and technologies this season. Backed by the power of data analysis and virtual modeling, Dow develops and manufactures high-performance components and materials custom-made for the No. 3 car. Dow and RCR’s partnership has expedited innovation and shortened testing time in the automotive industry by using one of the most extreme environments – the racetrack – as a real-time testbed. After 12 years of collaboration, Dow scientists and RCR engineers are continuing to work together to make the No. 3 car faster, safer, and more precise. Stay up to date with Dow’s exciting developments at www.dow.com/sports, and follow them on X (@DowSports) and LinkedIn (Dow Sports Marketing Solutions).

Dow MobilityScience™… Dow’s MobilityScience™ platform is designed to enhance the customer experience by tailoring technologies, products, and services from across Dow businesses to the transportation industry. The platform is pursuing accelerated growth by addressing Mobility mega-trends – where lighter weight, longer range, greater comfort, enhanced safety, and lower carbon footprint are the ultimate objectives. That is where Dow science, innovation, and people step in – working closely with customers to create the materials that bring the possibilities to life.

Hey Batter, Batter… Dillon and his teammate, Kyle Busch, are scheduled to visit the Detroit Tigers on Friday to participate in batting practice with the team in advance of the first of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs. Dillon played in the Little League World Series in 2002.

Meet Dillon… Dillon is scheduled to make a stop at the RCR Merchandise hauler in the fan midway at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, June 8, at 10:20 a.m. Local Time. Stop by to meet the driver of the No. 3 Dow MobilityScienceTM Chevrolet and get new RCR gear.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on Michigan International Speedway?

“Michigan International Speedway is a big, fast, two-mile oval. It’s the fastest track on the NASCAR schedule. You’re always trying to make moves and get big runs when you can. Michigan is one of those places where you definitely feel the speed as soon as you get there. Getting to pit road can be tricky because you’re coming in so fast, and it’s key to entering and exiting without any penalties. Michigan provides long green flag runs, and it’s hard to make up a lap there. Overall, I really like racing at Michigan.”

What makes racing at Michigan International Speedway especially important for you and your team?

“When we race at Michigan International Speedway, you always want to perform well for your manufacturer. That’s a big race for all the OEMs, and we want to put Chevy out front at all costs. Michigan is also the home of Dow, which makes it even more meaningful. We want to put on a great race and create a great experience for everyone from Dow who comes out to see the No. 3 Dow Chevrolet on track.”

You’ve had some memorable races at Michigan International Speedway in the past, and have come close to winning there…

“We’ve had some good races in the past at Michigan International Speedway, and some really fast Chevrolets. You always want to perform in front of your manufacturer’s home, and for everyone at Dow. I remember having a shot to win in 2023. We were really fast and then I almost got flipped upside down by Brad Keselowski at the start/finish line and wrecked. It’s racing. It happens in this sport.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 BetMGM Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway… Sunday’s 400-mile race will mark Kyle Busch’s 37th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Michigan International Speedway. Busch earned his lone win at the two-mile oval in August 2011 and boasts 10 top-five finishes and 16 top-10 finishes at the track. Additionally at Michigan, the 40-year-old driver has led 303 laps, holds an average starting position of 12.3 and an average finish of 17.2.

A Winning Tradition… In August 2011, Busch passed Jimmie Johnson in Turn 1 with 12 laps to go and survived a late restart following a caution that extended the race an extra three laps to earn his lone win at the D-shaped oval. It was the first victory for Busch in 14 tries in the Cup Series at Michigan. The win was the series-leading fourth of the season at the time for Busch. Busch also owns two wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Michigan (August 2004 and June 2015), and one win in the NASCAR Truck Series (August 2015).

A Look Back… In last year’s Cup Series race at Michigan, Busch started 13th after much of practice and qualifying rained out. He worked his way forward in the race, claiming the second stage. The No. 8 team took a late-race gamble in the form of a two-tire pit stop, which culminated with Busch claiming a solid fourth-place finish when the rain-delayed race ended Monday.

Testing… Following last week’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, Busch and the No. 8 team participated in the Goodyear tire test at Iowa Speedway.

Hey Batter, Batter… Busch and his teammate, Austin Dillon, are scheduled to visit the Detroit Tigers on Friday to participate in batting practice with the team in advance of the first of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

Meet Busch… On Sunday, June 8 at 11:25 a.m. ET, Busch is scheduled to visit the Chevrolet display in the Michigan International Speedway midway for a question and answer session.

About BetMGM… BetMGM is a market leading sports betting and gaming entertainment company, pioneering the online gaming industry. Born out of a partnership between MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and Entain Plc (LSE: ENT), BetMGM has exclusive access to all of MGM’s U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online gaming businesses. Utilizing Entain’s U.S.-licensed, state-of-the-art technology, BetMGM offers sports betting and online gaming via market-leading brands including BetMGM, Borgata Casino, Party Casino and Party Poker. Founded in 2018, BetMGM is headquartered in New Jersey. For more information, visit https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

How big of a factor is the draft at Michigan International Speedway?

“Over the last couple of years with this new Next Gen car, the draft at Michigan International Speedway has become less effective in my opinion. These cars don’t quite suck up on the straightaways the way the old cars could.”

Is it refreshing to race at a place like Michigan International Speedway where you can move around the track and find a line that works?

“Michigan over the years has been pretty lane dominant, but with the addition of the traction compound through the corners, it has led itself to widening out and allowing you to try different grooves. It still isn’t as wide as it once was. Back in 2013 you could race along the wall, but it’s getting better and going in that direction.”

Looking back at this race last year, what do you remember about that fourth-place finish?

“I wish I came off pit road with about an eight-second lead. That might’ve helped a little bit. Overall, just net positive on the weekend being upfront and having a shot at the win. We ran in the top 10 all day. It was a really good call by Randall Burnett and the guys to take two tires, get us more track position and just try to hold the leaders off as best we could. Overall, it was a good day for our RCR team.”

RCR PR

BROOKLYN, Mich. (WILX) – NASCAR is coming to Michigan, and fans can expect to see quite the crowd.

Tens of thousands of visitors are planning on making their way to the Michigan International Speedway (MIS) on Friday.

MIS officials are expecting the speedway to be almost full with spectators, along with a full infield camping site.

Joe Fowler, MIS’ president, said he’s looking forward to having NASCAR back in Michigan.

“You know it’s always good to have our fans back, and we have a passionate group of fans here in the state of Michigan, you know, seeing them all here having a good time and here for NASCAR racing, it’s what we work for all year long,” said Fowler.

The speedway is going to host three races:

ARCA Menard Series: Friday. June 6

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Saturday, June 7

NASCAR Cup Series: Sunday, June 8

Tickets are still available for purchase for the races. Click here for more information.

Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and YouTube page to receive the latest local news and weather. Looking to hire people, or grow your business through advertising? Gray Digital Media is your one-stop marketing solution. Learn more.

Copyright 2025 WILX. All rights reserved.

A United States appeals court on Thursday vacated a preliminary injunction that allowed Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and another NASCAR team to be treated as chartered teams, putting the teams’ futures in NASCAR in question.

23XI Racing — whose owners include Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin — and Front Row Motorsports refused to sign a take-it-or-leave-it charter agreement NASCAR presented in September, while the other 13 organizations in the Cup Series proceeded to sign.

The two holdouts filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR the following month. In December, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell granted the teams’ request for a preliminary injunction to be recognized as chartered teams while their lawsuit was active.

NASCAR slammed that decision and brought an appeal to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. On Thursday, a three-judge panel unanimously ruled in NASCAR’s favor and vacated the preliminary injunction.

“In short, because we have found no support for the proposition that a business entity or person violates the antitrust laws by requiring a prospective participant to give a release for past conduct as a condition for doing business, we cannot conclude that the plaintiffs made a clear showing that they were likely to succeed on the merits of that theory,” the decision read in part. “And without satisfaction of the likelihood-of-success element, the plaintiffs were not entitled to a preliminary injunction. … We therefore conclude that the district court abused its discretion in entering the preliminary injunction that it did.”

23XI Racing and Front Row are still allowed to compete in the Cup Series, but having charter status guarantees them automatic spots in races and they would earn more money with a charter than as “open” teams. An open team must qualify their way into each race.

They can also file for a petition for rehearing.

–Field Level Media

The NASCAR charter war took another dramatic turn Thursday as the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled in favor of NASCAR, overturning a lower court’s decision that temporarily granted 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports the right to compete as chartered teams in 2025.

In short: NASCAR wins this round. The two teams that dared to sue the sport they compete in have now lost their guaranteed place in the field—again.

According to the ruling, the December 18 decision by a lower court that handed each team three charters for the 2025 season—including one each purchased from the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing—has been vacated. That means no automatic starting spots, and no guaranteed slice of NASCAR’s multi-billion-dollar media rights pie. Not unless 23XI and Front Row can convince the court to reconsider.

The teams have 14 days to petition for a rehearing. Failing that, the judgment becomes final 21 days from now—on June 26, just two days before the Cup Series hits the newly rebranded EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta. A symbolic gut punch? Perhaps. But also a logistical nightmare for two multi-car operations with Daytona-sized ambitions and no guaranteed starting spots.

This is only the latest twist in a legal saga that started last October when 23XI and Front Row filed a lawsuit against NASCAR, arguing that they were unfairly shut out of charter ownership despite purchasing charters from Stewart-Haas Racing. When the Dec. 18 ruling gave them the green light, it looked like they’d successfully stuck it to the establishment.

But NASCAR quickly appealed that ruling, calling it “fraught with errors, both legally and factually” in a Feb. 12 brief. When oral arguments were heard on May 9, early indications hinted that the appellate judges were skeptical of the teams’ position. That skepticism has now translated into a full reversal.

ForbesNASCAR’s Charter War Heats Up As 23XI, Front Row File LawsuitBy Greg EngleForbesNASCAR’s Defense To 23XI, Front Row Lawsuit Revealed In Court FilingBy Greg Engle
ForbesNASCAR’s Charter Drama Shifts Gears With Court RulingBy Greg Engle

ForbesNASCAR Countersues 23XI And Front Row As Charter War EscalatesBy Greg Engle

NASCAR’s charter system, which functions like a franchise model, guarantees certain teams a spot on the starting grid and a share of media revenue. But the current system also hinges on participation in the NASCAR Charter Agreement. When 23XI and Front Row declined to sign the most recent iteration of that agreement, NASCAR took the position that they had forfeited any charter-related benefits—even for charters they claimed to own.

The Dec. 18 ruling temporarily rewrote that narrative. Now, the appellate court has rewritten it again.

The decision throws another wrench into 2025 plans for both teams. Without charters, their drivers must qualify on speed each week. Sponsorship deals become trickier. And any illusion of stability in the garage has been vaporized by legal fumes.

As it stands, 23XI Racing, co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, which expanded aggressively by acquiring SHR assets, now find themselves staring at the same uphill legal road they thought they’d already climbed. It’s unclear whether they will file for a rehearing or take the fight all the way to the Supreme Court.

In a statement, Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for 23XI and Front Row Motorsports, said the teams were “disappointed” in the ruling but remained confident heading into their December 1 trial date.

“We are disappointed by today’s ruling by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and are reviewing the decision to determine our next steps,” Kessler said. “This ruling is based on a very narrow consideration of whether a release of claims in the charter agreements is anti-competitive and does not impact our chances of winning at trial scheduled for December 1. We remain confident in our case and committed to racing for the entirety of this season as we continue our fight to create a fair and just economic system for stock car racing that is free of anticompetitive, monopolistic conduct.”

What is clear: NASCAR has reclaimed the high ground—for now. And with the next round of Charter Agreements expected to shape the sport’s financial future for a decade, the battle lines are only getting deeper.

We’re heading to the fastest two miles in NASCAR. Michigan International Speedway is all about raw speed, clean air, and who brought the biggest engine to the party. Long green-flag runs are the norm here, so you need drivers who can hold pace, manage track position, and punch hard on restarts.

Here’s who I’m backing this week: two favorites, two mid-tier values, two longshots, and three props that are too sharp to ignore.

The Favorites

Denny Hamlin (+600 at BetMGM)
He’s been flirting with wins for weeks, and Michigan has treated him well. Two wins, six top-six finishes in his last seven starts here, and speed every single week when the car doesn’t fall apart. The 11 team was clean at Nashville and grabbed third. If they…