The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Michigan this weekend for the FireKeepers Casino 400. The Michigan track draws plenty of racing pride and has real potential this year for a long shot to finish first. The usual suspects are favored in the odds, but our experts have some insight into other drivers who could claim their first win of the year.

As we do each week, we’re bringing our burning questions about NASCAR controversies, power players and the race ahead to our motorsports experts, Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi.

Take it away, guys!

How to watch NASCAR at Michigan

• Race: FireKeepers Casino 400
• Track: Michigan International Speedway — Brooklyn, Mich.
  
• Time: Sunday, June 8, 2 p.m. ET
• Watch: Prime Video

NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan Q&A, predictions

OK, tell us about the in-season tournament and why Jeff was railing against the seeding system on Tuesday. We haven’t touched on it much this year, and it’s almost time! Should we be getting excited about this yet?

Jeff: Save your excitement for a few more weeks, but I’m definitely looking forward to it when the time comes. Basically, NASCAR is taking the top 32 drivers in points and doing a single-elimination, March Madness-style bracket over five races. It’s head-to-head matchups between drivers that will play out in each race (1 vs. 32, 2 vs. 31, etc.).

My beef with it is how they’re doing the seeding. Instead of doing it in the order of point standings, NASCAR is going to take a driver’s top finish over the next three weeks and seed the drivers based on that. So the winner of the Mexico City road course is going to be a guaranteed top-three seed (depending on tiebreakers) while some big-name driver who has three bad races might be a seed in the high 20s or worse. That’s going to confuse casual bettors, which is the whole point of this thing in the first place. Imagine seeing Kyle Larson as a No. 27 seed heavily favored in the odds against AJ Allmendinger as a No. 6 seed; is it really an “upset” if Larson wins that first-round matchup? Of course not. Other than that, though, it should be a fun, breezy talking point during the often-dry summer months.

Jordan: It’s a fun concept that should hopefully add some intrigue during a time in the season that sometimes needs more of it. Heightening the novelty is the fact that the five tracks comprising the tournament include a superspeedway, two road/street courses and one of the most iconic tracks in all of motorsports. However, as Jeff noted, the only hangup with all this is how the seeding is determined, as it’s not nearly as straightforward as it should be, potentially turning off the casual fans NASCAR hopes to attract. This may be one of those things where it takes a year to work out all the kinks before taking off in Year 2.

You’ve been covering Carson Hocevar, who almost won last week. How long until the 22-year-old gets his first Cup win? What’s his biggest weakness/obstacle at this point? Is his perceived aggressiveness on the track a pro or a con?

Jeff: It sure seems like Hocevar and Spire are on the doorstep of something special. I wrote a profile of Hocevar this week that I’d love for you to check out, as he has quite a unique personality and doesn’t run from his roots as a true NASCAR fan. But he’s also obviously run afoul of many veteran drivers, who keep calling him out and getting angry with him, and it’s seemingly going to come back to bite him at some point. That’s not unusual for a young driver who bursts onto the NASCAR scene, though; veterans often try to get a brash new driver to adapt to the series’ on-track code (which is ever-evolving), and sometimes it can result in fireworks. Overall, though, the saying in the garage is it’s easier to pull the reins on a fast driver than to try and make a slow driver go faster.

Jordan: Certainly feels like it could happen soon, especially if Spire Motorsports can continue fielding fast racecars as it’s been doing on a seemingly near-weekly basis. And this week’s race at Michigan, Hocevar’s home track, represents a good place for him to get that first W, as it shares similar characteristics with Nashville and Charlotte, sites of the previous two races, where Hocevar was in contention for the victory.

You talked a bit in our preview last week about Bubba Wallace’s recent tough trend. What does he need to do to start improving? What’s off for him, after what felt like an optimistic start?

Jeff: He rebounded to a top-10 finish last week at Nashville, so that’s progress. Honestly, at this point, he just needs to string together some good finishes, especially with the road course season coming up (which hasn’t been his strong suit, although he’s improved lately). He’s still inside the playoff picture, just not quite as securely as before. Michigan is a place that has fit him well before, so he’s very capable of leaving with back-to-back top-10 runs that would get his season back on track.

Jordan: Maintaining track position up front and avoiding miscues are the two areas Wallace’s No. 23 needs to improve upon. During his three-race stretch of poor finishes, issues on pit road cost Wallace several positions, dropping him back in the field and making him vulnerable to getting swept in crashes, which is exactly what happened. At Nashville, Wallace again had an issue on pit road — he was penalized for speeding — but he was able to rally back to finish inside the top 10. He’s a winning driver and his team is capable, and Michigan is a track where he’s nearly won previously, so a mistake-free race on Sunday could manifest into Wallace getting his third career win.

Who is your favorite to win this week? Who does the track advantage?

Jeff: This is NASCAR’s only remaining two-mile oval (RIP Fontana, sniff sniff) and is the fastest track in the Cup Series. Teams will need to bring their best stuff, get their engines tuned up and nail their setups to rip around Michigan. There’s a lot of manufacturer pride racing near Detroit, but it’s mostly been a Ford show. Until Tyler Reddick and his Toyota won last season, Ford had won nine straight Michigan races (nine!). Chevrolet hasn’t won a Michigan race since 2017, and Hendrick Motorsports hasn’t won there since 2014. How crazy is that?

Anyway, I’ll be honest: For some reason, I’m thinking we could see RFK Racing show up with some speed this week, and they’re not even close to the favorites. Chris Buescher is +2000, and Brad Keselowski is +2500. And both drivers rank in the top three for average finish at Michigan in the three Next Gen races there. Hmm…

Jordan: Ford has typically dominated races here in recent years, and Sunday feels no different, especially with how strong Team Penske has performed on intermediate tracks this season. Any one of Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric or Josh Berry could win, and it would in no way be a surprise. But among this quartet, Blaney is the pick. His consistent speed has been impressive, and Michigan, with its tendency for long green-flag runs, favors his driving style, where he is often the fastest over such runs. Look for Blaney to get his second win in as many weeks.

Who is a long shot you like?

Jeff: Speaking of RFK, Ryan Preece is +6000. Heck, Austin Cindric is +6000 (what??). And so is Erik Jones, who has shown strength at Michigan. They are all +190 to secure a top-10 finish, so maybe you could sprinkle a bit there and see if you end up getting two of the three correct.

Jordan: Chris Buescher checks a lot of boxes. He drives a Ford (winner of nine of the past 10 races here) and has a Michigan win on his resume. His smooth driving style is a good fit here, where managing pace goes a long way to achieving success. And he’s listed as high as +2200 on some boards, which means he offers a good return if he can find victory lane on Sunday.

Race winner odds for the FireKeepers Casino 400

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(Photo of Tyler Reddick, who won at Michigan last year: Chris Graythen / Getty Images) 

• Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin are co-favorites to win the NASCAR race at Michigan.
• Odds for various drivers are provided, ranging from favorites to longshots.

It’s rare for us to trot out some breaking news here at the Odds Store.

Amazon Prime Video’s newest NASCAR stat incorporates tens of thousands of incoming data points in real time, using machine learning over the course of a race for more accurate outputs. But when “The Burn Bar” pops up on screen, senior coordinating producer Alex Strand doesn’t want viewers to spend time thinking about the math involved. Instead, the miles-per-gallon readout, along with a color-coded guide, is meant to instantly convey the story of a driver conserving fuel or maxing out. 

“That’s ultimately our North Star at Amazon,” Strand said. “How do we bring more data to viewers, but do it in a way that they can digest?”

The graphic package was 18 months in the making, stretching back to Strand’s first meetings with analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte, as they watched a race and discussed what Amazon could add to the picture when it began streaming races this year. 

“We actually think fuel is a really, really cool part of racing,” Strand said. “It’s just no one’s really figured out how to tell that story yet.”

Letarte added that fuel strategy would be a particularly relevant talking point during Amazon’s stretch of races this spring, including Sunday’s showdown at Michigan International Speedway. 

Back in 2008, for instance, Earnhardt Jr. cut off his engine during a late caution at MIS, coasting to save every ounce of gas and outlasting his competition for the checkered flag. 

It’s exactly the kind of maneuver—nearly invisible to the untrained eye—that Prime Video’s booth hopes to spotlight, similar to the company’s work on pre-snap cat-and-mouse games during Thursday Night Football broadcasts.    

“This is awful because I’m an announcer, but I think the more a sport can be displayed, both visually by the director and graphically by the great graphics director and producer—that’s my goal,” Letarte said.

Amazon says it has developed a proprietary artificial intelligence model to track fuel mileage for every car on a lap-by-lap basis, primarily based on throttle and RPM measurements, while race teams are likely only viewing similar data for select vehicles. Amazon data scientists, computer vision experts, engineers and producers—including Prime Video producer for analytics and insights Sam Schwartzstein, a former football player who helps lead Thursday Night Football’s Prime Vision with Next Gen Stats efforts—contributed to the development process, which also relies on Amazon Web Services’ cloud computing power. 

So far, the Burn Bar has largely been broken out for specific drivers in key moments, though it could also be used to compare a car’s race to previous events, or even more significantly, to the rest of the field.

“That’s really where the story unfolds as the race unfolds,” Letarte said.

Viewers are now getting to see it for themselves.

As the NASCAR Cup Series continues to motor deep into the 2025 season with the Firekeepers Casino 400 this weekend at Michigan International Speedway, the hard-fought, blistering battles on the track have been nothing short of exceptional, producing nine different winners to date. Familiar faces like Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, and Denny Hamlin headline a pack of veteran race winners, while Carson Hocevar, Austin Cindric, and Josh Berry have each scored one win apiece.

That said, summer’s only getting started, and once August rolls around – when Cup Series competition is at its fiercest with would-be contenders all seeking to punch their postseason tickets – USA Network will officially take the broadcast wheel for the remainder of the regular season, as well as the playoffs, with NBC also airing four races. But before the Cup Series switches broadcast gears, let’s take a closer look at the veteran team calling all the action from the track.  

Here’s a rundown of the key names to know in USA Network’s NASCAR coverage.

Leigh Diffey – Play-by-Play

In addition to being NBC’s primary Olympics announcer, Leah Diffey has become a go-to, trusted voice in motorsports. Before anchoring USA Network’s Cup Series broadcast, Diffey served as the chief play-by-play commentator for NBC Sports’ coverage of the NASCAR Cup Series, its Supercross coverage, and the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. In 2019, the Australian broadcaster spearheaded NBC’s inaugural coverage of the Indianapolis 500, repeating the role annually ever since.

Jeff Burton – Analyst, Pre/Post-Race

After amassing 21 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series along with 27 victories in the Xfinity Series, Jeff Burton has served as a NASCAR analyst since joining NBC’s coverage of the sport in 2015. Burton, who was the 2014 Cup Series Rookie of the Year and became just the sixth driver to eclipse 1,000 NASCAR career starts in 2013, is a pillar of the racing community. Dubbed “The Mayor” by fans, the living legend’s relatable demeanor makes him a fan-favorite, and his special position in the league has allowed him to pursue helping NASCAR enhance driver safety throughout the different levels.

Steve Letarte – Analyst, Pre/Post-Race 

Steve Letarte began his career with Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) at the age of 16 and has never looked back. From mechanic to tire specialist, Letarte worked his way up the racing ranks until he landed the coveted role of crew chief on the No. 24 team for Jeff Gordon in 2005. After achieving 10 wins and 76 top-five finishes with the four-time champ, Letarte partnered up with Dale Earnhardt Jr., serving as his crew chief on the No. 88 HMS team. 

Marty Snider – Reporter, Pre/Post-Race Host

After starting his career in 1994 as a sports reporter for NBC, Marty Snider quickly found his niche within motorsports. Between producing ESPN’s NASCAR Today, co-hosting The Morning Drive on Sirius XM’s NASCAR channel, and a myriad of other endeavors, Snider’s amassed six network Emmy awards and NASCAR.com’s “Pit Reporter of the Year” in 2007.

Dale Jarrett – Pre/Post-Race

Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2014, Dale Jarrett captured 32 Cup victories during his storied 24-year career in racing’s top flight, including three Daytona 500 wins. Like his father Ned Jarrett, who earned a pair of Cup Series titles, Jarrett hoisted the Bill France Cup in 1999. As a long-time collaborator with NBC, Jarrett’s wealth of knowledge and extensive experience are integral components to USA Network’s pre/post-race coverage. 

Brad Daugherty – Pre/Post-Race

From the hallowed hardwoods of UNC-Chapel Hill to the Cleveland Cavaliers, former standout center Bad Daugherty was always destined to play basketball in the NBA. Still, his skill on the court would never exhaust his passion for the track, and the native of Black Mountain, North Carolina, who wore No. 43 to honor Richard Petty, now co-owns Hyak Motorsports (formerly JTG Daugherty Racing). He joined NBC Sports during the 2020 NASCAR season.

Pit Reporters

Backing up USA Network’s illustrious crew of veteran broadcasters is a deep bench of energetic pit reporters, whose savvy knowledge about the sport and its myriad of elite competitors help craft compelling narratives around each race. This year, USA Network and NBC have tapped long-time collaborators Kim Coon, Dave Burns, and Parker Kligerman to lead those efforts. 

The first NASCAR Cup Series race lands on USA Network on August 3 with the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol. Coverage then shifts to NBC on August 23 for the Coke Zero Sugar 400. The remainder of the post-season will air on USA Network except for the final two playoff races and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in Phoenix, Arizona, which will air on NBC. To find out more, please check local listings and the Cup Series schedule.