Folks qualifying at Michigan International Speedway was a showdown worth the soundtrack. Chase Briscoe rocketed to his third straight pole with a scorching lap of 195.514 mph, making front row history and setting the stage for Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400. Just behind him, it was a true horsepower show—Kyle Busch followed with 195.371 mph, and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin came in third.But while Briscoe grabbed the headlines this weekend, another Hendrick’s ace in waiting has more on his mind than just starting near the front. With every lap, he’s sharpening his eyes on that $1 million payday. You can feel the hunger in his voice, and this isn’t just qualifying for him—it’s a mission.William Byron has his eye on the prizeWilliam Byron did not hold back when asked about how much the million-dollar prize matters. He proved his prowess during qualifying, posting a blistering 36.878-second lap to slot into fourth. His placement solidifies a team-loaded front row and reflects how, moment by moment, Byron is inching toward that 1 million dollar dream.In an interview with FrontStretch, Byron reveals how much this race means to him. He goes on to say, “Yeah, I mean, a million dollars is no joke. To be able to win that for a bracket, you know, it’s a big deal. The All-Star Race is a million dollars, and that’s a lot. I feel like it’s really difficult to win, so yeah, we’ll see.” Even with the talk of Mexico City buzzing on social media, Byron’s focus was locked in on Pocono, a track he always loved. “Well, Pocono is always somewhere I look forward to in the summer. I just feel like the atmosphere around the track’s really nice, and the racetrack has been good to us. We’ve always been fast at Pocono since I started in Cup, and that goes back to the truck days. Yeah, I like getting around Pocono. I feel like our team does a good job there.” He reveals that his team brings solid setups there, while Gibbs and Penske are never far behind. He even highlighted the challenge of its flat, bumpy layout as a kind of test he thrives on.When asked if he had a favorite corner, he did not flinch: “Turn three is fun when you get through that good. It’s a fun corner for sure.”Capping off his pre-race checklist? Prep for Mexico City. He reveals his plan: “I’ll be home for two days, then the plan is to go Wednesday morning. I’ll do some sim on Tuesday, have a pretty normal schedule on Monday, then, yeah, get going from there. So yeah, it’ll be a short week for sure. A lot of prep to do. I did some static sim for Mexico this past Monday, so it’ll be a lot of work to get ready, then get down there and acclimate.” But it is clear that William Byron, the current leader with 547 points, has his eyes set on these three races. However, he’s not the only driver who aims to win here. Even for Brad Keselowski, this track holds a different type of emotion.The Keselowski brothers set out to honor their late father in MichiganThis Sunday, Brad Keselowski isn’t just racing for points—he’s chasing something far more personal. As the Cup series rolls into Michigan International Speedway, it brings with it the echo of a legacy written 33 years ago. Brad’s goal? To rewrite that memory with his own chapter, one that honors his late father, Bob Keselowski, who captured an ARCA victory here in 1992.That win, all those years ago, wasn’t just any trip to Victory Lane. It was a family milestone etched in Michigan racing lore. And now, with Brad in the number six Ford Mustang Dark horse for RFK racing and Brian Keselowski spotting for him, the Rochester Hills brothers are back—and this time with only one goal in mind: to finish what their father started.Before the qualifying session, Brian took a moment to remember his late father and, in a very respectful manner, mentioned, “33 years ago, we were here taking victory lane pictures. Can’t even begin to explain how it would be to do it again. Especially getting to be a part of it, spotting for Brad. Absolutely can’t wait to get it started here in a few minutes for practice,” said Brian. However, Brian is no stranger to the pressure. A former driver himself, he’s also been in and out of the spotter stand for Brad this year, including a fill-in at Charlotte when TJ Majors had to sit out for medical reasons.With Brad qualifying 27th, it will be an uphill battle for the No. 6 driver, but not an impossible one. He will definitely need to keep his head down and master the strategies to honor his late father on this track.The post $1,000,000 on His Mind, HMS Ace Breaks Down His Path to NASCAR’s Monetary Bliss appeared first on EssentiallySports.