The NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway was scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. on USA Network, with the start time moved up. The track is one of the four remaining before the playoffs, putting extra pressure on drivers like Michael McDowell, Ty Gibbs, AJ Allmendinger, and Daniel Suarez.

Kevin Harvick, the defending winner at Michigan, was aiming for his seventh win in the Irish Hills, and it would be his final time racing on the 2-mile track in his Cup career.

Christopher Bell won the pole during Saturday’s qualifying session and led the field to the green flag alongside Ross Chastain on the front row.

Is the Nascar race delayed?

However, rain disrupted the start of the Cup race. Engines were fired at 2:33 p.m., but the green flag was not waved. The cars returned to pit road at 2:52 p.m. due to the rain.

Former Detroit Lions fullback Cory Schlesinger gave the command to start the engines after the rain passed, and the pace laps resumed.

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The race experienced a delay due to light rain, but there were no changes to the racing surface.

The weather was a major storyline at Michigan on Sunday, with rain earlier in the day and forecasts for continued showers after 4 p.m. ET.

The race was expected to happen, but possibly only to halfway (Stage 2 ends at Lap 120), instead of the scheduled 200 laps.

Two Michigan natives, Brad Keselowski and Erik Jones, aimed for a win at their home track.

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Ford drivers had won the past eight Cup races at Michigan, with Kevin Harvick accounting for five of those wins. The last Chevrolet driver to win at Michigan was Kyle Larson, and the last Toyota driver was Matt Kenseth.