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In mid-June this year, Denny Hamlin was halfway through. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran won his season’s 3rd Cup race trophy in Michigan, and in style. Despite William Byron’s lead on lap 197, Denny Hamlin displayed speed and prowess by going low and passing Byron. And that is how he claimed the victory – restoring fans’ faith in Michigan’s penchant for last-lap excitement. Presently, Denny Hamlin is nursing a heartbreak after missing the championship despite a 6-win season. However, NASCAR fans are already looking forward to 2026 and to Hamlin showing his magic again. The evidence is now available in Michigan’s booking receipts. ADVERTISEMENT A full house way ahead of schedule Michigan International Speedway rolled out an endearing piece of news for NASCAR recently. The MISCamping.com infield for the June 2026 race has officially sold out for the fifth year in a row. Journalist Jeff Gluck updated this news on X. He wrote, “It’s Nov. 6 and Michigan International Speedway just sent out a news release saying its infield camping — for June — is already sold out for the fifth straight year. Pretty impressive.” Joe Fowler, President of the two-mile track that has hosted the NASCAR Cup Series for over 50 years, congratulated this achievement. “It’s truly remarkable to sell out our MISCamping.com Infield for the fifth year in a row and to do so before the New Year,” he said. “Our fans made this possible as their desire to see NASCAR at MIS only continues to increase. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back for an unforgettable weekend of racing, reunions, and adrenaline in the Irish Hills.” Notably, general camping, grandstand tickets, and hospitality are still available for NASCAR fans. Campsite areas still up for grabs include Brooklyn Trails located on Brooklyn Highway across the track, Brookfest Acres outside of Turn 4, M50 Creekside behind Turn 3, Graves Family Campground on US12, High Banks outside Turn 3, and Tree Farm outside of Turns 3 and 4. ADVERTISEMENT The 2026 festivities will notably commence with a special partnership between MIS and Kettering University. As part of the sponsorship, Kettering University’s “For the Driven” brand message and identity will be in the fast lane. These updates are sure to produce as energetic a race as the FireKeepers Casino 400 race earlier this year. Fans’ eyes will be locked on Denny Hamlin’s car as the latter may pursue another star-studded attempt at the Cup Series title. ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports For now, the NASCAR fans are going gaga about Michigan’s popularity. NASCAR fans evoke Michigan’s specialty In the Next-Gen era, few racetracks can allow drivers to achieve the full potential of speed. Michigan is one of them – its sweeping 18-degree turns create ideal conditions for cars to build and sustain speed. What’s more, its average pole-winning lap of 192.04 miles per hour is easily the fastest of any track on the 2025 schedule. So one fan wrote, “NASCAR’s fastest track. (Top speed)…I don’t think I’ve ever heard a driver say they don’t like Michigan.” Another fan agreed, adding how these characteristics make MIS thrilling for the public. “MIS is a great track, with great fans. Finally being rewarded with some great racing there too. I wish it got more love.” ADVERTISEMENT At present, the ongoing NASCAR lawsuit has exposed deep conflicts within the sport. Michael Jordan and Co. are waging a battle against the sanctioning body over alleged wrongdoing stemming from its ‘monopolistic’ power. However, one fan asserted that the fanbase is concerned with race thrill instead of such politics. “Fans that go to races don’t care about NASCAR politics. They go to have a good time, smell the smells, and feel the thunder.” Somebody else claimed that NASCAR may have gone ahead with Brazil’s plans if Michigan did not prove its popularity. “If it wasn’t sold out, Nascar might have moved it to Brazil.” And the excitement is the most for people who reside in Michigan. That is what a fan implied, even though they reside in Indiana. Despite the distance, they still feel at home in MIS: “Michigan is my home track even though I live in Indiana. Its closer than Indy. Anyways, it’s truly a remarkable experience up there. Ive been to tons of tracks but Michigan has this charm. Its simple. No new track updates, no fancy fan zone. Its just NASCAR.” Clearly, the 2026 NASCAR festivities are showing glimmers of success already. All we can do now is count the days until the start of the next season.
