The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series land this week in Bristol, Tennessee as The Bass Pro Shop NRA Night Race takes place at the Bristol Motor Speedway.
Joey Logano will try to defend his 2015 victory at the .533-mile oval when he led for 176 laps. Last year Kyle Busch led for 192 laps but Logano led the last 62 to take the win. When talking about possible winners for this night race, Logano has to be included as his last two performances in the Bristol night races were victories.
This race will favor drivers that excel on short tracks and that barring any mechanical problems or accidents should finish high in the standings.
So far the calendar has had five short-track races: the Good Sam 500 at the Phoenix International Raceway in Arizona, The STP 500 at the Martinsville International Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia, the Food City 500 at the very same Bristol Motor Speedway, the Toyota Owners 400 in Richmond Virginia and the AAA 400 Drive for Autism at the Dover International Speedway in Dover Delaware.
So far this year four drivers stand out on short tracks: Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott. Here’s a look at why they may excel at this weekend’s Sprint Cup event:
-Kevin Harvick: another driver that has potential to do well in this race. Last year he finished second at this event and this year at the Food City 500 he came in seventh. He might not be the top choice to win the race, but a top three or top five result is a very real possibility. His victory in Phoenix and the fifth place in Richmond show that Harvick is a real threat on the short tracks.
-Carl Edward has had a great season so far on short tracks with two victories (in Richmond and Bristol) a second place in Phoenix and a sixth place in Martinsville. His only dark spot was the race at Dover, where he finished 28 due to his involvement in an accident. He could be considered one of the favorites.
-Kurt Busch also has had a good campaign on the short tracks. In the five races he has two top five finishes (third in Bristol and fifth in Dover) and two top 10 finishes (sixth in Phoenix and 10th in Richmond). His lowest finish was a 13th place in Martinsville.
Chase Elliot: This young driver has so far put together good shows when racing on short tracks although recently he has struggled result wise. A short track can only help him get back to form and earn his first victory of the 2016 season. Elliot’s best results came in Dover where he earned a third place and in this same track’s Food City 500 where he finished fourth.
Others to consider:
Kyle Busch
Matt Kenseth
Jimmie Johnson
Brad Keselowsky
Denny Hamlin
