FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: BRISTOL DIRT RACE NOTES
For the second year in a row, Bristol Motor Speedway has been transformed into a dirt track and will host a pair of NASCAR races this weekend. One difference from last season is both events will be held a night with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race scheduled for 8 p.m. on Saturday, and the NASCAR Cup Series event on Easter Sunday at 7 p.m.
This Week’s Schedule:
Saturday, April 16 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 8 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, April 17 – NASCAR Cup Series, 7 p.m. (FOX)
FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT BMS
· Ford has 40 all-time series wins at BMS (including 1 at the dirt track).
· Joey Logano is the defending winner of the Bristol Dirt Race.
· Ford has 101 all-time Cup dirt victories.
FORD IN THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES AT BMS
· Ford has five series wins at BMS.
· Joe Ruttman won the inaugural series race in 1995.
· Brad Keselowski’s lone series win came at Bristol in 2014.
FORD’S DIRT HISTORY IN CUP
As noted above, Ford has 101 all-time dirt wins by 30 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series from 1955-1969 and 2021-Present. NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett, who is Ford’s all-time leader in Cup wins with 43, also holds the record for most dirt wins for the manufacturer with 26. Fellow Hall of Famers Junior Johnson and Fireball Roberts are next on the list with 11 and 10 wins, respectively.
FORD’S CUP DIRT WINNERS
Ned Jarrett (26), Junior Johnson (11), Fireball Roberts (10), Dick Hutcherson (8), Curtis Turner (4), Marvin Panch (4), Ralph Moody (4), David Pearson (3), Paul Goldsmith (3), Eddie Gray (3), Joe Weatherly (3), Parnelli Jones (2), Eddie Pagan (2), Speedy Thompson (2), Tom Pistone (1), Buck Baker (1), Lloyd Dane (1), Bill Amick (1), Marvin Porter (1), Shorty Rollins (1), Johnny Beauchamp (1), Cotton Owens (1), John Rostek (1), Fred Lorenzen (1), Jimmy Pardue (1), Tiny Lund (1), Cale Yarborough (1), Darel Dieringer (1), Elmo Langley (1) and Joey Logano (1).
LOGANO TAKES INAUGURAL BRISTOL DIRT RACE
The first NASCAR Cup Series race on dirt in a half-century had to wait an extra day due to rain, and then endured an overtime session, before Joey Logano finally came away with the historic victory at Bristol Motor Speedway. Logano led 61 of the 253 laps in the Food City Dirt Race, driving his Mustang to a .554-second margin of victory in NASCAR’s first race on dirt since 1970. Logano took charge on lap 193, taking the lead away from Daniel Suarez who had just gotten past early race dominator Martin Truex Jr. Logano went on to win Stage 2 and then stayed in front the rest of the way, leading the final 61 laps for his first win of the season and third at Bristol.
SPEEDY THOMPSON CLAIMS FORD’S FIRST DIRT VICTORY
Ford’s first win on dirt in what is now known as the NASCAR Cup Series came on Oct. 9, 1955 when Speedy Thompson won a 250-lap feature on the 1.5-mile Memphis-Arkansas Speedway in LeHi, Arkansas. Thompson, driving a 1955 Ford, started 10th before he eventually passed leader Tim Flock on lap 43 and never gave it up. He led the final 158 circuits as he and Marvin Panch were the only two drivers to end up on the lead lap, giving Ford a one-two finish and its first victory in the Grand National Series since Shirtless Jimmy Florian won the manufacturer’s first race in 1950.
BRISCOE ALSO A WINNER ON NASCAR DIRT
Chase Briscoe knows what it’s like to go to victory lane in one of NASCAR’s top three touring series on dirt. He won the Eldora Dirt Derby in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2018, edging Grant Enfinger at the finish line following a side-by-side battle the final lap. In all, Briscoe made three NCWTS starts at Eldora and finished in the top 10 each time – 3rd in 2017, 1st in 2018 and 7th in 2019. In last year’s Bristol Dirt Race, Briscoe finished 20th.
NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS ON BRISTOL DIRT
2021 – Joey Logano
