Rain postpones Monster Energy Series race at Michigan

The track dryer led all the laps on Sunday

Persistent rain forced the postponement of Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race to a Monday start at Michigan International Speedway.

The FireKeepers Casino 400 is now set for Monday at 5 p.m. ET, airing on FS1.

NASCAR officials made the decision to reschedule the 200-lap, 400-mile event following an attempt to get the race started after a one-hour delay Sunday afternoon. The 36-car field completed several pace laps in hopes of reaching a 3:02 ET green flag, but another rain shower forced the cars back to pit road.

Track-drying briefly resumed, but inclement weather continued to halt the process. The track was almost dry by 4:15 p.m. when another rain cell struck. NASCAR officials made the decision at 4:30 p.m. ET to postpone Sunday’s scheduled at-track activity.

Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace and Corey LaJoie passed the time during the rain delay by throwing a football, eventually lobbing it into the grandstand and playing catch with fans who braved the rain.

When the race gets started, Joey Logano will lead the field to the green flag in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford after securing the Busch Pole Award in Saturday qualifying. Aric Almirola, in the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, will join Logano on the front row for the season’s 15th race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Clint Bowyer, the defending winner of the race, will line up fifth as Ford drivers make up eight of the top 10 starting spots.