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A juggler entertains race fans before the Firekeepers Casino 400 Sunday morning at MIS.  Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports. By Jeff Steers JTV Sports One Michigan International Speedway representative called the Fan Plaza at the speedway “Disney on speed.” He was correct. The Fan Plaza features everything from jugglers, singers, drivers making appearances and automotive sites. On Sunday, entertainers such as Mad Chad, a juggler, a wood carver, bands, Fowling – bowling with footballs, Jackson Speedway, Consumers Energy, car manufacturers, and driver appearances highlighted the Fan Plaza. Detroit Lions Coach Matt Patricia will serve as the grand marshal for the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway today. “I am drawn to the sport because of my engineering experiences,” Patricia said. “I am fascinated by the speeds.” Patricia said he is looking forward to talking with former NFL Coach Joe Gibbs – now a team owner in NASCAR. Former Detroit Red Wings player Darren McCarty will serve as the pace car driver … a job that suits him fine. “I enjoy living in the pace car speed these days,” an entertaining McCarty said during a press conference. “A friend of mine turned me on to racing when I lived…

Tyler Reddick used a good pit call and a little bit of luck to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series LTi Printing 250 at Michigan International Series. An incident between Chase Briscoe and Tommy Jo Martins brought out the caution flag on lap 78. Christopher Bell was leading at the time as he and his crew chief faced the ultimate decision. He faked coming to pit road under yellow, but at the last instance he turned right to stay on the track. Cole Custer, in second place at the time, stayed out along with Bell. Reddick and the rest of the leaders pitted. Bell and Custer had to pit for fuel with 10 laps to go under green to take them out of contention. Reddick who was in third place at the time, inherited the lead. He saved enough in fuel his final run, holding on for the win. It was his third of the season and first victory at MIS “We bring great race cars to the track each week,” Reddick said. “All the guys at the shop work really hard on these Chevrolet Camaros. All the guys with Richard Childress Racing are outstanding every single day.” Noah Gragson passed…

By Gary Kalahar, JTV Sports                        While preparing for the Jackson Masters golf tournament one evening last week, Steve Maddalena hit the Country Club of Jackson driving range after the balls had been picked up for the night. That meant he would have to gather any balls that he hit. After striking a bucket’s worth, the job of retrieving them didn’t prove too difficult, since every one of them was on the target green. That was a good sign for Maddalena, and a bad one for the rest of the field. Maddalena stayed on target all weekend, firing rounds of 67 and 71 for a 6-under-par 138 total and a comfortable five-stroke margin of victory to claim his sixth Jackson Masters championship. Cody Lysher finished second at 143, followed by defending champion Logan Anuszkiewicz, Mark Kurzynowski and Jack Brockie at 146. Lysher, Anuszkiewicz and Brockie all matched Maddalena’s 71 on a sunny, windy Sunday at the Country Club of Jackson, but no one made a run at the three-stroke lead he carried after his exceptional opening round. With his first Jackson Masters victory since 2009, the 59-year-old Maddalena became the…