Winners and losers: NASCAR’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at the Michigan International Speedway

NASCAR visited Michigan International Speedway for the final regular season race in 2025 before the schedule takes the grid to Mexico City. The race saw many drivers who would remember their performance in the FireKeepers Casino 400, while some would want to move on to the next points race.

As the grid prepares for the NASCAR Cup Series race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, let us discuss the winners and losers from last Sunday.

Winners and Losers from NASCAR’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan

Winner - Denny Hamlin

Joe Gibbs Racing's ace driver Denny Hamlin secured his third race victory of the season, joining the ranks of his JGR teammate Christopher Bell, who secured the same feat earlier in 2025. Hamlin's performance throughout the race made him one of the top contenders to win.

With four laps to go, the veteran driver took the lead from Daytona 500 winner William Byron and drove down victory lane.

Loser - William Byron

Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron met with a disappointing end to his run in the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan. Piloting the #24 Chevrolet, Byron started the race from P4 and soon after, he was leading the pack. Having led 80 laps, the HMS driver ran out of fuel as the white flag waved and finished the race in P28.

Winner - Kyle Busch

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch was definitely among the winners of the FireKeepers Casino 400. Busch has been in the longest slump of his career, having not won a points race since the Enjoy Illinois in 2023.

Adding to his troubles, he struggled with securing top-ten finishes in the last 6 races. However, his P8 finish at Michigan has been a silver lining.

Loser - Alex Bowman

Yet another disappointing visit for a Hendrick Motorsports driver in the form of Alex Bowman at Michigan International Speedway. Bowman was running a decent race before getting caught in the aftermath of an on-track incident between Cole Custer and Penske's Austin Cindric.

This incident retired him from the race, leaving the #48 Chevy with a P36 finish.

Winner - Zane Smith

Front Row Motorsports driver Zane Smith had an impressive end to his run in the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan. Smith, who has been facing a hard time delivering top performances, secured a P7 finish on Sunday, marking only his second top-ten finish in the 2025 season.

Moreover, he was the only FRM driver to finish in the top ten, as Noah Gragson and Todd Gilliland finished the NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan in P27 and P33, respectively.

Loser - Carson Hocevar

Carson Hocevar had a tough finish in the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Starting from P14, the Spire Motorsports driver showed solid pace early, breaking into the top ten before Stage 1 ended and finishing Stage 2 in P3.

However, his strong run unraveled in the final stage. After briefly taking the lead, a failed race strategy and a lost tire forced an untimely pit stop, dropping Hocevar to a disappointing P29 at the checkered flag.