While there is definitely a new feel to the revamped Bristol Motor Speedway, the iconic track remains firmly rooted in its history. In August of 1978, Cale Yarborough won the first Night Race held at the .533-mile oval. Sparks flew under the lights, from the cars and from some drivers, and the event quickly became one of NASCAR’s crown jewels. This year’s edition of the IRWIN Tools Night Race Aug. 25 will be the 35th running of the event at night.
RAM DRIVER QUOTES “I’m really looking forward to Bristol. I ran the K&N East race at Bristol earlier this year and we did very well. Even though the track is different at least I’ve been on Bristol and I’ve got a pretty good feel of it. I’m working well with the guys already at Brad Keselowski Racing and I think we can do really well. Racing with Brad is definitely going to help because I can talk with him and discuss what our RAM trucks are doing."
As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series return to companion events this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, fans will see a lot of black and yellow cars streaking around the famous half-mile oval. Joey Logano will return to the wheel of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota this Saturday night in the Sprint Cup Series event at Bristol and will double up by also competing with a Dollar General Toyota in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Bristol on Friday night.
Jason White on Bristol: “Bristol is my favorite track and this GunBroker.com team is going into there with a lot of momentum and confidence. It is great short track racing and a lot of fun. Bristol always draws big crowds and has a tremendous amount of excitement around it, and that just adds to a fantastic atmosphere.”
Carl Edwards on racing at Bristol Motor Speedway: “I haven’t seen the track since they changed it so I’m not exactly sure what to expect. Who knows what will happen. Any time you change a track like that there is no telling. It might make it a completely different race and I guess in the end that is what they are trying to do. I think all of us are hoping for a really good race."
In 134 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing boasts nine wins - seven with Dale Earnhardt, one with Kevin Harvick and one with Jeff Burton - three poles, 32 top-five and 58 top-10 finishes. RCR Chevrolets swept the top three positions in the 2008 Food City 500 when Burton drove to Victory Lane, Harvick finished second and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top three.
Stenhouse, Jr. on racing at Bristol Motor Speedway: “I love racing at Bristol especially under the lights. They repaved the top groove of the track since we raced there last time so that creates some uncertainty for us. In the spring, our No. 6 Ford was stout. After two road course races I am ready to get back to an oval track. We have NOS on our Mustang this weekend so it would be ‘NOSsome’ to get them to victory lane.”
Kahne at Bristol Motor Speedway: By the numbers... In 16 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) starts at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS), Kahne has one win (2007), five top-five and five top-10 finishes. He has 132 laps led with an average start of 14.7 and an average finish of 18.4.
This Week's Zaxby's Toyota Tundra ... John Wes Townley will pilot RAB Racing Chassis No. 54 in Wednesday's UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Zaxby's Returns ... RAB Racing's Toyota Tundra will sport familiar colors this weekend when the red and yellow paint scheme of Zaxby's adorns the No. 09 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday night.
Chevrolet heads to Martinsville Speedway with its reigning champions leading the standings in NASCAR’s top-two divisions and a milestone victory within reach in the Craftsman Truck Series.
Kris Wright and the No. 81 F.N.B. Corporation team for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) make the short trip from Statesville, N.C. to Martinsville Speedway for round 24 of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) season.
Tyler Ankrum, driver of the No. 18 LIUNA Chevrolet for McAnally Hilgemann Racing (MHR) is headed just a short drive North up to Virginia for the sixth race of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) Chase at Martinsville Speedway.
